How to Cover an Exposed Electrical Wire Running on the Floor

Shut off electricity to the room or the entire building at the main breaker.

Measure the length of the exposed wires. Make a note of this length and purchase enough conduit to cover it completely.

Unscrew the screws securing the receptacle to the wall. Unwrap the wires from the leads in the receptacle. Make note of where each wire is connected. This will allow one end of the wires to be free so you can place the conduit over them.

Group the electrical wires together.

Insert the wires into the metal conduit and push the conduit all the way down to the end of the wiring on the other side of the room.

Add more metal conduits until almost the entire length of the wires is covered. Cut a piece of conduit to fit the remaining wire with a hacksaw. Scrape away any sharp burrs from the edge of the conduit with pliers.

Place a U-bracket around the width of the metal conduit in several places. Insert screws into the U-bracket screw holes and secure it in place. If the floor is concrete, use concrete screws. If the floor is wood, use wood screws. As an alternative, tape the metal conduit to a solid floor using electrical tape.

Line red or yellow tape along the conduit to warn people of the hazard.

Secure the wiring back to the receptacle, and screw the receptacle back into the wall. Turn the power back on at the main breaker.