Question about threading a coaxial cable through brick?
Question:I don't do a lot of stuff like this, so I'd appreciate some information about how to do this: basically, I'm trying to route a coaxial cable from outside into the house. The cable is outside, and needs to go through the outside brick layer, then through the wall itself (through insulation?) then through the drywall (through a new outlet plate too).
Any suggestions about how to go through the wall with a wire? I'd even appreciate a link to a how-to site as well.
Thanks.
Answers:
There's some good info at the sites listed below.
One of the best bits of info is to be very careful about drilling into walls because you can hit power cables, water lines, gas lines, phone lines, etc. That's why it might be best to have the cable company technician do the job. At least if he gets electrocuted then they can send out another technician to finish the job and you will still be alive to watch HBO that evening.
If you decide to go for it yourself then you should locate the spot for the new outlet plate about 12-18 inches from the floor, away from window and door trims, away from electrical and phone jack outlets and ideally between wall studs. You'll need a stud finder to help you locate and avoid the studs in your wall (an electronic stud finder from Home Depot not your hot cousin Suzy).
Usually installations like this don't use a junction or outlet box, but instead the outlet plate with the inside jack attached are secured directly to the sheetrock with screws and some simple screw inserts pushed into the sheetrock.
Don't install the new outlet plate until after you have drilled through the wall so that you can make sure it is in the same spot that you drilled through from the outside. If you can go straight through from the outside to the inside outlet plate area then that is the easiest. Otherwise you're going to have to fish wires through the wall and that's not an easy first-timer job.
You're best bet is to go through the mortar joint and not through the brick itself. You'll need a decent electric drill and a masonry drill bit, a little larger than the wire diameter or connector diameter, if the connector is already installed on the cable. Ideally, you will want to install the connector inside the room after you have the cable secured to the outside wall and cut to length. You should preferably use a hammer drill. You will want to drill from the outside to the inside because the masonry drill bit is probably not going to be long enough to go all the way through the brick from the inside.
So anyway, locate where the inside outlet area is on the outside wall and drill through the mortar joint there. You may need to switch to a longer drill to go through the sheathing on the outside of the frame wall.
You need to drill slowly through the sheathing and stop when you break through to the hollow cavity. That is, if you picked the right spot and avoided hitting a stud. Now use a long screwdriver with an insulated handle and carefully push through the hole in the mortar, through the sheathing, and through the insulation until you get to the sheetrock on the inside of the wall. If you are careful then even if there are electrical wires in the wall, you can move them out of the way with the screwdriver without breaking the insulation. If you come across water, drain or gas pipes then you'll probably have to plug the hole and try somewhere else. If you made it through the wall to the sheetrock then twist and push the screwdriver and make a hole throught the sheetrock.
Leave the screwdriver sticking through the sheetrock. On the inside of the room, securely tape a string to the screwdriver shaft sticking through the sheetrock. Slowly pull the screwdriver back out of the hole from the outside, bringing the string with it.
Securely tape the string sticking out of the hole on the outside to the end of the cable wire. On the inside, slowly pull the string back through the wall with the cable attached to it. Hopefully the cable came all the way through the wall and is sticking out inside the room.
At this point you can secure the cable to the outside wall, cutting it to length as necessary, then finish the inside connection to the jack in the outlet plate and install the outlet plate into the wall with plastic screw inserts or sheetrock/molly bolt inserts as needed.
Go back outside and inject some silicone sealant into the hole and around the cable penetration in the brick wall to avoid moisture entry.
Good luck!
If this is for TV cable the cable company will do this for you. The main question is where are the electric wires in the wall. You don't want to get through the brick and find wires. So if you are bound and determined to do this yourself I would start from the inside. Cut out a square of the drywall, keep it to replace later, move the insulation with gloves and see if you can see the brick. That's when you use a concrete drill bit to drill thru the brick. Feed wire thru all and figure out where the hole should be in the drywall you saved,and make one (feeding the wire thru the drywall square.) Then once you have what you want all done, get some drywall mud, small container and use a spatula to fill all edges-let dry. Then redo as needed. When the seams are filled, get a wet rag and sand it down in circles til it's smooth to the touch, repaint and you are done, (they do have receptacles to put that wire thru if its in a space that will be seen.) But I'd call your cable company.
A drill with a concrete bit (large enough to pass the wire, but smaller than the grout line(( cement between the bricks)). Try to determin where the studs in the wall are from the inside of the room and transfer to the outside. Drill a hole in the grout, then change the concrete bit for a long wood spade bit of the same size and drill a hole straight threw the wall. Leave the drill bit in the wall and attatch a small wire to the bit point with tape and pull back to the outside. Then put the cable onto the wire with tape as befor and pull threw the wall. Install a remodlers electric box and cover plate. Hope this helps Mike
Over here they are fed through the foundation and run along the underside of the floor joists. A hole is drilled down through the floor, where it is to come up.
Just another alternative to think about if it is applicable, it is a lot easier I think.
you need a drill,one carbide bit,one wood bit,also you have to check to make sure that there are no electric cables behind that wall,or gas pipes,if you are drilling horizontal you should have no problem,seal around the cable with caulk to keep bugs out.
When I did mine I used a 1/4" masonry drill 12" long, a 1/2" masonry drill and a wire coat hanger. Drill straight through from the outside, drilling into the mortar using the 1/4" drill. Drill from both sides with the 1/2" drill. Straighten the coat hanger and tape the cable to it. Poke the cable through the hole.
all you have to do is drill tho the brick or drill between the bricks a hole just big enough for the cable than seal it with some caulk
You have got some very good answer ,but when you start to drill through the wall make sure that you drill at an angle so that the rain water can't run down the cable and into the building .
first you need to figure out where you want to run the cable through, second you need to figure out the thickness of the wall you are going through, then the finale step is to use a concrete bit and hammer drill to get your hole in the brick,then change to longer wood bit to finish the hole all the way through,once the cable is in seal around it with clear silicon
you are going to have to drill a hole thru the brick, a 1/4" masonary bit should do the job. Make sure by drilling a hole in a scrap piece of wood first to make sure the cable fits. Before drilling, go inside the house and cut out the drywall smaller than the outlet plate, which will cover the hole later and check for any electrical wiring or plumbing and move your drilling location if needed. Go back outside and drill thru the brick or block at this point and feed your cable thru. Stuff a little extra cable down in the wall space after you've pulled enough for your interior run. When you are sure you have all you need, put a little silicone caulking outside around the cable at the brick to weatherproof and keep out the bugs.(silicone caulking can be found in almost any color). You can pretty much push the cable thru most any type of insulation you find in the wall. Hope this helps.
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