carpet and speaker cables

[digitalfailure]

Has anyone got any tips for laying speaker cables under carpet?

i'll be having a new carpet laid throughout the hall/lounge/stair,landing this month, so i'm going to take the oppertunity to get some of my set up's cables hidden a little.

At the moment it looks like QED micro cables will be used throughout and there are 2 doorways that need to be crossed by the cables for the rear channels.

Is it best to put the cables inside the grippers or outside of them?

[mattym]

i suppose on the inside of the grippers, but you would have to make allowance to get past the grippers...or you could chisel out a nice channel in the floor...

[louishm]

i'm presuming you cant get access under the floor, if not a good idea i used years ago was to stick some double sided tape along the floor next to the skirting and lightly stick the cables onto it. Sounds daft i know but it works When the fitters are in theres no chance of any cables popping onto the gripper before they throw the carpet down.

[richard plumb]

considered just routing them along the skirting? either using hollow skirting or use some semi-circular trunking stuck along the top of the skirting - if its the same depth as the skirting it'll look pretty unobtrusive

[mr-gobby]

Cables are one of a floor fitters biggest pet hates - reason - they add more time to the job and unless thats priced into your quote then they aint gonna be happy.

The way to do it is place cables infront of the gripper (i.e. NOT nearest the skirting) then run another set of gripper so cables are between two gripper runs. Also tape or glue the cables down so they dont move out of position. This way the fitter can still strech the carpet onto the front gripper and also has a gap between the back gripper and the skirting to neatly tuck and finish off the carpet edge.

Through doorways either cut out the door frame at the very bottom and tuck cable under it or cut a channel in the floor and run underneath where the door bars will be.

[digitalfailure]

Hi

I can't run them along or above the skirting for fear of death!
Part of the installation agreement of the new bits and bobs is no unsightly wires all over the place.

I can't get under the floor as it's a concrete job.

Is a seperate run of grippers really needed , I was just going to gaffer tape the cables as close to the grippers as possible on the inside so as to still let the carpet pushdown on the otherside of the grippers.

I don't mind chipping in a shallow channel across the 2 doorways and filling over to prevent a line in the carpet, but i cba doing it all the way round the room
I've opted for quite a thick underlay, which is of the granualised type as it's supposed to provide better insulation and less sag, I'm hoping that by cutting the underlay a few mm away from the gripper will stop a line forming around the other edges of the carpet.

[mr-gobby]

I've known carpet fitters walk off site for less, honestly!. I used to run a flooring company and fitters don't like surprises, just prefer it quick and easy. As I said if you dont mention the cabling they can't actually price it in.

We used the double gripper technique because it gave a quick and easy knife line to slash the underlay into (you dont want the cables slashed too!) and because cutting underlay short for the cable run space may leave a saggy line. Gripper is cheap and easy to fit, nailing it into concrete isn't easy for DiYers but done using gripfill as well on the underside of the gripper will turn out a good well fixed job.

The underlay you mention is of a foam construction rather than the rubber types, yes it recovers better and feels much nicer underfoot. It also doesn't crumble after years of use and is lighter and easier to handle in fitting. Cost more though but well worth it

It's your call really, perhaps contact the company doing it for you so they are aware, they may advise you, even say dont worry they'll sort it,, but they won't want you in the way faffing about with the cables on the day!

Sorry if this sounds a bit jobs worth,, I just know from experience and fitters bashing my ears when on a job with cables they didn't expect!

[digitalfailure]

Thanks for the honest reply

The guy from the carpet shop was aware of the AV implications when he came out to confirm the measurements, but that doesn't mean he'll pass the info on to the fitters who I suppose will be sub contractors.

I intend to have the cables laid a day or so before the carpet goes down as i'm going to channel it and fill it as it crosses the doorways.

I have to remove the old carpet and underlay myself before the fitters come, so they'll be able to see the cables as soon as they enter the room