# Can you run speaker wire under laminate flooring? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 14, 2006, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-run-speaker-wire-under-laminate-flooring/356716 "2006-05-14T05:00:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AnabolicDoberman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@AnabolicDoberman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnabolicDoberman)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2006, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-run-speaker-wire-under-laminate-flooring/356716/1 "2006-05-14T05:00:36Z")
I am going to put down laminate flooring, and I would don’t want speaker wires everywhere for my rear surround speakers. is there any problem running it under the laminate flooring like I do on the carpet? If it matters, the flooring is going over a concrete slab. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2006, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-run-speaker-wire-under-laminate-flooring/356716/2 "2006-05-14T07:22:02Z")
You risk damaging the wire over time. In turn, the insulation may then break down causing a short. So much for your stereo amplifier. Worse, the short in the wire causes a fire in the amplifier and your place burns down. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2006, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-run-speaker-wire-under-laminate-flooring/356716/3 "2006-05-14T07:41:46Z")
If there’s a slight gap around the edge of the laminate left for expansion/contraction that will be covered by baseboards, you might be able to run the speaker wire there. ---
**Author:** ![TastesLikeBurning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@TastesLikeBurning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TastesLikeBurning)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2006, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-run-speaker-wire-under-laminate-flooring/356716/4 "2006-05-14T09:00:28Z")
If you can get hold of a concrete saw, you could cut channels and insert conduit for cables underneath the flooring. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2006, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-run-speaker-wire-under-laminate-flooring/356716/5 "2006-05-14T13:42:25Z")
You can get FLAT speaker wire, that meant to run under carpets, behind baseboards, you can even put it on drywall and spackle right over it. You might want to look into that. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-run-speaker-wire-under-laminate-flooring/356716/6 "2006-05-15T00:12:33Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > If there’s a slight gap around the edge of the laminate left for expansion/contraction that will be covered by baseboards, you might be able to run the speaker wire there. Laminate flooring requires a ~1/4" gap around all walls, so there’s a ready-made slot hide wires in. When I put my floor in last year, I ran wires in the walls down to floor level, then at about 2" above the subfloor, (to clear the bottom “plate” in the wall framing) I drilled a hole through the plasterboard to bring the wire out, then carved a notch in the plasterboard to subfloor level. The wire tucks into the slot, then runs around the room next to the flooring. The hole and notch in the plasterboard are covered by the baseboard molding, so when it’s all finished, the wires are completely invisible. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-run-speaker-wire-under-laminate-flooring/356716/7 "2006-05-15T02:49:38Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Laminate flooring requires a ~1/4" gap around all walls, so there’s a ready-made slot hide wires in. > > When I put my floor in last year, I ran wires in the walls down to floor level, then at about 2" above the subfloor, (to clear the bottom “plate” in the wall framing) I drilled a hole through the plasterboard to bring the wire out, then carved a notch in the plasterboard to subfloor level. The wire tucks into the slot, then runs around the room next to the flooring. The hole and notch in the plasterboard are covered by the baseboard molding, so when it’s all finished, the wires are completely invisible. That’s one of the first tricks we try at work when faced with running speaker wire in a finished room. Unless there’s a doorway to get past, it almost always works.