Question Chasing Cables in Breeze Blocks

marshalex

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Hi All

I'm about to start redoing our lounge and want to chase a channel into the wall to install some trunking to store all the cables for the TV. It's a 2004 house with dot and dab plasterboard on breeze block. The thickness of the plasterboard to the wall is around 20mm where I want to put the trunking and I'd ideally like to have some access to it via the top/bottom so I can change cables without taking the wallpaper off! I'm thinking 16mm depth trunking would be too small for 3xHDMI (possibly 4), ethernet and power to allow for easy removal of the cables so I was thinking something along the lines of 54mm x 28mm, which would mean carving a 54mm x 10mm channel into the breeze blocks behind the plasterboard to fit that size in. The other option would be 2 channels of trunking, 1 16mm x 16mm section and a 38mm x 16mm section with the HDMI cables in the larger section and power/ethernet in the smaller one, but I'm not sure all the HDMI cables will fit into the largest section.
I'm trying to use the channel the previous residents created to reduce the amount of work (which consisted of carving out the plasterboard and cementing the cables into the wall, shudder) but am a bit concerned about taking too much out of the breeze blocks. Would have been much easier if the plasterboard was a consistent distance from the breeze blocks all the way along the wall (it's 30mm from the wall where the sockets are on one side...)
What do you guys think is the best approach?
 
Hi Marshalex

Can I ask why you need 4 HDMI running to the TV? I can understand having a spare, but 3 seems excessive. I'm not sure on your set-up, but if you are currently routing all your sources to the TV, you may be able to reduce the number of embedded cables by utilising an HDMI switch, or ideally AV receiver, to manage your sources and then only sending the single output up to your TV.

Unfortunately I can't help to much on your the breeze block query, and think I may soon be facing a similar issue when I move into my new place, so interested to hear the consensus.
 
Hi Marshalex

Can I ask why you need 4 HDMI running to the TV? I can understand having a spare, but 3 seems excessive. I'm not sure on your set-up, but if you are currently routing all your sources to the TV, you may be able to reduce the number of embedded cables by utilising an HDMI switch, or ideally AV receiver, to manage your sources and then only sending the single output up to your TV.

Unfortunately I can't help to much on your the breeze block query, and think I may soon be facing a similar issue when I move into my new place, so interested to hear the consensus.

My current AV receiver doesn't do audio pass through so that one was out and the majority of sound bars I was looking at replacing it with don't have the necessary number of input/output HDMI ports.
It was more for each source (sky, blu-ray, xbox) going directly into the TV so I can use the smart remote functions, which I'm not sure will work through a switch? My Samsung TV certainly is happier with the Sky box plugged into the STB port.
The 4th cable was for ARC when I get a compatible sound bar. As the majority of mid-range (i.e. under £250) don't support 4k yet, should I invest in a 4k tv in the not too distant future and 4k sources then they would need to go into the TV directly to utilise this. Providing I could get a splitter which wasn't mains powered (don't fancy another plug kicking about) then that may be an option, assuming I can get audio to my sound bar via the arc HDMI and video from the xbox/blu-ray/other source via the same one? I'd ideally like to keep something spare for plugging in computers/ipads etc. Or could I have a switch going into the soundbar, the soundbar hdmi going into the TV and job done? I'm so confused...
 
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You can hire a chaser that is essentially two circular blades close to each, use a bolster and chisel or there is a chisel tool for an SDS drill if you have one.

For me, cut in two 50x50mm sections, line both with trunking, fix with screws to secure them and make good. That will cover all your needs then, however you want to run them.
 
Hi All

I'm about to start redoing our lounge and want to chase a channel into the wall to install some trunking to store all the cables for the TV. It's a 2004 house with dot and dab plasterboard on breeze block. The thickness of the plasterboard to the wall is around 20mm where I want to put the trunking and I'd ideally like to have some access to it via the top/bottom so I can change cables without taking the wallpaper off! I'm thinking 16mm depth trunking would be too small for 3xHDMI (possibly 4), ethernet and power to allow for easy removal of the cables so I was thinking something along the lines of 54mm x 28mm, which would mean carving a 54mm x 10mm channel into the breeze blocks behind the plasterboard to fit that size in. The other option would be 2 channels of trunking, 1 16mm x 16mm section and a 38mm x 16mm section with the HDMI cables in the larger section and power/ethernet in the smaller one, but I'm not sure all the HDMI cables will fit into the largest section.
I'm trying to use the channel the previous residents created to reduce the amount of work (which consisted of carving out the plasterboard and cementing the cables into the wall, shudder) but am a bit concerned about taking too much out of the breeze blocks. Would have been much easier if the plasterboard was a consistent distance from the breeze blocks all the way along the wall (it's 30mm from the wall where the sockets are on one side...)
What do you guys think is the best approach?

I'd try and find out what blocks they are. some house builders use normal concrete blocks which are fairly solid and can be channeled , others use a lightweight block which will crumble if you put an angle grinder near them.
 
I'd try and find out what blocks they are. some house builders use normal concrete blocks which are fairly solid and can be channeled , others use a lightweight block which will crumble if you put an angle grinder near them.

I don't think they're the lightweight ones. Got a chisel out the other day to see how easy they were going to be to sort and they didn't start crumbling when I gave it a wack. Think I should be fine drilling some pilot holes down and chiseling out in between them. Don't fancy the circular saw route owing to all the dust it creates!
 

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