Alcove Units – Wiring Organisation / Feeding?

paperclap

Hi all,

So I’m midway through building my first set of alcove units. So far, it’s gone surprisingly well (I think?!).

I’m now at the stage where I’m thinking about how I’ll best feed wiring / plugs between the three individual carcasses, and ultimately up through to the top of the topsurface.

Here’s my idea…

Drill small holes into the back top of the walls of each carcass, big enough to feed one or two sets of wiring through. Not the plug head though – that’ll need to be uninstalled, then reinstalled.

Feed them through to the void between the outer carcasses and wall. 

Then, through a small notch in the top surface. The top surface won’t be fixed in place, so the surface can be pulled forward, and the end cable and head (e.g. scart, HDMI, etc) can be fed through.



To finish off, the holes in the carcasses (and maybe the top surface) will be given a round over with the router. Stops any wiring sitting on a hard edge.

Alternatively, I could use grommets (like the ones used in back boxes). But, can’t seem to find a suitably sized grommet that has a depth of 18mm (carcass wall depth).

However, is there a more finessed / go-to option that I should be doing? Open to ideas!

ThisIsWeird

Will this be just for mains power, or will there be other services A/V, ethernet stuff like that?
If the former, then possibly add to your list of contemplations 'floor' sockets, positioned behind whatever is going there -TV? 
Yes, it'll mean a much bigger hole, but at least the solution will look purpose-made - when it's seen, which will hopefully not when in use - and be flush and neat when the cover is down (assuming really neat versions are available).
Not 'recommending that at all - I certainly didn't bother - but just putting it out there for consideration.
Tbh, all I have are suitably-sized round holes as all sorts of cables have to come through, but they are located behind the front Stiles of the bookcases above, so hidden.

moneysaver1978

I’m now at the stage where I’m thinking about how I’ll best feed wiring / plugs between the three individual carcasses, and ultimately up through to the top of the topsurface.

What sort of units/devices will you have in each box that require wiring?

paperclap

It'll largely be things like the TV, games console, stereo... that sort of thing. Regular stuff, really

moneysaver1978

paperclap said:

It'll largely be things like the TV, games console, stereo... that sort of thing. Regular stuff, really

Oh I see so something like this:

paperclap

Almost!

This is what I had in mind

ThisIsWeird

Just power sockets, or more?

If a 'designed' solution is more appealing than a mere 'hole', however well finished, then the below example will allow you to blend them in with the top surface material - all you'll see is its outline and where the cables come through. 
I don't know if they do 'empty' ones too so you can bring up other types of cables, but it should be easy to do this by removing the power socket from one.
Not cheap, but super-pro look. And you are nuffink if not s-p

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175674858196?

You can get them cheaper than this example.
Also look to be bigger than I initially thought - they seemingly hold a double socket with bags of extra space. I reckon you could take other cables up through this too - there's 3 cable outlets at the top, I think? In which case, I'd fit it with the cable-out side close to the back wall.

moneysaver1978

Maybe just me but would it be nicer to make a kind of arch/curve thing on the back so you could pass wires along the back - this also means that cable management is much easier.

paperclap

moneysaver1978, is this the sort of thing you meant?

Just spoken to my cousin who is a carpenter, and this (photo) is what he'd suggested doing. This being a birds-eye views

ThisIsWeird

Hmm, I'd assumed Moneymaker meant an upstand, set a wee distance from the back wall, but you could be right.

Your cousin's solution is probably the easiest, although not super-easy to cut a thick wooden top neatly like that.

paperclap

If going with this option, I’d create a jig and route out the material… then roundover the edges