Exposed wires are both unsightly and a fire hazard. A brick wall is an abrasive surface, meaning that the chances of these wires getting damaged are much higher when they sit on it. Also, any contact with a sharp object could cut through their insulation, exposing internal cables that can easily cause a fire whenever they short out. To avoid risking your life, you should hide your wires on the brick wall.
Hiding wires on a brick wall is a painstaking process. It requires a lot of measurements, calculations, and energy to drill through the wall to get things right. But if you know what you’re aiming at, that is, the best-looking room, then this process is reasonably necessary.
You only need a few tools and steps to follow to get this task off your bucket list. Here is a simple step-by-step guide that you can follow to help you achieve your goal.
Tools Needed to Hide Wires on A Brick Wall
- The electric hammer drill has excellent torque, enabling you to drive/drill through the brick wall at high speed. It can also remove nails and other metals blocking its way. Electric drills come in different sizes, capabilities, and prices, so you’ll choose one that best suits your need.
- Tape measure to measure the length of the exposed wires and a corresponding length on the wire hiders.
- Caulk to fill in the holes after running your wires through it. This caulk will seal back the holes. It must be waterproof to completely prevent water and other spills from getting into contact with the wires you’re hiding.
- A self-adhesive wire channel that you’ll use as your wire hiders. This tool is where you’ll run the wires you’re hiding through to conceal them from the surface
- A pencil that you’ll use to mark the required length on your wire hiders.
- You’ll be using a hacksaw to cut through the self-adhesive wire hider after measuring and marking the required length.
- Aerosol can to blow dust out after drilling
- Screws to keep the self-adhesive wire channel in place.
The Step-By-Step Guide
Hiding the wires on a brick wall will not only protect them from damage but also remove them from your eyesight. Follow this simple guide on how to hide wires on your brick wall and conceal them fully from your sight.
Step 1: Measuring the Length of Wires
You have to be keen and careful when performing this activity to get the exact measurement of the exposed wires. You don’t want to leave the end parts of these wires sagging or with no allowance to finish installation at the end of this exercise. Yes, that’s precisely what will happen if you don’t take your measurements correctly.
Now that you’ve understood the need for correct measurements, you can go ahead to measure the length of your exposed wires. Use a tape measure for this task.
Step 2: Mark and Cut the Self-Adhesive Wire Hider
Remember, the idea behind this painstaking process is to conceal your wires from your eyesight completely. You want to make your room as good-looking and welcoming as possible. For this reason, the self-adhesive wire channel’s color should be the same as that of the brick wall or as close to it as possible. If you already have a wire hider with a completely contrasting color to the walls, you can at least paint it to achieve this compatibility.
Using your tape measure, measure the exact length you got from the exposed wires on the self-adhesive channel. Then, using a pencil, mark the two points, start and finish. You can then cut along these pencil marks with your hacksaw.
Step 3: Sliding This Wire Hider Against the Wall to Take Measurements
A wire hider has two surfaces: the smooth concealing curved surface at the front and a flat surface at the back. Now, take this cut wire hider and slide it behind your room’s exposed wires, with its flat surface running against the brick wall.
You can then hold a level either horizontally against this hider or vertically on the brick wall. Keeping a level at such angles will ensure that the self-adhesive wire channel sits straight on the wall. You need to keep adjusting its position until you achieve this straight sitting.
The self-adhesive wire channel comes with pre-punched holes on its flat surface. Once it’s straight into position against the wall, use a pencil to put markings on the brick wall through these holes. Now, remove the wire hider from the wall so you can drill through the wall markings.
Step:4: Drilling the Brick Wall
Using the electric drill secured with a hammer, make a one-inch hole on the brick wall at each hole marking. Then, use an aerosol can to blow dust from these holes out to get a clean surface to work with. Your drill should be 5/32-inch.
Step 5: It’s About Time You Put the Exposed Wires Inside Self-Adhesive Wire Channel
At this level, you’re nearing the end of this whole process. Hold the wire hider in place under the exposed wires. It should correctly align with the holes you recently drilled on the brick wall. You want to secure this channel on your brick wall safely, and you require screws to do it. For a brick wall, you’ll need concrete screws, each measuring 3/16-inch. Take one per hole to firmly secure this channel on the wall using a screw gun.
Once you’re sure the channel is firmly in place, push the exposed wires to the inner part of the self-adhesive wire hider. Ensure these wires don’t cross over each other before sealing this channel.
Note that the two parts of the self-adhesive wire channel are detachable, and you’ve been working with the flat back surface. Now, you need the top surface to hide your wires inside. You can install it back to conceal these wires entirely out of sight.
If there’s any hole left after drilling the wall, you can use caulk to fill it up, so there’s no evidence left. You can repeat this process in all the rooms of your house.
Get to Work Now!
This article gives you a durable solution for hiding wires on a brick wall. The best thing about this process is that you can use it in any room as long as you have all the above tools. Although it’s a long process, it’s worth every effort you put into it.
