How to Do Cable Wiring in an Existing Home

Getting The Cable In

• 1

  Run cable to upper floors by beginning at the level of entry for the cable to the home, especially helpful if it is a basement. If it is not, and there is an attic, attempt that as the entry point instead. It is easiest to carry cable straight up and down through walls rather than across.

• 2

  Drill a hole up through the bottom plate of the wall from the basement in the section of wall the cable is to be run, or down into the plate from the attic. A 5/8-inch hole is adequate to fit cable and the connector end through. Scope this out in the basement or attic first, sighting where the plumbing and wiring fixtures run through the wall, and avoiding those areas.

• 3

  Cut an opening with a jigsaw or drywall handsaw in the wall where the cable connection comes through to route to your television or other device. Make the hole about 2 inches in diameter.

• 4

  Run the fish tape into the hole, and to the entry point in the basement or attic through the wall cavity. Attach the cable end to the fish tape. Return to the room where the cable is being installed, basement or attic and pull the end of the fish tape gently and slowly, to feed the cable through the wall. Detach it from the fish tape. Screw the cable to the connector on the back of the wall face plate. Screw the plate to the wall using the drywall anchors.

• 5

  Run the cable to different rooms using a splitter in the attic or basement. Attach sections of cable to the splitter from the main, by screwing them onto the splitter. Then run these lengths of cable across the attic floor/basement ceiling to the next location. Drill the hole and fish the cable through the wall to that room as before.

Through Studs

• 6

  Route cable through a stud in a wall if necessary to connect rooms together. Holes must be drilled through each stud to the entry point on the wall for the cable face plate from the main source. Locate the faceplate spot first, and cut a hole for access with the drywall hand saw.

• 7

  Go to the point where the cable enters the room inside the wall. Locate the first stud you need to drill through from this point. Cut a small hole large enough to allow your drill access to the wall right next to the stud.

• 8

  Attach the auger bit to the drill, and cut a hole through the center of the stud. Move to the next location in the wall, and repeat the process, making sure your holes are lined up in a straight run until you have drilled through all the studs.

• 9

  Go back to the faceplate entry hole and run fish tape into the access. Fish it through each stud hole, to the point where the cable is. Attach the cable and run it carefully through each stud to the faceplate point, and attach it to the connector on the back of the faceplate. Screw the faceplate into the wall with drywall anchors.

Patch The Holes

• 10

  Cut small pieces of drywall that fit the larger holes you cut that are bigger than a quarter. Cut them so they will fit the hole snugly by shaving them with the drywall hand saw if necessary. Smear a bit of the drywall mud around the perimeter of the piece of drywall and insert it into the wall. Smooth off the surface with the trowel.

• 11

  Fill small holes and the seams around the drywall patches with drywall mud by working it into the recess with a trowel. Build up a small amount of the mud over the hole. Feather the edges into the surrounding wall with the trowel. Allow to dry completely.

• 12

  Sand the patches smooth and re-apply another coat of drywall mud if necessary. Allow to dry again, and paint over the patches with paint matching the wall color.