Anyone install an offset power outlet behind a tv on drywall with wood cladding behind it?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Anyone install an offset power outlet behind a tv on drywall with wood cladding behind it?

Castlvaniafan

97 posts

Master Geek

#311329 6-Jan-2024 16:22

Wow that question in the subject is a mouthfull. But in short I want to get a power outlet installed behind my TV so I can run power to it without visible cables. I have one of those mount flat LG TVs so the power outlet will need to be offset inside the wall. This means you cut a hole in the drywall for the space, but behind my drywall is wood cladding so that means I'd have to cut a large hole out of the wood cladding. Seems sort of a pain, has anyone done this?

Thanks!

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3178532 6-Jan-2024 17:25

what sort of timber?

did someone gib over the top of t&g boards? or do you have an old house with sarking still in it that someone gibed over?

Castlvaniafan

97 posts

Master Geek

#3178535 6-Jan-2024 17:56

tweake:

what sort of timber?

did someone gib over the top of t&g boards? or do you have an old house with sarking still in it that someone gibed over?

Ah! Sarking is what I meant, not cladding. I'm from US and we call it something completely different over there. That is correct. It's an old house that was renovated, they put gib over the sarking. I'm guessing it's a hardwood like rimu, judging from my floors and the window trims.

SomeoneSomewhere

1804 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3178536 6-Jan-2024 18:04

An oscillating multi-tool (AKA 'fein tool') is probably the best option for cutting it out. It's totally possible just a bit of a pain. Wear a dust mask.

Castlvaniafan

97 posts

Master Geek

#3178549 6-Jan-2024 18:05

SomeoneSomewhere:

An oscillating multi-tool (AKA 'fein tool') is probably the best option for cutting it out. It's totally possible just a bit of a pain. Wear a dust mask.

Ok, hmm maybe I'll just run cables through a plastic channel. Sort of hard to bring myself gutting a large hole in the house wall for my TV..

SomeoneSomewhere

1804 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3178562 6-Jan-2024 18:10

If you ever want to block it up, it's not too hard. Fill with gib, plaster, paint. Basically the same as for filling in the holes from the TV mount assuming you use nice big screws. The hardest part will be getting the electrical disconnected.

Putting in a normal socket will be cheaper and lets you use a somewhat smaller hole, but there otherwise isn't much difference.

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3178570 6-Jan-2024 19:10

Castlvaniafan:

tweake:

what sort of timber?

did someone gib over the top of t&g boards? or do you have an old house with sarking still in it that someone gibed over?

Ah! Sarking is what I meant, not cladding. I'm from US and we call it something completely different over there. That is correct. It's an old house that was renovated, they put gib over the sarking. I'm guessing it's a hardwood like rimu, judging from my floors and the window trims.

bugger, i hate when they do that. if you don't know scrim and sarking is an insurance issue these days, so it depends on how they did it. many just slap gib over the top and hide it. proper way is to remove both and nog and line the wall. tho for getting power in the wall it makes it easier if there is still sarking as there will be no nogs.

cutting through it is not bad. tho it can be very hard wood depending on what was used and the size. some houses have wide thick boards, others thin strips like what you have in usa. houses with the thick boards they used to remove them as they where quite valuable timber.

edit: quick way is to drill through it. by mem some power points will fit over a round hole, then you can screw the wall plate through the gib into the sarking.

Castlvaniafan

97 posts

Master Geek

#3178571 6-Jan-2024 19:56

Thanks for the info. Really interesting to read, I should know this stuff.. I'll check my initial builders report. So I am guessing most of the house is scrim and sarking with giboard over it. What I'm not sure is if the scrim was removed or not before the gib board... can I somehow see the scrim? Like if I remove a wall outlet and try and look inside?

I've got one room that's still scrim and sarking actually, the master bedroom!

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tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3178573 6-Jan-2024 20:13

Castlvaniafan:

Thanks for the info. Really interesting to read, I should know this stuff.. I'll check my initial builders report. So I am guessing most of the house is scrim and sarking with giboard over it. What I'm not sure is if the scrim was removed or not before the gib board... can I somehow see the scrim? Like if I remove a wall outlet and try and look inside?

I've got one room that's still scrim and sarking actually, the master bedroom!

pull a wall plate. it was common to put thin hardboard over the scrim and then wall paper. so you can get a layer of hardboard, scrim then sarking boards. i've seen the odd house with lath plaster walls. but i think thats rare here. some had really fantastic plaster work done.

Castlvaniafan

97 posts

Master Geek

#3178574 6-Jan-2024 20:16

Ah, yep. So I've got gib on top of sarking. No scrim.