How to Wire Surround Sound Into Walls

Installing surround sound speakers in your walls will improve the quality of your home audio, add to your enjoyment of music and movies and enhance the value of your house. You can save a significant amount of money by doing it yourself.

Things You'll Need

• Speakers
• Wire guide
• Masking tape
• Utility knife
• Drill
• Allen wrench
• Speaker wire
• Hammer
• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Use a measuring tape to determine how big your speakers are and where you want to put them. Sonance, a leading audio company, recommends that the front speakers be placed approximately 8-12 feet from where you will be sitting when watching television and that side speakers be placed at least 6-8 feet apart. Use masking tape to mark a template on the wall of where you will have to cut the drywall to install each speaker. Be precise with your measurements, as any mistakes will become obvious once the speakers are installed. Score the masking tape template with your utility knife to make the removal process easier.

2. Drill a starter hole in the center of your template. Push a piece of wire through the hole to determine if there are any obstructions inside of the drywall. If there are none, then increase the size of the hole by two to three inches and recheck for obstructions. Continue until the hole is the size of your hand. If there are no obstructions, then you are ready to continue. Repeat this process for each speaker hole.

3. Drill 1/2-inch pilot holes in each corner of your template, and additional 1/2-inch holes in between each corner hole. Cut the wall into sections using your utility knife and remove one piece at a time to reveal the entirety of the speaker hole.

4. Attach your speaker wire to a wire guide and route the speaker wire through the wall until you find a spot close to the surround-sound receiver. If you have a basement or crawl space beneath your home, then you should run the wiring underneath the floorboards and up through the drywall at the spot where the surround sound receiver will sit. If your home does not have a basement or crawl space, then use your wire guide to snake the wiring through the drywall. Drill a 1/4-inch hole in the drywall by the receiver; route the wire through that hole and connect it to the receiver. You may have to remove the baseboards to find appropriate placement. To do this, use the back side of your hammer to pry the board out of place. Repeat for each of the surround-sound speakers being installed.

5. Secure the speakers to the wall, using the mounting brackets that come with the surround-sound speakers. Use a screwdriver to fasten the screws in place, making sure not to over-tighten them. Secure the nuts that are placed over the screws, using an Allen wrench.

References

• popularmechanics.com: How to Install Home In-Wall Speakers