TV Cord Concealment — In-Wall or Raceway
Handis TV cord concealment hides power, HDMI, coax, and speaker cables behind a mounted TV — either in-wall through the cavity paired with a UL-listed code-compliant power-relocation kit (NEC 400.8), or via a color-matched paintable raceway on brick, concrete, and rentals where the wall cannot be cut — from $120. A mounted TV with a power cord hanging down to the outlet is half a job; cord concealment finishes it.
Service
What Does TV Cord Concealment Include?
TV cord concealment is the post-mount service that hides the HDMI, coax, speaker, and power cables running between a wall-mounted TV and the outlet — either by routing them through the wall cavity with a UL-listed code-compliant in-wall power-relocation kit (NEC 400.8 compliant), or via a color-matched paintable surface raceway on walls that cannot be cut, with optional outlet relocation behind the TV for a zero-visible-cord finish. Handis offers two real paths from $120 — the right one depends on whether your wall can be cut into and whether you own or rent.
In-Wall Cord Concealment
The cleanest possible finish — every cord runs through the wall cavity, nothing visible. The process:
- Cut a 3-inch low-voltage opening behind the TV and another behind the outlet near the baseboard.
- Drop a fish tape through the upper opening down through the wall cavity to the lower one.
- Pull HDMI, coax, and speaker wire through.
- Install a code-compliant in-wall power-relocation kit — a UL-listed kit that places a 'transmit' outlet behind the TV and a 'receive' outlet near the floor outlet, with Romex through the wall connecting them.
- Patch the low-voltage openings with brush-plates (decorative covers for the cable exits).
In-wall works on drywall and most plaster walls. It does not work on brick, concrete, or many stone surrounds without major masonry work.
Code-Compliant In-Wall Power-Relocation Kit
A standard TV power cord running through a wall cavity is a fire-code violation across the entire U.S. — the National Electrical Code (NEC) Section 400.8 specifies that flexible cords are not for use as a substitute for fixed wiring of a structure. The fix is a UL-listed in-wall power-relocation kit. The kit places an outlet behind the TV (so your TV power cord plugs in normally), and another outlet near the floor outlet (which plugs into the floor outlet). The two are connected by NM-B (Romex) wire run through the wall cavity — fixed wiring, code-compliant. We install the kit; it is not optional on in-wall installs.
Raceway Cord Concealment
The renter-friendly, masonry-friendly, no-cut alternative. A color-matched paintable plastic channel mounts to the wall surface from behind the TV down to the outlet area. HDMI, coax, and the TV power cord all run through the channel. The raceway is visible if you look for it, but painted to match the wall, it disappears at normal viewing distance.
Color-Match Painting
We paint the raceway on-site to match the wall color, brick color, or stone color before it goes on the wall — match samples or photos help us get it right on the first coat. For walls with complex patterns (mottled stone, painted brick with shadow lines), we can do a custom multi-tone finish in 15 to 20 minutes extra.
Soundbar Cord Routing in the Same Run
If you have a soundbar mounted below the TV, its cord shares the same concealment path. We route the soundbar HDMI or optical and power through the same in-wall opening or the same raceway — one install, no separate trip.
How TV Cord Concealment Works
Five steps every Handis in-wall cord concealment install runs through — low-voltage openings cut, cables fished through the wall cavity, code-compliant in-wall power-relocation kit installed, brush-plates finished, and raceway color-matched on walls that cannot be cut.
Cut Low-Voltage Openings
Tech cuts a 3-inch low-voltage opening behind the TV bracket and another behind the outlet near the baseboard. Dust contained on-site, framing checked first to confirm the cavity is open and free of plumbing, electrical, or fire-blocking that would interrupt the run.
Fish Cables Through the Wall Cavity
Fish tape drops through the upper opening down to the lower opening. HDMI, coax, and low-voltage speaker wire pull through the cavity in one pass. On plaster walls the tape is fed more slowly to avoid catching on lath and the patch work uses longer toggles afterward.
