Running Speaker Wire through Drywall

Get yourself a "fish." This is a great electrician's tool (inexpensive at most home improvement stores). A fish resembles a really big "tape measure," in that it is basically a retractable strip of metal encased between plastic or metal sides. The retractable metal is narrow and very rigid; it is run down or up through the wall (behind the dry wall and in between the two studs). If you have a considerable amount of polyurethane ("foam") between the studs, be sure to get a very rigid fish (which you should be able to "fish" through the foam). You start with two holes. One from which you start feeding the fish through and one from which it emerges (you will have to find the end and "fish" it out with a coat hanger or wire tool). Then you secure the end of the speaker wire to the end of the fish and then you pull the whole thing back through from the point from which you stared. It's pretty easy. Get good measurements so you have a good idea of where the holes will be (this will allow you to make smaller holes, which will be easier to repair).

Note: If you are going from the first floor into the basement, you will have to gain access into the wall on the first floor so that you can drill through the top plat of the stud wall below. If you are going from the first floor into a wall attached to the basement foundation wall (block or poured foundation) you don't want to drill into the top plat, as you will end up within the foundation wall. Check to see how the basement is firred out (1x2 or 2x4 - many basements are firred out with 1x2, which only leaves you about three qaurters of in inch). Measure very accurately!

The fish tape is not weighted. It is a VERY rigid piece of metal, but flexible enough to be wound. Rigid enough so that it can be guided. If the space between the studs or furring strips is full of insulation material, the fish will be hard to guide (although it is still possible). Your basement is probably furred out with 1x2’s and filled with Styrofoam sheeting. If this is the case, it will be hard to push the fish through the Styrofoam. However, you can maneuver the fish between the Styrofoam and the drywall. Assuming that you install a standard electric box as an outlet, you will come down the side of one of the studs (the box attaches to the stud/furring strip). That stud will help you guide the fish. Or, you could just cut a 2x3 inch hole in the center of the studs; the end of the fish being somewhere within 7 inches on either side. This is when the coat hanger or wire tool comes in handy. Cover the hole with a plate (you can get "audio" plates/covers complete with RCA type connectors - or just get a CATV ready cover and run the speaker wires where the coax connector would normally be housed - they