On Mon, 18 Jul 2005 07:21:33 +0000 (UTC),it is alleged that NC
spake thusly in uk.d-i-y:

I am trying to think of the easiest way to route cable in a house we are
looking to buy. When we move in, there will be no carpet on the floors -
and the bare chipboard under-flooring will be exposed. Can I route a
channel about 1cm wide and about .5cm deep in this to lay speaker cable
? Skirting boards will also be missing, making it easy to fit banana
posts on wall plates in the desired speaker locations (easy to poke the
cable from the channels and up behind the plasterboard). 'Normal'
routing is difficult behind the plasterboards as I dont want to have to
re-decorate, feeding cable through using rods is also very difficult due
to doorways getting in the way.

We will be laying underlay then laminate over the chipboards. I could
try and put the cable ontop of the chipboards and under the underlay (ie
not cut a channel). Would 'flat' speaker cable allow this without
causing problems for the laminate ?

Help and advise much appreciated....

My suggestion which audiophiles would kill me for is much the same as
Ian Stirling's. 0.1" pitch ribbon cable would be ideal for this,
depending on the thickness of the underlay beneath the laminate you
may even be able to get away without routing the floor at all.

Another possibility would be 25mmx16mm minitrunking under the level of
the baseboards (which you say are being temporarily removed). It's
roughly the same depth as skirting board, and then that would just
leave you doors to cross, which you may be able to do on a join in the
floor boarding, where weakening it wouldn't be so bad. If you can and
do do this, make sure you put something over the cable to protect it
from when they fit the thresholds and make the installers aware it's
there.

--
The follies which a man regrets most in his life are those
which he didn't commit when he had the opportunity.
- Helen Rowland