Laying wire under new carpet.

sliyk

Established Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2014
Messages
60
Reaction score
3
Points
19
Location
Rugby
Hi Guys,
We bought a new home. Getting the carpet layed in the coming weeks. I wanted to know is there a way to put wire under the carpet? like dos and donts. Should it be under the carpet of the underlayer? Does any wire work or does it have to be a special brand? Any tips would be much appreciated.

Thanks.
 
I wouldn't put it under the carpet , can you not run it round the edge of the room between the gripper strip and the skirting boards , there's usually a small gap that you can tuck it into [emoji106]
 
I wouldn't put it under the carpet , can you not run it round the edge of the room between the gripper strip and the skirting boards , there's usually a small gap that you can tuck it into [emoji106]

So you wouldnt recommend running it below the carpet but instead along the sides? Wouldnt it come out then if stretched or by the test of time? Apologies but just speculating.

I assume you mean speaker cable? If so then this is good value. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quality-18...89714&sr=8-1&keywords=speaker+cable+2.5mm+50m .

What do you think of this one;
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasi...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=86X63RV2ARYGZ95XZNRC
 
— As an Amazon Associate, AVForums earns from qualifying purchases —
I ran mine between the underlay and carpet, the underlay is 11mm, so plenty of bounce in it to protect the wires.
 
I ran mine between the underlay and carpet, the underlay is 11mm, so plenty of bounce in it to protect the wires.
Did you go straight from receiver to speaker or did you take the long way via the walls. I hope you get what I mean.
 
I left a coil of about 3m at either end and went direct point to point.
 
I cut abut 10mm to 15mm of the underlay away where it butted up against the gripper rod so that I had a channel to run the cables in (between gripper and underlay). You can make a small cut at the edge of the carpet for it to emerge, or a cross slit under the speaker stand. As people don't walk that close to the wall, you'll never know they are there.
 
I cut abut 10mm to 15mm of the underlay away where it butted up against the gripper rod so that I had a channel to run the cables in (between gripper and underlay). You can make a small cut at the edge of the carpet for it to emerge, or a cross slit under the speaker stand. As people don't walk that close to the wall, you'll never know they are there.

This is the way to do it.

Running cable between the gripper and wall will mean your carpet won't fit properly, the gap is used to tuck the edge of the carpet into.

Cutting a gap behind the gripper works well.

There's another way though, I used this stuff:

Mini Bullnose MDF Skirting Board Cover (Skirting Over Skirting)

I ordered it tall enough to create a 2 inch gap between skirting board and the new moulding which you can run cables through.

It's also easy to add more cables at a later date... mine is attached by screws every metre or so, easy to take off and reattach.
 
— As an Amazon Associate, AVForums earns from qualifying purchases —
I left a coil of about 3m at either end and went direct point to point.
I get what you mean. Might do that too, just very conscious that with time the cable might start showing or something.

Run your cables in something like this D-Line Black PVC Floor Cable Cover | Departments | DIY at B&Q before the carpet is laid. (You can use ordinary cable then)

Bill
Dont you think this will create a 'bump' that will be all too visible?

I cut abut 10mm to 15mm of the underlay away where it butted up against the gripper rod so that I had a channel to run the cables in (between gripper and underlay). You can make a small cut at the edge of the carpet for it to emerge, or a cross slit under the speaker stand. As people don't walk that close to the wall, you'll never know they are there.

Sounds like a good idea. I am finding it har dto visualise it though, any youtube videos I can have a look at?

This is the way to do it.

Running cable between the gripper and wall will mean your carpet won't fit properly, the gap is used to tuck the edge of the carpet into.

Cutting a gap behind the gripper works well.

There's another way though, I used this stuff:

Mini Bullnose MDF Skirting Board Cover (Skirting Over Skirting)

I ordered it tall enough to create a 2 inch gap between skirting board and the new moulding which you can run cables through.

It's also easy to add more cables at a later date... mine is attached by screws every metre or so, easy to take off and reattach.

This looks neat, but my wife may not like the added increased size skirting board to the original skirting board.


The one I linked to is twice as thick for not much more money. If you are going to the trouble of routing the cables under or around the carpet I recommend that you pay the small amount extra and use the better cable.[/QUOTE]

I'll go for that one, thanks.
 
— As an Amazon Associate, AVForums earns from qualifying purchases —
I get what you mean. Might do that too, just very conscious that with time the cable might start showing or something.


Dont you think this will create a 'bump' that will be all too visible?

Carpets have been down for 8 years now, no visible lines, but the underlay is 11mm thick, all depends on the quality of the carpet/underlay.
 
