How To Hide Electric Fire Cable

Once you choose your electric fire, get it home, and place it right where you want it, how does it look? It’s satisfying when the product you choose looks as good in reality as it did in your imagination. Often the only downfall is the cable.

There’s not much you can do about that right? It needs a power cable, or else it won’t work. That’s true, but you don’t have to see it. There are ways to conceal the power cord so the fire looks completely real, like a log burner or coal fire.

Please note: this article is our guide to hiding electric fire cables. If you’re looking for advice when buying an electric fire click here.

What Can You Use To Conceal An Electric Fire Cable?

There are a few ways to hide the power cord and none of them are beyond the skill set of the average DIYer. Most are relatively inexpensive too, and they can be bought online or at any decent hardware store. They are:

• Cable Trunking
  This consists of a plastic base (usually square) that is screwed to the wall, the cable is run through this base and then a plastic covering is snapped on top to conceal the cable.
• D-Line Trunking
  Used in the same way as the square trunking, D-Line is suitable for running along skirting boards. Due to its shape it looks like it’s the top of the skirting board and once it’s painted the same colour it’s unnoticeable.
• Wall Inserts
  Suitable for plasterboard walls and stud work only, this kit consists of 2 plastic inserts. One is fitted into the wall close to the fire the other is inserted into the wall by the plug socket, the electric fire cable is passed through both to conceal the cable and as the plastic inserts have covers they look neat and tidy.
• Rubber floor cable Cover
  This is mainly used to protect the cable and prevent trip hazards. Can be used in conjunction with a rug to conceal the electric fire cable and keep it safe.
• Floor Rug
  Just place the rug over the electric cable to conceal it.

Now we have a few ways of hiding electric fire cables. Let’s get familiar with the various types of electric fires available.

What types Of Electric Fires Are There?

 There are a few different types of electric fires and some are easier to conceal the power cord than others, let’s have a look at the types of electric fires available.

• Free Standing
  Often fashioned like wood burning stoves or coal fires, these electric fires are on legs and can be placed anywhere there’s access to a plug socket.
• Inset Or Insert Fires
  This type fit flush into the wall, in a recess or old fireplace.
• Wall Mounted
  Wall mounted electric fires are hung on the wall like wall mounted TVs.
• Basket
  Basket type electric fires are usually placed in old fireplaces to give the impression of a real fire.
• Suite
  An electric fire suite comprises a fireplace and the surround, including a mantlepiece.

As there are different types of electric fires, there are different ways of concealing the cables to suit the fire and it’s situation.

Best Cable Concealer For Electric Fire Type

Let’s put it all together now and use the best type of cable concealer for each type of electric fire. Some might have more than one solution, we’ll list them all so you can choose which system suits you best.

How To Conceal The Cable On A Free Standing Electric Fire

A free standing electric fire is suitable for standing in an existing fireplace, or just anywhere near a power socket. So there’s more than one way to conceal the power cable.

• Floor Rug
  If you’re using your free standing electric fire against a blank wall just position the rug over the power cord to hide it from view and prevent anyone from tripping on it. Sometimes it can be easier to just feed the power cord under a fitted carpet to conceal it. But if you don’t have fitted carpets, use a floor rug.
• Rubber Floor Cable Cover
  This can be used with the floor rug, it just gives the power cable extra coverage making it less likely to get any fraying damage.
• Wall Inserts
  If you don’t have fitted carpeting and don’t like the idea of a rug, you can install the wall inserts to conceal the cable. They will only work with hollow walls like plasterboard or stud work walls. Solid concrete walls will not allow the cable to pass through.

How To Hide The Electric Cable On An Inset Fire

As inset fires are fitted flush in the wall, the wall inserts are the best solution here. But not the only solution.

• Wall Inserts
  You’ll probably only need one of the 2 inserts as the fire is actually inserted into the wall itself. So just install an insert close to the power socket.
• Cable Trunking
  If the insert is an old fireplace, you could use trunking along the base of the wall or on the skirting board to conceal the cable.
• Floor Rug
  If the inset is an old fireplace you can cover the cable using a rug.

How To Conceal The Power Cord On A Basket Fire

As these are usually placed in existing fireplaces, you can employ:

• Cable Trunking
  This keeps the cable out of view and most trunking can be painted so you can camouflage the trunking too.
• Floor Rug
  Probably the easiest way to conceal electric cables, just throw the rug over the cable.
• Wall Inserts
  Once again you will probably find you only need one as the fire is already recessed into the existing fireplace. Just install the insert close to the plug socket.

How To Hide The Electric Power Cable On A Wall Mounted Fire

There are a couple of options here, providing you have cavity walls. If not there’s really only one, let’s have a look at the ways to hide the electric wire on a wall mounted fire.

• Wall Inserts
  If you have cavity or plasterboard walls, the best way of concealing the electric power cable is to install both of the inserts. One behind the wall mounted fire, and the other close to the plug socket.
• Cable Trunking
  If you have solid walls or you don’t like the idea of passing cables through your walls, then trunking is the best solution. If possible try to position the trunking at exactly the middle point at the base of the fire and run it straight to the skirting board. Then run it along the skirting board to the plug socket. 
  • You can always hide the trunking on the wall with a large pot plant or something similar if you don’t like the way it looks. Although, once it’s painted to match the wall colour it will just blend in.

How To Conceal The Electric Power Cable On A Fireplace Suite

Suites can be positioned anywhere, although usually placed against a wall. Often in the dead centre of the wall, which can cause problems for hiding the power cord. There are a few ways to conceal the cable they are:

• Cable Trunking
  As the cable usually comes from the back of the suite, trunking is often the most tidy way of concealing it. Run the trunking along the top of the skirting board to the plug socket. 
• D-Line Trunking
  Most suitable if there is a skirting board as D-Line often passes as the top shaped edge of skirting. Use in the same way as regular trunking.
• Floor Rug
  It’s not uncommon to see a hearth rug in front of a fireplace, the fact it conceals the power cable is a bonus.

Other Ways To Conceal Electric Cables

It’s possible to make your own cable camouflage using wood. Here are a few ideas for concealing power cords using wood.

Box The Cable In

Just run the cable along the edge of the floor and box it in with  ¼ inch x 1 inch wood. Just attach the ¼ inch wood to the 1 inch wood to create a 90-degree angle and place it over the cable and attach it to the wall. This can look so discrete it doesn’t get noticed at all.

Wood Panelling

Run some 2 x 1s vertically down the wall behind the wall mounted fire leaving 2 inch gaps between each panel.and attach the cable using cable clips to one piece of panelling. 

MDF Cover

Before fitting a wall mounted fire attach a piece of MDF to a piece of 1×1 at either end. And drill a hole through the MDF to take the cable. Then attach the fire to the MDF that’s attached to the wall after feeding the cable through the hole. The fire will conceal the hole and the MDF will conceal the cable.

Just be sure the MDF is large enough so that it doesn’t look out of place and secured to the wall properly.

Frequently Asked Questions