Hollow skirting boards

[KimB]

I apologise if this has come up before! I've just moved into a flat where the previous owner ran riot, and there is cabling everywhere - under the cornices, through door frames and around the skirting. I'm loath to remove it because I'm not entirely sure what any of it does.
The most obtrusive is that around the skirting, but I don't have the option of unpinning it and running it under floorboards as I have a solid floor.
Some years ago I remember seeing skirting boards specially designed to be hollow so that cabling could run behind it. Does anyone know if it's still available?
Any help greatly appreciated!

 

[JohnD]

it is not safe to run cables behind skirting. they are concealed and liable to have nails through them.

 

[Symptoms]

Kim - decorative trunking might be a solution, essentially the stuff is like your bog standard mini trunking for running cables but comes in decorative profiles. Self-adhesive, can sit on your skirtings or at the base of the skirting - if you're worried about the self-adhesive lasting then pin or screw.

Most electrical factors will stock this stuff as do screwfix.com.

 

[^woody^]

You could router out the back of the skirting to form a groove.

Although wiring regs don't permit power cables behind skirting, I can't think of any reason why you would want to nail into skirting, and if its your own place, then you know its there, and you can do what you like.

If these are speaker/phone/doorbell/alarm etc cables, then there is no issue in where your run them

 

[JohnD]

...If these are speaker/phone/doorbell/alarm etc cables, then there is no issue in where your run them

completely agree, and for speaker cables or co-ax, I like to mount the skirting on two battens, with room between them for (non-power) cables.

Kim, I think you are going to have to trace these cables back to see what they do. If power, they might be a source of danger. Some may be redundant and could be removed.

 

[imamartian]

Kim i would say if you're ever unsure about electrics, then get an expert in....... otherwise it could kill you !