The Wife... and other project problems

[Lewis04]

Hi all,
We began working on refurbishing a few rooms in our new house this summer, but we got a little carried away with all the mod cons that we all seem to need these days.

Therefore, we decided to cut down our aspirations and focus on the master bedroom and the living room (still caused enough electrical problems). The living room is nearly finished so I thought I could put my feet up and take advantage of my new cinema like room! But the wife (predictably) wants to put in some finishing touches!

In particular she is not happy about the wires I’ve got dangling around room from the ceiling with the speakers and the mega spaghetti junction of wires I have coming from around and behind the TV stand. I don’t want to sacrifice my entertainment for the sake of it looking nice and I don't want a replastering job on my hands any suggestions??!!


Also, she wants to change some more decorative regions of the room but I think that’s more for another type of forum!!

 

[Diyisfun]

Pictures would help, you can spiral cable wrap, stick on trunking

 

[Lewis04]

Thanks for that. With pictures I'm not sure would fit right with the way everything set out. On trunking don't want it to look cheap, the ones ive checked out only are in white or black and look like they'd brake in a snap! But I could gived it ago?

 

[JohnD]

this might be too late for you

but if they are just speakers and aerials (no electrical power) you can put them behind the skirting.I liketo put two battens on the wall (having hacked off any plaster below skirting top) adusted to line up with the plaster depth, level with the top of theskirting and one 18mm up from the floor. the skirting can be lightly screwed to these, and cables run between the battens. you can repair the plaster flush with the top batten.

the time to do this is when you are doing the prep before decorating.

it also makes it easy to take off the skirtings when you are repainting.

you are not permitted to run electrical cables like this as it is not a safe zone and they are liable to nail or drill damage.

 

[Lewis04]

Yeah It's a bit too late for me. I never learn from my mistakes of just delving into a project and not thinkning about the little finishing touches... I can hear the 'I told you so's' already I'll keep taking in other ideas.

 

[JohnD]

I also offer a recycling service for discarded wives, though I currently have no vacancies.

 

[pukka]

how about some d-line trunking. it does look ok you can get it from B&Q

http://www.d-line.co.uk/

 

[jeremy hughes]

If the speakers are mounted on an external wall you could always send the cables outside, then bak in again.

 

[Blasphemous]

Pictures would help, you can spiral cable wrap, stick on trunking

Thanks for that. With pictures I'm not sure would fit right with the way everything set out.

I think Diyisfun meant it would help if you could post some pictures (photos) on here to help us to advise.

 

[Matt08]

Hi Lewis04

I'm with pukka on this one I was in a similar boat with the wires and it sounds like it's your only option. I would say it's better than the normal cheap looking stuff you can get. I got mine from screw fix.. just checked out their website they have a youtube video as well so you could even get your wife to do it!!

 

[Symptoms]

Lewis - just bite the bullet and do the job properly. Chase the cables into the walls.

Ceiling to speakers use a Stanley knife to cut away a narrow strip of plaster, then bury the speaker cables, level off with filler ... fit small outlet plates or leave the cables to emerge behind the speakers. Maybe 1 hour max to do this.

Low-level boxes up to wall mounted screen - chase them into the wall, Stanley knife through the plaster, chisel/bolster a channel deep enough for trunking, fit cables, plaster over (hardly a big task as the channel is likely only to be max 50mm wide. Put the plaster/filler on proud, leave to set, glasspaper (on a wooden rubbing block) the plaster level, decorate. Maybe a couple of hours work. If you've got an SDS+ drill buy a channelling chisel for it (brilliant bits of kit for this type of job) as this will save time and make a better job of it.

Result = many happy hours of looking a your telly without the distraction of ugly trunking ... Oh, and many bunny points with your partner.

 

[Lewis04]

Thanks everyone, I would have done what Symptons suggested earlier in the process but it's all newly decorated/expensive wallpaper It wouldn't finish right. I've looked at the D-line stuff and it looks a lot better than other trunking I've seen. I'll probably go with that and i've shown the missus and she's suprisingly happy so thanks for the offer of recycling service if you had vacancies might have used it a couple days ago I'll give it a go this weekend, it's not much cost there's a couple that will fit in well.
I'll let you know how it looks! Thanks Again

 

[Lewis04]

Hi Everyone,

Just to let you know I went and got the D-Line trunking from B and Q, it worked well with decor and tidied up the wires making the room look a lot better. It settled the wife down as well so all worked out in the end! Didn't take long to do either which meant i could settle down and watch F1 on the Sunday

 

[Matt08]

Hi Lewis,

Glad you got to watch the F1!
It's ok once you put it in isn't it? I think it is much easier to do something like that instead of resessing walls, I suppose if you get the right one it makes the room look a lot better too. Let us know how the rest of your little DIY problems go... (Remember it's not a marriage councilling forum tho!!)