PSA: Sketching out cable runs with colored pencils before drilling has become my favorite prep step!

4 comments

4 Comments

Love the colored pencil method for planning cable runs. I've done something similar with highlighters on blueprints, and it saves me from so many errors. It's a small step that makes the whole job way easier.

jade_lane191mo ago

My last big job, I used three different colored Sharpies right on the studs, red for power, blue for data, green for AV. @avery921 is totally right, it feels like a small thing but it stops that moment of panic when you're holding a drill and can't remember the plan. I even drew little arrows for the run direction. It took maybe ten extra minutes at the start and saved me from at least two dumb mistakes I would have made. Watching the colors as you work just makes the whole path so clear in your head.

evannelson1mo ago

Had a buddy who skipped the planning step on a basement rewire. Just started drilling where he thought the lines should go. Ended up with three extra holes in the wrong stud, all clustered together. Made the drywall repair way more obvious and weak. He showed me the mess and I just shook my head. Now he uses a red pencil to mark every single run first, says it's a night and day difference.

-1

the_claire1mo ago

That's such a good point about the drywall repair being weaker with clustered holes. It's not just about looks, it's a real structure thing. I saw a video where a guy used a cheap laser level to project a straight line across all the studs before he even picked up a pencil. It looked like it totally took the guesswork out of keeping everything lined up and level. Seems like it would stop you from drifting up or down an inch over a long run, which would be another headache to fix later.