Fortunately, there are several things you can do to hide your cords without making them look bad. Extension cords can be a tripping hazard and cause accidents. Share them with us by writing in the comment section below. These can still be tripping hazards, but theyre more obvious and a lot easier to avoid than an uncovered power cable. Then thread the pipes together one at a time until you reach the other end, where you'll cut and bend the last piece of conduit to fit and connect it to the LB with a compression connector. This is a bit expensive but it is the most effective method. and create a hole in the back of the nightstand drawer yourself. How To Wire a Switch/Receptacle Combo Device - Electrical Online Unfortunately, this is usually what happens when it comes time to hang outdoor string lights. Another way to hide an extension cord is to bury it in the ground. Family Handyman Step 5 In this article, we will discuss how to hide extension cord for outdoor string lights with covers and more. Place the metal post about 10 feet from a tree; you'll create your light canopy in between. Even electrical cords that are designed for outdoor use are vulnerable to wear and tear if you use them outdoors for a long time. If you have a lot of electrical appliances or lights in your backyard, having a cord box is a good idea to help prevent tangles and keep the cords in good working condition. Make sure you totally remove any stickers and residual goo before painting so your finish looks good. Lanterns offer soft, low-voltage accent lighting for a small expanse of an outdoor wall to play up architectural details or decor. Install an exterior outlet and plug in to more lighting and power tool possibilities. Remove one of the expansion plugs on the side of the box, which allows conduit to be connected to the box. 5 Brilliant Ways To Hide Wires In A Room Without Going Into The Walls The 5 Best Extension Cords For Your Home And Garage Of 2022 Reviews By Wirecutter Hide electrical cords outside wobble extension outdoor cord from rain cover the patio light project it is alive how to an 9 steps pin on outdoors backyard cable wires step Lightings Post navigation How to Hide Household Eyesores - Smart Home Decorating Ideas These delicate fairy lights are under $20 and have almost 4k reviews! This allows you to get the wires much closer to the area where the lighting is installed without detracting from the appearance of your home. In conclusion, there are several ways to hide your string light cords and create a beautiful, seamless look. This works for strands with 6-inch spacing, which we recommend using to achieve a fuller look. Here's a close up of the label on the tube we bought. 8 Best Acrylic Floor Lamps to Spruce up Your Interior in 2022. How Many Watts Can a 14 Gauge Extension Cord Handle? If you have any macrame skills, this could be a fun DIY project for your charging cords, lamp cords or even your wall-mounted TV cables. This will help frame your decor while still providing illumination at night. Luckily with Wobble Wedge plastic shims you can create a temporary fix or a more permanent one. Some of these will surely cost you a lot, but in return, they will benefit you for a long time. You could even use some duct seal or silicone to hold it in place. You can also use some simple hooks to hang up your cord, so they never lay on the ground! A hidden outdoor extension cord will keep your outdoor area looking clean and safe. Not to mention I love to share the knowledge Ive gathered over the years with my readers at We Mow Dallas. Fit the mounting box for the outdoor outlet over that hole. 2. Best Extension Cord For Outdoor String Lights (9 Quick-Start Facts) Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Choose items to buy together. Even though the cords are covered in sleeves that keep them dry. Painted wood molding can also be used to conceal wires that run along the eaves of your home. If you want an easy method for hiding your extension cords without any laborious efforts, pick this one. Is it safe to bury an outdoor extension cord? Put Your Outlet Into the Weatherproof Box. Generally, you should hide your extension cords by installing them inside of some sort of barrier this could be a conduit, a cord box, electrical tape, or even a pool noodle. Show details Hide details . How Can I Disguise the Wiring for My Wall and Patio Lights? And if , Extension cords are handy for powering up electrical equipment that is far away from an electric socket. 3. 4.5 (1,797) $1899 ($1.49/Foot) Save 15% with coupon. Can You Plug a Coffee Maker Into a Power Strip? How to Hide Extension Cords on Patio 1. On the other side of the conduit, you can tape the vacuum nozzle and turn the vacuum on. How to Clean Bird Poop From Your Patio Leave no trace. Wed recommend covering your cord with several layers of electrical tape if thats the only protective measure youre going to take. Fortunately, there are several ways to hide these extension cords without compromising the aesthetic integrity of the outdoor portion. It is easy as you just have to roll out the extension cord along the ground, and then tape them against in vertical surface using a good type of tape. Can You Plug a Smart Plug Into a Power Strip? To corral the cords when not in use, heres a simple idea from @easybreezycreative: Tuck them into a decorative vase below the outlet. Can Your Deck Support the Weight of a Hot Tub? One of the benefits of using plants and decor to hide your string light cords is that it allows you to be creative and add your personal touch to your decor. The buried extension cord will have some protection from different elements that can damage it. Or, if you're in need of some small space decorating ideas to prevent wires from making an already tiny room feel more cramped, try hiding them behind a well-styled bookcase or using jute