07 Oct Run Electrical Wires Through the Walls
To start any project that involves cutting holes in the wall the first tool you need is a quality stud finder. Behind the wall there are studs—usually 16 inches on center, although there can and oftentimes is some slight discrepancy in this. Sometimes people will find one wall stud and assume that they know the distance of the studs behind the wall—oftentimes they are right—but the problem with this type of best-guess scenario is that in the instance of fishing electrical wires through the walls, if you place a hole in the wall without checking the surrounding area, then you may discover that there are headers or blockers (2×4’s that run horizontal between the studs) in the cavity between your chosen wall studs. You may discover that you actually need to place your hole one cavity space to the right or left, and then you’re left with a second hole to repair—more holes and more work, not fun.
You will need a flex bit and glow rods. Glow rods work exactly as the name sounds: the rods glow in the dark and they can be connected together in whatever lengths you need to accomplish the job. Once you have drilled-out your holes, then you can attach the flex bit to the electrical cable, securing the cable to the bit with electrical tape, and then pull the cable to the box. When you have the wires run—for the simple DIY’er this technique works terrific for running speaker wire and other wires that are not electrical cable between television sets and other electronics—you can purchase a drywall protector called a mudring. The mudring comes in different appearances, although the most common are rectangular brackets (you should know the
size and shape of your mud ring before you cut the hole) that get secured to the drywall and also protect the edges of the sheetrock. Mud rings are not meant to be replacement for electrical receptacles and wall switches.
If you have any other questions as to how to run wires through the wall, or if you have another home project for which you could use the expertise of the Ace Hardware experts, then come in to the Height’s Ace Hardware today.
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