The TV is mounted, the screen looks great, and the viewing angle is perfect — then you notice the wiring hanging down the wall and the whole look falls apart. It’s one of the most common finishing problems homeowners run into after a renovation. The good news is there are several reliable ways to deal with it, each suited to a different situation, budget, and stage of renovation. Here are four methods worth knowing about.

Method 1: Run a Conduit Inside the Wall

This is the cleanest and most permanent solution, and it’s what most renovation professionals recommend if you’re already doing wall work.

A channel is cut into the wall surface and a PVC conduit is embedded inside. The conduit needs to be wide enough for a three-pin plug (with earth pin) to pass through. The cable runs from the power point, through the conduit inside the wall, and exits directly behind the TV — completely out of sight.

The advantages of this approach:

No exposed wiring at all once complete — the result is as clean as it gets
No decorative cladding or covers needed, and the wall remains easy to clean
Works best when done during an active renovation, before walls are plastered and painted

The key constraint is timing. If the walls are already finished, chasing a channel into them creates plastering and repainting work afterwards. If you know you’ll be mounting a TV, plan the conduit routing at the start of your renovation, not at the end.

Method 2: Build a Plasterboard Wall to Conceal Wiring

If you’d rather not cut into the existing wall, adding a layer of plasterboard (also called drywall) is a neat alternative that doesn’t require any demolition.

A plasterboard structure is built in front of the existing wall, creating a narrow cavity between the two. All the cables — power, HDMI, ethernet, speaker wires — are routed through this cavity and exit at the bottom, feeding neatly into the TV console below.

What makes this method appealing:

No damage to the existing wall — suitable for spaces where chasing is not practical
The cavity is generous enough to accommodate multiple cable types at once
The plasterboard front can be designed and finished to complement the overall room aesthetic

The trade-off is that the wall does gain a few centimetres of depth, so it’s worth checking that this won’t make the living room feel noticeably tighter. There is also a construction cost involved, though it’s often justified when combined with a TV wall design.

Method 3: Build a Feature Wall and Route Wiring Through the Structure

A feature wall follows the same principle as plasterboard but with a broader design intent — it may use timber, stone cladding, plasterboard, or other decorative materials, and typically serves as the visual centrepiece of the living room.

Wiring is concealed within the feature wall’s internal structure, entering from the top or sides and running down to exit at the TV console level. Because feature walls are built with depth and structural framing, they can easily accommodate multiple cable runs without any compromise.

For homeowners who are already planning a feature wall as part of the room’s design, incorporating the wiring into the build is simply a matter of planning ahead — there’s no additional cost for the concealment alone. If a feature wall is on your list anyway, this is the most logical and cost-effective moment to sort out the wiring.

Method 4: Position the Power Point Directly Behind the TV

If your setup is simple — just the TV, no additional devices to connect — there’s a straightforward solution that costs very little: have the power point installed directly behind where the TV will hang on the wall.

Once the TV is mounted, it physically covers the socket. The power cable connects directly from socket to TV and is entirely hidden behind the screen. From the front, there’s nothing visible at all.

This method works well under two conditions:

The TV only needs a single power connection and has no other external devices to wire up
The TV mounting position is fixed and covers the socket completely

If you also need to connect a soundbar, set-top box, gaming console, or HDMI sources, this method only solves one part of the problem. The power cable disappears, but the other cables remain exposed and will need a separate solution.

Choosing the Right Method for Your Situation

Method	Best suited for	Relative cost	Complexity
In-wall conduit	New build or active renovation	Low to medium	Requires early planning
Plasterboard cavity	Can’t chase walls, multiple cables	Medium	Moderate
Feature wall	Designing a full TV wall anyway	Medium to high	Depends on design
Socket behind TV	Simple setup, power cable only	Lowest	Simple

Conclusion: Think About Wiring Before the Walls Are Done

Hiding TV wiring is a straightforward problem to solve — but the best solutions require thinking about it early. In-wall conduit gives the cleanest result but needs to be planned before walls are finished. Plasterboard and feature walls offer flexibility for different styles and budgets. And if your setup is simple enough, a socket positioned behind the TV gets the job done with minimal effort and cost.

A little foresight during renovation pays off every time you look at that wall and see nothing but the screen.