Running/Hiding Wire

     This should be the hardest and most time consuming part.  Every install is a little different, but the basic construction (framing) of almost all houses is the same, so our guide should help you through your own installation. 

     Before we talk about specific installation techniques, there are a few things that should be noted.  Although the following may seem trivial, through experience they have proven to be essential.

Plan:  Don't just jump into an install because it can get really messy in no time at all.  Use an hour to or more to create a thorough plan because the better you plan, the easier and less destructive your install will be.  Start where the receiver will go since a majority of the wires you run will end up there.  We are going to refer to the wall behind the receiver as the primary wall and the room where your surround sound will be installed will be called the primary room.  Make note of your answers to these questions.  Do you have an attic above the primary room?  Do you have a crawl space below the house?   Do you have carpet?  Do you have paint on the walls that requires a special technique to apply it?  Do you have wallpaper or some other type of wall covering other than drywall?  If you have a two story house, what is above the primary room?  Can the electrical circuit in the primary room handle the load of your home theater system?  Consult an electrician if you have doubts.  Now that you have an idea of the layout of the primary room, investigate the primary wall.

Primary Wall:  Get a stud finder and locate all the studs in the area where the receiver will go.  Newer houses will often have fire blocks in every wall.  Fire blocks are two-by-fours that are placed horizontally between the studs.  If you have them, they will be located 3-5 feet above the floor, but don't be surprised if you find some higher or lower.  Use a stud finder to locate all fire blocks in the area.  You might get lucky and find some bays (the space between studs) free from fire blocks even though other bays have the blocking in place.  If possible, do not use an outside wall (the wall that separates the inside of your house from the outside) as your primary wall.  ALL outside walls have fire blocking and insulation and access will be limited even if you have an attic above the primary room.  Also, check both sides of the primary wall from top to bottom for any type of air conditioning, heating, or air vents.  Bays with any type of vents should not be used.  You should also know that fire places have a large empty space around them that goes all the way to the roof.  Running wires through that space is easy so use it if you can.  Just keep your wires at least a foot away from the fireplace itself and you'll be fine. 

Framing:   Pictured below is what your wall should look like with the drywall off.  Remember that walls will not always follow this format but this is the general rule.

     Even though your wall might not look exactly like this, you can see what your most common obstacles are.  In the picture above, you only see insulation in one of the bays, but in reality, if one bay has insulation, all bays in that wall will.

     Now that you know all about the layout of your primary room and primary wall, decide what type of speakers you will use and where you will put them.  To learn about where you should locate your speakers, see the section titled "Speaker Placement."  You should expect to use 150'-200' of speaker wire for the average installation.

     Once you know where the speakers will be located and what types you will be using, it's time to learn how you will do the installation.  Keep in mind that your home might have some unique characteristics that provide you with another way to run your wires.  Don't limit yourself to what you read here.  If you find a better and easier way, go for it.  Otherwise, click the appropriate links below to get the tips and techniques used most on homes like yours.  In the following pages we assume you understand which tools and materials are needed, and you know how to use them.  We strongly recommend that read the entire section titled "Tools of the Trade" before moving on.

If you have an attic above the primary room, click here.

If you have a crawl space below your house, click here.

If  you don't have any of the above, click here.

If all else fails, use the "Notch Technique"