Cable Concealment
How to Hide TV Cables Inside the Wall: A Brisbane Homeowner's Guide
A clean install hides every cable. Here's exactly how Brisbane TVs runs HDMI, power, and data behind plasterboard — without risking your warranty or tripping your smoke alarm.
A flush-mounted TV looks finished when you can’t see a single cable. Achieving that look in a Brisbane home is not just about aesthetics — it’s about doing it safely, legally, and in a way that doesn’t void the warranty on your $3,500 QLED. Here is exactly how we do it, on every job, across 109 suburbs.
The two methods we use
There are two approved ways to conceal cables behind the wall, and one illegal shortcut you should never let an installer talk you into.
- Fish the HDMI and low-voltage data through the wall cavity. Safe, simple, and legal. This covers your HDMI, ethernet, optical audio, and speaker wire.
- Install a recessed power-relocation kit so the existing wall outlet feeds the TV from behind. The only legal way to get mains power up the wall without an electrician.
We never run standard IEC power leads through a wall cavity. That is not legal in Queensland, and most TV manufacturer warranties explicitly exclude damage caused by non-compliant power runs. If an installer offers to “just stuff the power cable up the wall” — find a different installer.
What you need before we arrive
Cable concealment adds about 45–90 minutes to a standard install. To keep that time (and cost) down, have these ready:
- Clear access to the wall. Move the couch, pull the console out 400mm, and take fragile things off nearby shelves.
- Know where your studs are — or at least don’t be precious about the exact TV position. Stud spacing limits where the bracket can go.
- Your HDMI sources sorted. If you’re adding a soundbar, AV receiver, or console after the install, tell us so we run the right cables first time.
The step-by-step
1. Mark the entry and exit points
The TV-end hole sits directly behind the bracket, low enough that the TV itself hides it. The console-end hole sits directly behind whatever media furniture you’ve got — ideally a brush plate at the same height as a standard wall outlet.
2. Cut the drywall
We use a 100 mm hole saw for the brush-plate openings. Cleaner than a jab saw, and plaster dust is easier to contain with a vacuum held to the cut.
3. Fish the cables
A fish-tape from the top opening feeds down through the cavity, past any horizontal noggin, and out the bottom. On 90% of Brisbane homes this is a 3-minute job. On the other 10% — usually post-war homes with non-standard framing — it takes longer.
The longest cable run we ever did was six metres of vertical cavity in a Paddington Queenslander, around two horizontal noggins. That one took the thick end of an hour. Worth it — the install is invisible.
4. Install the power-relocation kit
This is the part most DIY guides get wrong. The kit has two modules: a supply-side inlet near the existing outlet, and a TV-side receptacle behind the bracket. A short IEC lead plugs into the TV-side module; behind the wall, the two modules are bridged with a legal, mains-rated flexible conduit.
No hard-wiring. No exposed cables in the cavity. Fully compliant with AS/NZS 3000.
5. Fit the brush plates, mount the TV, test
Five minutes. Plug everything in, confirm all the cables reach, mount the TV, and step back.
What it costs
For a standard stud-wall in Brisbane, cable concealment adds $120–$180 to a mount-only job, including the power relocation kit and all brush plates. For brick-veneer or double-brick walls, that number rises — usually to around $280 — because we often need to fish around harder obstacles or surface-mount in conduit.
Common mistakes we see
Running the power cable through the wall. Illegal, voids warranty, fire risk. Already covered — but it bears repeating.
Cheap HDMI that can’t handle 4K/120Hz. If you’ve spent $3,000 on a TV, don’t cheap out on a $12 eBay HDMI — get a certified Premium High-Speed cable. The difference is real on modern panels.
Not planning for a future soundbar or console. Run the extra cable now. The difference between fishing two cables and fishing four is about three minutes. The difference between doing it now and doing it later is ripping open the wall twice.
Want a flat-rate quote for your install? Send us the room dimensions, a photo of the wall, and a photo of your current setup. We’ll come back within a few hours with a firm price.
