Cable concealment done properly
A well-mounted television with a cable hanging down the wall looks unfinished. There are three ways to fix that, they cost very different amounts, and on a pre-1940 Hobart wall only some of them are realistic.
- Cavity closed at both ends
- Licensed electrician for outlets
- Reversible options for rentals
Surface trunking is cheapest and reversible, painted to match the wall. In-wall routing hides signal cables completely inside the cavity. A recessed outlet hides power as well, and is licensed electrical work rather than part of a mounting job.
Option one: surface trunking
A slim channel fixed to the wall over the cable run, then filled and painted the same colour as the wall. Done carefully it is close to invisible from the sofa, and it is by far the best value.
It is also the right answer in a rental, because it comes off without touching the wall structure. What Tasmanian tenants need permission for.
Option two: in-wall routing
Two openings, one behind the screen and one low down near the power point, with the cables fed through the cavity between them. Both ends get a brush plate or grommet plate so the cavity is closed and the run looks intentional rather than improvised.
This covers HDMI, optical, aerial, network and speaker cable. What it does not cover is the television’s mains lead, which brings us to the third option.
Option three: a recessed outlet
The only correct way to hide power. A licensed electrician installs a new outlet in the wall behind the screen, recessed so the plug sits flush and the screen can still go tight to the wall.
Feeding a standard appliance lead through a wall cavity is not cable concealment, it is a hazard. Installing or altering fixed wiring and outlets is licensed electrical work in Australia under AS/NZS 3000. Anyone offering to run mains inside your wall as part of a general mounting job is offering something they should not.
What Hobart walls change
This is where the local answer differs from a generic guide.
- Modern plasterboard. The easy case. A clean drop between two studs, usually 20 to 30 minutes of the job.
- Lath and plaster. Openings need cutting rather than punching, because the plaster keys break away behind the surface if it is rushed. Older framing also frequently has noggins part way down that block a straight drop, so the route has to be found rather than assumed.
- Brick veneer. Route through the cavity behind the veneer or through the internal stud wall, not through the brick.
- Solid double brick or sandstone. Concealing inside the wall means chasing it, which is invasive and on heritage fabric usually inappropriate. Trunking or an adjacent wall is the sensible answer. Heritage properties.
Identify which of these your wall is.
What it costs
Concealment is priced as an addition to a mounting job rather than on its own, because most of the work happens while the screen is off the wall.
| Service | What it covers | Added cost |
|---|---|---|
| Lath and plaster wall | Pre-1940 Hobart homes. Extra time locating irregular hardwood studs. | To be confirmed |
| Solid masonry or sandstone | SDS drilling and masonry anchors. Quoted on site. | To be confirmed |
| In-wall cable concealment | Cables routed inside the wall cavity | To be confirmed |
| Recessed power point | New fixed wiring. Carried out by a licensed electrician. | To be confirmed |
| Difficult access | Second storey, steep site, restricted parking | To be confirmed |
Do it at the same time as the mount
Cables are far easier to deal with before the television is on the wall. Retrofitting concealment means taking the screen down again, which is why doing both in one visit costs less than doing them separately.
The same applies to a soundbar: one cable run planned for both is tidier and cheaper than two runs planned separately. Soundbar installation.
Reviewed: August 2026
Useful answers before the appointment.
Cable questions we get asked on almost every job, including the one about running power inside the wall.
Two openings are cut, one behind the screen and one lower down near the power point, and the cables are fed through the wall cavity between them. Brush plates or grommet plates finish both ends so the cavity is closed and the run looks deliberate.
Not a standard appliance lead. Concealing mains power properly means a licensed electrician installing a new recessed outlet in fixed wiring under AS/NZS 3000. HDMI and data cables are different and can be run without an electrician.
Yes. Lath and plaster is more fragile than plasterboard, so openings need care, and older framing often has noggins or fire blocking that obstruct a clean drop. It takes longer and occasionally a different route is needed.
Surface trunking. A slim channel fixed to the wall, filled and painted to match, which from a normal viewing distance disappears. It costs a fraction of in-wall routing and suits rentals because it is reversible.
Not inside solid masonry without chasing the wall, which is invasive and on heritage fabric usually inappropriate. On solid walls we normally use trunking, or route through an adjacent stud wall or the cavity of a veneer wall instead.
We finish both openings with proper plates so nothing is left open. Full patching and colour-matched painting of any make-good is quoted separately, because matching an existing paint finish properly is its own job.
Want the cables out of sight?
Tell us the screen size, the suburb and roughly when the house was built. The build era decides which of the three options is realistic for your wall.
What to send us
- Screen size and model
- Your suburb
- Roughly when the house was built
- A photo of the wall
Same-week installation across Greater Hobart. Same-day where the schedule allows.