A TV on the wall with a fat black HDMI cable dangling down to a power point ruins the whole effect. Yet that is exactly what most DIY installs end up looking like, because cable concealment is the part people underestimate most. This guide walks through every option for hiding cables behind a wall-mounted TV in South African homes, when each one is appropriate, and what each typically costs in 2026.
For broader context on what a premium TV install includes, see our complete TV mounting cost guide — cable management is usually a R250–R1,200 line item depending on which option below suits your wall.
Why cable management is worth getting right
A wall-mounted TV is a piece of furniture. It should look intentional. Visible cables make it look bolted on. The good news is that there are three clean ways to hide cables, and almost every install can use one of them.
- In-wall concealment — the gold standard. Cables run inside the wall cavity for a completely invisible finish.
- Slim trunking — when in-wall isn't possible, paintable surface trunking hides cables along the wall.
- Tidy AV cabinet routing — when the TV unit sits directly below the wall plate, cables can drop straight down and disappear into the cabinet.
We will look at each in turn, with the pros, cons, and which wall types they work on.
Option 1: in-wall cable concealment
This is the cleanest finish possible. HDMI, power and any other cables enter behind the TV, run inside the wall cavity, and exit behind your decoder shelf or AV cabinet. From the front, there is nothing visible at all.
How it works
We cut two small openings in the wall — one behind the TV, one behind your AV cabinet. We feed the cables through the cavity between them. If the wall is hollow drywall, this is usually straightforward; gravity does most of the work. If the wall is brick, we sometimes need to chase a narrow channel into the surface, which is then plastered over.
Which walls it works on
- Drywall — almost always works. The wall cavity is hollow and large enough to run multiple cables.
- Solid brick — works on most internal brick walls if you do not mind a small amount of chasing. Patched and painted, the result is invisible.
- Solid concrete — usually not practical without major drilling.
- Face-brick exterior walls — typically not viable; the brick is too deep to chase neatly.
Important: do not run mains power in-wall casually
In South Africa, only a registered electrician should install a new power point inside a wall. What we do is run a fused power extension box — an in-wall recessed bracket that lets you plug the TV's existing power cable through the wall cavity into a separate outlet below. The cable inside the wall is a low-voltage signal cable like HDMI; the mains side is handled by separate fittings rated for in-wall use. This keeps the install compliant with electrical regulations.
Pros & cons
- Pros: Completely invisible finish. The "TV-only-on-a-wall" look that magazines show.
- Cons: Adds time and cost to the install. Cannot be done on every wall.
- Typical cost: R350-R800 added to a standard mounting price.
Option 2: slim trunking
When in-wall isn't an option, surface trunking is the next best thing. Modern slim trunking is just 10-20 mm thick, paintable, and disappears almost completely once finished to match the wall colour.
How it works
Trunking is a hollow plastic channel that mounts to the wall surface. Cables drop down inside it from behind the TV. The trunking is then painted to match the surrounding wall — same colour, same finish. From normal viewing distance, you do not notice it.
Which walls it works on
All of them. Trunking does not care what is behind the wall — it sits on the surface. This makes it the universal fallback when in-wall isn't possible.
Choosing the right trunking
- Width: Choose the narrowest trunking that fits your cables. For a single HDMI and power extension, 25 mm wide is usually enough. For multiple sources (HDMI from decoder + HDMI from console + Ethernet + soundbar power), step up to 40 mm.
- Profile: Slim rectangular trunking looks better than rounded "humps". Both work; rectangular is more modern.
- Joins: Bend angles are available for 90-degree turns. The fewer joins, the cleaner the look.
Painting trunking
This is the secret to making trunking disappear. Plastic trunking takes acrylic wall paint well after a quick wipe with sugar soap. Apply two thin coats — thick layers crack at the joins. Done properly, the trunking looks like part of the wall.
Pros & cons
- Pros: Works on every wall type. Affordable. Can be installed in 30 minutes.
- Cons: Slight surface profile remains visible at very close range.
- Typical cost: R150-R400 added to a standard mounting price.
Option 3: tidy AV cabinet routing
If your TV unit or AV cabinet sits directly below the wall plate, you may not need any concealment at all. The cables can drop straight from the back of the TV into the top of the cabinet and disappear from view.
How it works
Most modern TV units have a cable cut-out at the back of the top surface, or a slot for cables to drop through. We dress the cables behind the TV so they hang neatly into the cabinet, where they connect to your decoder, console, soundbar etc.
Pros & cons
- Pros: Free (no concealment work needed). Cables are accessible if you need to swap a device.
- Cons: Only works if your cabinet directly aligns under the TV. A short gap between TV and cabinet looks scruffy.
- Typical cost: Usually included in the standard install price.
What about wireless solutions?
You will see "wireless HDMI" kits advertised at hardware stores. They work, but for most home installs they are overkill. A wireless transmitter + receiver pair costs R1,500-R3,500 — more than the equivalent in-wall concealment job. They also introduce a tiny lag (a few milliseconds) that gamers notice. And you still have to power the TV somehow, so the wireless solves only half the problem.
For most South African homes, traditional cable concealment is cleaner, cheaper and more reliable.
Common cable management scenarios
Lounge with AV unit directly below the TV
Use cabinet routing. Cables drop straight into the unit. No trunking or in-wall needed.
Lounge with no AV unit (TV-only wall)
In-wall concealment if the wall allows. Otherwise slim trunking painted to match.
Bedroom with the decoder in another room
This is the tricky one. You need an HDMI run between rooms, which means either through the ceiling void or along the skirting in trunking. We assess and recommend based on the house layout.
Patio TV
Outdoor trunking rated for UV exposure. Stainless fixings.
Open-plan kitchen-lounge with TV on a feature wall
In-wall concealment is almost always achievable here because the feature wall is usually drywall and tall enough to hide the cable run.
What about soundbar cables?
Soundbars need power and an HDMI return cable from the TV. If the soundbar is mounted directly under the TV (the cleanest look), both cables can be hidden using the same in-wall or trunking approach as the TV. We always run soundbar cabling at the same time as the TV install — it doubles the impact of the cable concealment for a small additional cost.
The DIY approach
Cable concealment is achievable as a DIY project if you are comfortable cutting drywall. The risks are: cutting into hidden services (electrical conduit, pipes), creating large holes that are hard to patch, and ending up with a finish that looks worse than visible cables would have. We have a separate guide on DIY TV installation: Can you install a TV mount yourself?
Quick decision guide
- AV cabinet directly under TV → cabinet routing (free)
- Drywall, no cabinet directly under → in-wall concealment (R350-R600)
- Brick wall, no cabinet directly under → in-wall if okay with chasing, otherwise trunking (R150-R400)
- Concrete wall → trunking, painted (R200-R400)
- Face-brick patio wall → outdoor-rated trunking (R250-R500)
Booking a cable management install
Most of our installs across Johannesburg, Pretoria, Centurion, Midrand, Sandton and the rest of Gauteng include some form of cable management. Send us a photo of your TV location and your wall on WhatsApp and we will tell you which concealment option is best for your room — and quote it all-in with the TV install.
Related guides
- How to choose the right TV bracket
- What's the best height to mount a TV?
- Smart TV setup guide for South African homes
- How much does TV mounting cost?
- Can you install a TV mount yourself?
- Our full TV installation services