rope to cover an extension cord for a neutral look. To be honest, I didnt like the idea of pushing mowers, collecting grass clippings, and maintaining flowerbeds at the time. This typically involves adhesive strips or screws to attach the raceways to the wall or ceiling. With this method, you can hide your cords while making your outdoors look nice and organized. For example, you could drape fabric over the cord or use drapery ties to hang curtains over the cord. Nobody prefers them lying around in helter-skelter. Run the cord along the base of your wall, then snap on these covers. Air fryers are a great appliance when it comes to healthy cooking. How To Hide Outdoor Wiring Dean S Home Services. LED String Light Control Kit. What is the Best Way I Can Hide my Cords? I established this blog after eight years of experience designing, installing, and maintaining electrical power systems. How to Hide Extension Cords Outside: 11Tips - Family Home Guide Floor Cable Cover, 6.5 Ft Floor Cord Protector 3 Cable Management Box 3 Pack with 16 Cable Clips How to Prevent Chairs from Sinking in Grass- 4 Ways, How to Keep Patio Umbrella from Spinning: 5 DIY Ways. Different angles can help make your string light cords appear less noticeable and more natural in your home. Usually, a piece of rubber material is used to hide all the cords outside. Some may cost you a lot of money since you must purchase premium tools such as a conduit, plug cover, or waterproofing gasket. Hiding an outdoor extension cord does not only improve the appearance of your surroundings. String lights are a popular way to add ambiance and warmth to any space, but the cords can often be an eyesore. It keeps the cords accessible but contained. Next, using your trench tool, dig at least an 8 to 10-inch deep channel. Bundle with 6Ft Extension Cord, Commercial Grace Fitted for The These are plastic or metal channels designed to conceal wires and cables, and they come in various shapes and sizes to fit different needs. The buried cord that runs underground and crosses above ground should be covered by a conduit. Basically, you need to get a piece of plastic or rubber material that has been cut out to fit under your patio furniture legs. Extension cords are beneficial for different outdoor activities and decorations that require electricity. Especially since extension cords that run outdoors are exposed to a lot more hazards that can cause tangling, from foot traffic to animals, wind, and weather. (Amps, Length & Gauges). Hang them from the ceiling with cord hangers. You can also run the cord over the edge of the basin and down one side and tape it to the base so it's not waving around in the wind. Using Planter Plants 3. Hiding them is the only real solution, but this isnt always possible when the wires are long or they need to traverse one side of a room to the other side. How to Hide Extension Cord for Outdoor String Lights? - Oil Lamp Man 6. How to Hide Extension Cords on Patio- 5 Awesome Ways, 5. Step One: Using an awl, puncture the conduit about 3 inches from the top to make drilling easier. Step 2. Buried wiring is almost always safer than cords under a cover but otherwise unprotected. "Cut off the plug end and rewire it once the cord is through . Begin wrapping the lights around the tree's trunk, moving upward with each winding. If youre not comfortable doing this yourself, you can also have it cut at your local hardware store. 2. Luckily, there are many ways to creatively hide them so you can enjoy your outdoor space without worrying about how it looks. There are two easy ways to feed your cord into the conduit. How to Hide String Light Cords | In Some Best ways (2023) Rope lighting is an elegant way to add drama and highlight specific areas of your home without dealing with strings or cables. One uses a metal fish tape puller, and the other uses a conduit piston, a pulling wire, and a vacuum cleaner. Answered, Can an Electric Shock From a Plug Kill You? Step 3: Clean the PVC pipe with soap and water to remove dirt or debris. Remove the screws holding the outlet in the junction box and pull it out, but leave the wiring attached. One of the advantages of Wobble Wedges over other shims is the pre-drilled hole that allows you to secure the wedge in place. Depending on the size of the raceways and the thickness of your cords, you may need to trim the cords or use cable ties to keep them in place. If you can get away with using SPT, you can run it along the eaves until you reach a gutter downspout and run it down the downspout, tie-wrapping it to the downspout, or get SPT that roughly matches your brick and run it down the facade. There are lots of clips that use two sided tape in the electrical section of the hardware/big box store. This electrical cable organizer is simple and based on the ordinary electric socket design. Make sure nothing is plugged in while you're cutting and repairing the lights, and don't plug them . Outdoor wiring can be a tricky thing as it can raise concerns for safety. However, youll want to ensure that you mitigate the heat that the cord will produce when active. Step 3: Install the raceways according to the manufacturers instructions. Use a knife and slice a small slit down. Use adhesive-backed cable hooks so you don't damage your ceiling while hanging your lights. 