Hide the Wires of a Ceiling Projector
Ceiling-mounted projectors create an instant movie theater in your home, and most often make your friends jealous. Having exposed wires, though, will make your installation look messy and unprofessional. Some people pay for a costly installation requiring drilling holes in the ceiling and walls. You can virtually make your cords disappear by simply painting them, achieving almost the same effect for a much smaller price. If you don't want to use paint, you can go the slightly more expensive route and use molding.
Instructions
Paint-and-Hide Method
1. Mount your projector based on the manufacturer's guidelines and suggestions. Make sure the supplied cords (or the cords you purchased) are long enough to run from the projector to your units.
2. Lay out all of the necessary cords and U-clips on old newspapers in a well-ventilated garage, or outdoors.
3. Wrap and tape each end of each cord with the plastic bags and electrical tape. Make sure the seal is airtight--getting paint on the connectors will ruin the cord.
4. Spray paint the cords and U-clips. You may have to let one side dry before painting the other. A second or third coat may be necessary to fully cover the cords, depending on the paint.
5. Wait for the cords and U-clamps to completely dry. Once dry, remove the plastic bags.
6. Plug all of your newly painted cords into the projector.
7. Bunch the cords together, place them inside the U-clamp and gently tap it into the ceiling as near as possible to the projector with the hammer. Be sure not to pinch the cords.
8. Run the cords in the direction of your home theater, or along the corners of the ceiling, using the measuring tape to add a U-clamp every foot.
9. Repeat Step 8 if and when you want to run the cords down the wall toward your home theater units.
10. Stop adding U-clips when the cords are close enough to your home theater units to be plugged in.
Molding Method
11. Mount your projector based on the manufacturer's guidelines and suggestions. Make sure the supplied cords (or the cords you purchased) are long enough to run from the projector to your .
12. Measure the diameter of the body of your cords--not the fatter end with the connectors. Make sure your molding can hold that thickness.
13. Test-fit where your cords will start to run into the molding, usually directly above where they exit the projector. Mark this location.
14. Peel off adhesive backing from the molding, and stick it to the ceiling where marked, making sure to run it in the desired direction (either to the corner of the ceiling or directly to your home theater units).
15. Repeat Step 4 until all molding has been placed. You may need to cut the molding to navigate a corner, go down a wall or end the run.
16. Run your cords into the molding, snapping on the top pieces as you go.
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