What Is Cable Management

The Basics of Cable Management

When considering your cable management, you'll need to understand some of the basic terms and processes involved. This will help you to understand how best to plan your home theater cable management needs. In essence, all cable management issues will revolve around concealing or protecting your electronic wiring.

Cable Management and Wire Concealment

Wire Concealment is probably the first thing people think of regarding cable management. This involves either running your wires through walls, floors or cable raceways in order to camouflage or completely conceal wiring in the home or office. Concealing wires in cable raceways is usually the way to go for the "do-it-yourselfer", though some people are comfortable and skilled enough with tools to tackle the sometimes complicated process of running wires through walls and floors.

Cable Management for Completely Invisible Wires

If you want a totally invisible wiring system for your electronics, then your needs will be best served by running your wires through walls and floors. In this process, the wires are run through holes cut in the wall very close to both termination points, nearest the components being connected. A through-plate will be installed to protect the wires, the wall, and the appearance of the cables. Done right, you can end up with a completely invisible wiring system.

Cable Management for Camouflaged Wires

Camouflaged wires are just covered up with special cable raceways that are designed to blend with your decor. Like cables that are run through the wall, they will be best installed to points as close as possible to the components the wires are to connect. Once the raceways are installed, you may or may not want to caulk and paint them for maximum wire concealment.

Cable Management for the Novice

If this is your first attempt to conceal wires for your home theater system, or if you are not very skilled with tools and home repair, We recommend using the simplest of cable raceways. There are different types of simple cable raceways, most of which have strong adhesives to attach them to walls, baseboards or in corners. They are usually white or are paintable to finish the wire concealment.