3. Using decorative fabrics can help you conceal your string light cords more effectively. . Step 1: Measure the length of your string lights and determine your desired PVC pipe size. Cable raceways (plastic or metal channels designed to conceal wires), Adhesive strips or screws to attach the raceways to the wall or ceiling, PVC pipe (size and length will depend on the length and thickness of your string light cords), Saw or PVC cutter to cut the pipe to size, Screws or adhesive strips to mount the PVC pipe to the wall or ceiling, Hanging plants, wall hangings, or tapestries, Screws, adhesive strips, or hooks to attach the plants or decor items to the wall or ceiling. Wobble Wedges can be used to gently wedge the cords underneath the siding of your house. This tape can be duct, plumbing, painter, or electricians tape. Once you have done this process, you can proceed to the next one. 9 Designers Share How They Hide Cords In Interiors - House Beautiful 16 AWG is a light duty cord. Instead, use mulch to cover them to a depth of anywhere from about 2 to 5 inches. Outdoor lighting can transform your space, making your yard, garden, and home look much more attractive after dark. Hide Cable Behind Siding - DoItYourself.com Community Forums First, straighten out the coat hanger and cut it into pieces about 6 inches long. You can choose one of the above methods on how to hide outdoor extension cords. When anything presses on the cord, the voltage drops. To get a cords wattage, we must follow the standard formula: W = , Historically, plant production has been dependent on the wildly variable climate and the local environment. Bring power to a garden clearing any distance from the house by burying a sturdy weather-resistant. Place a decorative basket next to a table and insert the bound cords into the basket and out of sight. 8 Genius Ways to Hide Every Wire in Your Home - Bob Vila There are several reasons why you should hide your extension cords on your patio. Clear the top of your nightstand and charge your devices inside the drawer for a much cleaner look. It is determined by the length of the cord. Sometimes extension cords are visible through the gaps between plants and you can hide these gaps by using decorative rocks or other items. CaptainPatio.com is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. How do you waterproof outdoor extension cords? The Best Way to Cover Extension Cords Outside (And Keep Them Dry) And pull a permit if you are so inclined. Make sure to get one with cable management features like this sleek-looking piece from Artifox. To waterproof an extension cord connection, you simply buy and install an adequate cord box or outlet cover. Kasonic Outdoor String Lights, 48 FT + 8 FT Extension Cord, 2 in 1, AC and Solar Powered, 15 Hanging Dimmable Shatterproof Bulbs(+2 Spare Bulbs), Decorative LED Patio Lights . Electrical wire through and under patio pavers CaptainPatio.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate CaptainPatio.com earns from qualifying purchases. This technique can also be used to hide extension cords out of sight. Loop the hose clamp around the center of the two hooks at the top of the pole; use a screwdriver . Interested in installing your extension cord underground? You can hang them from trees, posts, or even walls without disrupting your decor. Some people might like having their cords hidden entirely inside plant pots, while others may not have any plans to do that with, so they would just opt for either taping them up or perhaps burying them underground instead. But having seem the passion my parents had for gardening and outdoors and the effort they put in maintaining the health and beauty of our landscape, I couldnt help but not only admire their hard work but also I became a part of it. Make sure that the cord is completely hidden inside the pot. These practical cable management tools are simple to operate. Guide for Pulling the Cord into the Conduit. If you have a lot of extension cords, here are a few ways to hide them: 1. If you cant hide your cords, disguise them! 1. This will put the cord out of the way of foot traffic. Conduits can be expensive to get, but theyre also one of the most permanent and protective options, which makes them a good investment if youre planning on staying in the same place for a long time. The materials you will need to hide string light cords depend on your chosen method. Below are some tips on how to hide landscape lights and wires. Use dark-colored plastic zip ties to attach power cords to furniture legs. But, if you have no other options, running your electrical cords through unused sections of grass in your yard can work. You could disguise it further by painting the whole kit'n'kaboodle with some concrete paint, including the cord and any tape you use, so it looks like it's supposed to be there. However, this can be the most expensive option since you need to dig a channel from your house to whatever outdoor appliance or structure needs the power cable. If you cant find a way to conceal the wires within your wall or patio, then you should try to hide them inside a decorative box. But how should you hide your outdoor extension cords? The UT Wire Cord Protector and Concealer are ideal for use in high-traffic areas to hide cords and prevent tripping accidents. Boxes and covers advertised as waterproof stand up to the elements and keep your extension cord safe. Animals are also notorious cord-chewers, and many rodents will specifically target extension cords because they want the copper wire inside. Loosen and remove the screws and cover plate over the existing outlet, using the screwdriver. How to Hide Outdoor Wires 1. Wrapping it in a plastic bag will suffice to keep moisture at bay. It really depends on your personal preference and what kind of outdoor space you have. How to hang an extension cord up along an outside wall? One of the benefits of using cable raceways is that they are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. Since tangles can cause kinks in the wire and shorten the light of your extension cord, this is a pretty big issue. And I'll have you know I removed just a few dust bunnies from back here. Though this will cost you a hefty sum of money, using a conduit to hide extension cords outside is ideal for a long-term investment. My goal with We Mow Dallas is to teach you exactly how to maintain your lawn and landscape.