Carpets have been down for 8 years now, no visible lines, but the underlay is 11mm thick, all depends on the quality of the carpet/underlay.
Will definitely push for 11mm underlay and carpet is also going to be the thick cozy type. BTW, why between underlay and carpet, why not under the underlay as well?
 
Will definitely push for 11mm underlay and carpet is also going to be the thick cozy type. BTW, why between underlay and carpet, why not under the underlay as well?

Concrete floors :)
 
Sounds like a good idea. I am finding it hard to visualise it though, any youtube videos I can have a look at?

Strangely enough, I couldn't find a video that does it the way I suggested (some of the videos are kinda scary). Most show the cables being tucked into the gap between skirting and gripper where the carpet should be tucked so that it's firmly held by the gripper. If you put cables there the carpet can't be tucked and fixed correctly to the gripper.

It's easy to see once you pull up the carpet - you will see skirting board, a gap, gripper rod, then underlay (in that order). You want to place the cable between the underlay and gripper, so you may have to cut the underlay back to create a space. Sometimes with thinner cables you can place it between the underlay and gripper without any cutting because there is enough give in the underlay. Then you can refit the carpet back down between the gripper and skirting. I use a bolster for that.
 
CARPET.jpg
 
Agreed, and this is the way to do it. I've tried it all including under the underlay (even on a thick carpet and underlay), cutting a trench in the underlay and still could tell it was there. Do the same as the diagram, or under floorboards if you've got access and the beams run in the right direction.

One other thing - the above keeps the cables away from power lines (important on long runs / subwoofer feeds).
 
Here is a photo of some speaker cable I installed under a carpet in my house. It also illustrates what to do if you want to go around a corner. You can't make it out in the photo, but I have also used some wide clear tape which goes over the underlay, cable and just over the first few millimetres of the gripper. This helps hold everything in place.

Kind regards,

Steve
 

Attachments

  • Cable Under Carpet.jpg
    Cable Under Carpet.jpg
    176.5 KB · Views: 7,102
I am a floor layer/carpet fitter and the way described in the diagram is best BUT you'll need to inform the fitter that the teeth in the carpet stretcher [which are height/depth adjustable] are at the right height so they will not pierce through and puncture your wiring.
You'd be amazed at how many fitters don't even bother to think about this.
Also bung them a fiver and make them a cup of tea, they'll be more inclined to spend a bit more time getting it right ;-]
 
Here is a photo of some speaker cable I installed under a carpet in my house. It also illustrates what to do if you want to go around a corner. You can't make it out in the photo, but I have also used some wide clear tape which goes over the underlay, cable and just over the first few millimetres of the gripper. This helps hold everything in place.

Kind regards,

Steve

I am a floor layer/carpet fitter and the way described in the diagram is best BUT you'll need to inform the fitter that the teeth in the carpet stretcher [which are height/depth adjustable] are at the right height so they will not pierce through and puncture your wiring.
You'd be amazed at how many fitters don't even bother to think about this.
Also bung them a fiver and make them a cup of tea, they'll be more inclined to spend a bit more time getting it right ;-]

MUCH Appreciated guys :)
 
Here is a photo of some speaker cable I installed under a carpet in my house. It also illustrates what to do if you want to go around a corner. You can't make it out in the photo, but I have also used some wide clear tape which goes over the underlay, cable and just over the first few millimetres of the gripper. This helps hold everything in place.

Kind regards,

Steve

Yep. That's how I did mine. Although I had 3 cables side by side. What I did though was use a hot glue gun to tack cables together and to the floor.
 
Revisiting an old thread... apologies but it seems a concise one on the topic!

I am looking into doing something similar... when it comes to refining the carpet down, how does one do that, as the helpful diagram shows the carpet tucked down over the gripper and in the corner but I don't see that I have the means to do that!?
 
Revisiting an old thread... apologies but it seems a concise one on the topic!

I am looking into doing something similar... when it comes to refining the carpet down, how does one do that, as the helpful diagram shows the carpet tucked down over the gripper and in the corner but I don't see that I have the means to do that!?

Are you fitting new carpet or is it an existing one?
An existing one (provided that it's been fitted on grippers) should look something like the diagram.

You just peel back the carpet away from the wall, and trim the underlay so there's a gap between it and the back of the gripper. Once ypu've installed your cables, you push the carpet back between the gripper and wall with a gadget called a "bolster". A carpet stretcher also comes in handy to keep things tight.

If you're putting down new carpet (and grippers), you need to position the gripper about a quarter of an inch from the wall.

Here's a couple of videos that explain it really well.



 
Last edited:

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom