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Removable Baseboard Options ?

post #1 of 14
1/5/12 at 11:11am
Thread Starter 
Does anyone have any experience with removable baseboard for each of access to cable channels.

Wiretracks looked like an excellent option. Basically a two piece box with two U channels that snap together and apart. One is drywall depth where the cable lives and the other attaches to whatever baseboard you want to use. Problem is they are out of business. It would be possible to fabricate something but would likely be more complicated and expensive. None of the other raceways I've seen are too deep, too shallow, curved instead of boxes, meant be be outside of baseboard, etc.

Any thoughts.

http://www.wiretracks.com/prod-rf.html

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post #2 of 14
1/5/12 at 11:22am
Could route a channel in the back of standard baseboards of sufficient depth, and attach to wall with velcro?
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post #3 of 14
1/5/12 at 11:40am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad Horstkotte View Post

Could route a channel in the back of standard baseboards of sufficient depth, and attach to wall with velcro?

I've thought of this as well but there are some challenges / issues:

1. it would need to be multiple passes as I would want a channel at least 2 inches wide.
2. this would take a lot of time to route the baseboard for the whole house. Running Coax, Speaker, Ethernet, HDMI all over throughout house.
3. Velcro would not create enough tension for the long runs on runs that are not straight. There would be bowing and gaps.
4. The thickness of the Velcro would create a gap from the wall without creating an additional channel for the Velcro. That's even more work requiring a separate pass.

Good thought. Keep them coming.
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post #4 of 14
1/5/12 at 12:01pm
Definitely not a router for the channel, use a dado blade on your table saw - doesn't take long at all to do a whole bunch of baseboard.
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post #5 of 14
1/5/12 at 1:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JeremyMc View Post

This would take a lot of time to route the baseboard for the whole house. Running Coax, Speaker, Ethernet, HDMI all over throughout house.

If you are doing it though the whole house you should study up on how to run cables/wires in walls, floors and ceilings. Or hire someone. Houses get retrofitted all the time. The problem with a baseboard only strategy is doors and open passages.
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post #6 of 14
1/5/12 at 1:16pm
Agreed...hire a pro.

When we moved into our house it was about 11 years old and the only cable connection came into the basement and ran into the family room directly above. I spent weeks trying to figure out a path to get it up to the third floor bedrooms. When I finally called a pro it took him about 5 minutes to find a path that is invisible.
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post #7 of 14
1/5/12 at 1:39pm
Some helpful stuff here:

How to: In-Wall Wiring for Your Home Theater
http://www.hometheatershack.com/foru...e-theater.html
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post #8 of 14
1/5/12 at 1:49pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks guys but I don't want to put the cables in the wall.

The cables are constantly be added to, changed/upgraded, and moved with the equipment/furniture.

Putting them in the wall would be a waste of time/money. Having the ability to unsnap the baseboard allows for quick and each changes on the fly.
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post #9 of 14
1/5/12 at 2:22pm
Use the largest sized panduit you can find that you can place the baseboard over, or use two for it. Only thing is, the kind with the velcro straps inside to hold the wiring is a little more expensive, but you can make your own by using a stapler to staple in velcro holding straps inside.

Also, carpenter nails will hold the baseboard fine on the panduit. I would first put up the panduit, place the baseboard on top of the finished floor, mark the height for the covers by using dabs of paint on the panduit, then when you pull the baseboard off, it will be marked exactly where the panduit cover is.

The paint trick also works when trying to locate junction boxes before cutting the holes into the drywall sheets, or plywood, etc.
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post #10 of 14
1/5/12 at 3:28pm
If you remove the drywall behind the baseboard, you would have a 1/2" deep space to run the cables. Glue 1/2" strips of wood to the top and bottom edges of the baseboard -- forming a very shallow U -- to hold the baseboard at the correct depth in relation to the wall.

Holding the modified baseboard to the wall would be the tricky part. Maybe you could use the fasteners used to hold grilles to the front of speakers:
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post #11 of 14
1/5/12 at 3:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dwightp View Post

If you remove the drywall behind the baseboard, you would have a 1/2" deep space to run the cables. Glue 1/2" strips of wood to the top and bottom edges of the baseboard -- forming a very shallow U -- to hold the baseboard at the correct depth in relation to the wall.

Holding the modified baseboard to the wall would be the tricky part. Maybe you could use the fasteners used to hold grilles to the front of speakers:

One word: Magnets.
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post #12 of 14
1/5/12 at 3:45pm
Magnets, Velcro, or the attached Panduit works.
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post #13 of 14
1/5/12 at 4:10pm
Thread Starter 
I found something interesting.

It's a snap on poly that also has inside and outside corners. They even make two clips for either flushing on existing drywall or an extended clip to attach to the studs and cut back the drywall giving you the option to run between studs inside the wall.

Pricing is about $1.50 per linear foot and corners are under a buck a piece and clips about half that. VERY reasonable.

http://www.m-rite.com/snapon.php

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post #14 of 14
1/5/12 at 5:44pm
I forgot about that style of Panduit. That is even better, and would not stick out as gastly as using the rectangular panduit.
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