Extending TV coax cable from loft

[Longshanks]

Thanks for swift reply. The status of the “loft floor” has alway vexed me. Someone suggested that you should be able to find the top of the wall in question, as this would be visible in loft. However, surely there must be rudimentary board across the walls? Not sure how one would see the top of walls, without X-ray vision?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

A stud finder might help find it, if you can beg, borrow or steal one..

 

[AndyPRK]

Can see the top of my walls

 

[Longshanks]

Can see the top of my walls

Good for you. How does that work?

 

[EFLImpudence]

You just look at them.

 

[AndyPRK]

Whoops. I meant can’t. As before I look at where wires appear from switches or sockets into the loft.

Switches are the safest bet

 

[EFLImpudence]

D'oh.

 

[Longshanks]

Whoops. I meant can’t. As before I look at where wires appear from switches or sockets into the loft.

Switches are the safest bet

Appreciate that. However, even then, would be difficult to follow mantra about always feeding cable upwards upwards to have more control etc?

 

[Longshanks]

Only one upwards

 

[AndyPRK]

Well it’s data.
Along with measuring against outside walls and allowing a bit for the plaster on the wall

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

If you tap the top of the board, it will sound a little different where the board is supported by the wall. It will sound hollow when the board isn't supported.

Assuming the back of that wall is another room, just tap the board gently until you find the least hollow bit in the middle. A metal detector might also find nails or screws where the wall is. Use a thin, long terminal screw driver to probe through the board, a tiny hole is much easier to patch if you get it wrong and you can then at least measure from the hole to find the wall top.

 

[Longshanks]

Many thanks for v helpful and clear advice.

I’m going to have another look at that thin plank in between the joists. I think that might be sitting on top of wall anyway.

So having found top of wall, and assuming egg box partition, would you then just measure and drill down to create big enough hole for cable? (Long drill bit or drill then push something down to break through egg box??) Then drop coax down, finally making square hole in plasterboard behind TV to locate cable?

Still seems frustrating that I can’t make hole in wall first and push up to go through wall and loft floor??

Cheers

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Still seems frustrating that I can’t make hole in wall first and push up to go through wall and loft floor??

Much easier to push something rigid down from the top, rather than going in a diagonal, where it would tend to jam against or likely damage the far wall surface. Sharpened steel tube works best, to cut a way through the cardboard. If you use a steel rod or tube, you should be able to find it in the wall to break through, with a metal detector or even a strong magnet on a dangled on string.

 

[Longshanks]

Makes sense. Thanks.

 

[jamesmcbride]

stick a (thin) nail through the ceiling where you want to bring the cable down the wall - easily filled after. Measure to the middle of the wall, 20mm hole down, cable rod through the eggbox stuff.

Done it several times myself, makes for a very neat install, especially if you drop the power down from above too.