Install the Code-Compliant In-Wall Power-Relocation Kit
UL-listed kit places a transmit outlet behind the TV and a receive outlet near the floor outlet, with NM-B (Romex) through the wall connecting them — fixed wiring, fully NEC-compliant. A flexible TV power cord inside the wall is an NEC 400.8 violation; the kit is never optional.
Finish With Brush-Plates and Patch
Decorative brush-plate covers seal the low-voltage cable exits at top and bottom. Drywall is patched where needed, edges feathered with spackle, and the cord run lands invisible behind the TV. Soundbar cord routes through the same opening when one is mounted.
Or Run a Color-Matched Raceway
Brick, concrete, plaster surrounds, and rentals where the wall cannot be cut get a color-matched paintable surface raceway instead. Tech paints the raceway on-site to match the wall, brick, or stone color before mounting it — done well, you have to look for the raceway to see it.
Cord Concealment Pricing
Final pricing depends on wall type, run length, and whether the install is part of a same-visit TV mount. Bundle pricing applies when added to any TV mount install. Request a free estimate for an accurate quote.
Wall type and whether you own or rent — we will recommend in-wall, raceway, or an outlet relocation.
Why Handis for Cord Concealment
Half the post-install service calls we see on other installers' work trace back to cord concealment shortcuts. A power cord that was 'just run through the wall' without an in-wall power kit (a fire hazard and an inspection failure if you ever sell the house). A raceway that was never painted, so it shows up white against a beige wall. A soundbar cord that was skipped entirely and dangles separately from the TV cord. None of these are hard to do correctly the first time — they just take more than the 10 minutes a fast installer wants to spend on them.
Code-compliant power, every time
Power cord inside a wall without a UL-listed in-wall power-relocation kit is an NEC 400.8 violation and a documented fire hazard. We install the kit on every in-wall job. The cost is built into the in-wall pricing — there is no version of our in-wall service that skips the kit.
Painted on-site to match
Raceway gets painted before it goes on the wall, matched to the wall color, brick color, or stone color. We bring tint paint and a small roller. A raceway that was never painted shows up white against any color wall — that is the most common reason raceway installs look like an afterthought.
Run paths planned for the room, not the shortest line
The shortest cable run from TV to outlet is rarely the cleanest visible route. A raceway that drops straight down behind a sofa is visible from above; the same raceway routed behind the sofa back and through a baseboard cutout disappears entirely. We plan the route around the furniture and sightlines, not the tape measure.
Soundbar handled in the same run
If you have a soundbar (or are adding one in the same visit), its cord routes through the same in-wall opening or the same raceway. One concealment job, both devices. The $40 add-on covers the extra cable.
Standalone concealment service
If your TV is already mounted and you just want the cords hidden, that is a standalone service at $150 — no mount install required. The tech arrives, plans the route, installs the in-wall kit or paints and mounts the raceway.
30-day workmanship guarantee
If a raceway falls off the wall, an in-wall cable comes loose at the brush-plate, or the power kit fails due to our installation, we come back and fix at no charge.
Estimate
Wall material, run length (TV mount height to outlet), whether you rent or own, and the wall color or material if you want raceway color-matched — we will quote it.
Customer Reviews
Cord concealment reviews from real Handis customers.
Rental apartment, no holes in the walls beyond what we could patch. The tech ran the cords down a white raceway that was custom painted to match our wall color before he mounted it. You have to know the raceway is there to see it. Our security deposit is safe.
In-wall concealment with the power-relocation kit on a drywall wall. The tech explained why a power cord cannot just be run through a wall — I had not heard of NEC 400.8 before. The finished install has zero visible cords. Sold the house six months later and the inspector specifically called out that the install was code-compliant.
Standalone concealment for a TV my husband had mounted three years ago. Cords had been dangling since day one. The tech installed in-wall concealment in 90 minutes. House finally looks finished.
Above-fireplace install with raceway down the chimney chase, painted to match the brick. The tech color-matched the paint on-site — held a swatch up to the brick before tinting. Family had to point out where the raceway was when they came over.
Soundbar cord added to an existing in-wall TV run from a prior install. The tech opened the same brush-plate, fished a new HDMI through the existing wall cavity, and re-sealed. Took 45 minutes. Solid work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about TV cord concealment and raceway installation.