Fireplace Decor
How to hide the TV wires over a brick fireplace (Quick guide)
On a brick fireplace, the usual way to hide TV wires is a paintable surface raceway fixed to the brick. Masonry has no cavity to fish cable through, so the HDMI and power cords ride in one latex-paintable channel from the outlet to the TV, finished in a brick or mortar tone.
Drywall above the mantel changes things. An in-wall power kit can hide the cords completely there. Without that cavity, the raceway carries the whole run.
The power cord is where code gets involved. NEC Section 400.12 bars extension cords from being concealed in walls and from being attached to building surfaces, unless Section 400.10 permits the use (EC&M, 2020). On brick, how the local inspector reads that section decides how the cord path gets built.
Which method works best for hiding TV wires over a brick fireplace?
On solid brick, a paintable surface raceway from the outlet to the TV is the default. Every other option depends on what’s around the brick, like a mantel or a drywall section above it. A TV built around one cable skips most of the problem.
If there’s drywall above the mantel, go with an in-wall kit. Brick all the way up means a raceway. And if the lease bans drilling, an adhesive-backed raceway is really the only choice.
People say cord cover or cord concealer, but raceway is the term on the box. It’s a plastic channel with a snap-on lid that sits on the wall surface. Wiremold lists its CordMate III as a raceway cord cover, and D-Line sells similar trunking.
| Method | Fits when | Cost tier | Reversible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface raceway | Solid brick up to the TV | Low | Yes if adhesive, no if screwed |
| Hollow mantel shelf | A mantel or ledge sits under the TV | Low, mostly lumber and paint | Yes |
| In-wall power kit | Drywall above the mantel | Mid | No, cuts the wall |
| One-cable TV system | A Samsung model that supports One Connect | Part of the TV purchase | Yes |
| New outlet from an electrician | No outlet in reach, strict code enforcement | Highest | No |
Listings put the Wiremold CMK70 in-wall kit between $62.11 and $89.53. Ferguson Home sells it for $62.11, and Almo lists MSRPs of $83.75 and $89.53. The CordMate III high-capacity raceway kit has an Almo MSRP of $83.00 to $88.70, though Ferguson Home sells it for $34.71.
Legrand markets the CMK70 as a quick do-it-yourself job. Buyers on its product page say running the wiring horizontally inside the wall slows the install down.
Chasing a channel into the brick is possible too, but Checkatrade calls hiding wires in solid walls a bigger, messier job than the stud-wall version.
What cables run to the TV, and how many fit in one run?
Every fireplace TV needs a power cord, and most add HDMI. Each extra device brings another cable. A slim cover holds one or two cords. Once you hit four or more, you need a high-capacity channel.
Wiremold’s CordMate III is the high-capacity option, sold for larger bundles of entertainment, speaker and video cabling. Its hinged lid opens to add a cable later (Legrand spec sheet, May 2024).
HDMI carries picture and audio from the cable box or console to the TV, and length is the catch (more on that below). The power cord is the mains cord, and it’s the one that raises the code question in the next section. Coax is the antenna or cable feed. Thin, and rarely what limits a run. Optical audio goes to a soundbar over fiber, so keep it from kinking at raceway elbows. Ethernet can stay out of the channel if Wi-Fi is stable.
Home Technology Review reported in 2018 that Tributaries’ 10 m UHDT TITAN became the longest passive HDMI cable certified for 18 Gbps by DPL Labs and ISF, up from a previous longest of 5 m. Runs past that generally need an active cable.
Measure the real path, up the side of the brick and across the mantel, not the straight line from source to screen.
Low-voltage cable meant to sit inside a wall carries a CL2 or CL3 jacket rating, so buy that rating for any run that could end up behind drywall later. The rating describes signal cable only. It does not apply to the TV’s power cord.
Samsung’s One Connect system moves the inputs into a separate box and sends everything to the TV over one thin cable. Support depends on the model.
Samsung’s U.S. page for the OLED S95D lists a single cable carrying power and signal, and says that cable is available only for that series. Samsung’s UK page lists the 2025 S95F as compatible too. The page for The Frame says its cable does not include the TV’s own power cord.
Can a TV power cord run inside the wall above a fireplace?
No. NEC Section 400.12 bars flexible cords, extension cords and power-supply cords from being concealed by walls or run through holes in walls, unless Section 400.10 specifically permits the use (EC&M, 2020).
The same list prohibits attaching cords to building surfaces and installing them in raceways. Read literally, that also covers the most popular brick-fireplace fix, a white extension cord stuck to the wall under a cord cover.
Legrand’s CordMate III sheet says the raceway is not NRTL listed and is designed only for protecting electrical cords and low-voltage cabling. A manufacturer’s intended-use line is not a code approval. The local inspector decides how Section 400.12 applies.
Where the inspector reads the section strictly, the clean fix is a new outlet above the fireplace, installed by an electrician.
In-wall kits avoid the problem by keeping the cord outside the wall. Wiremold’s CMK70 FAQ confirms that flexible cord in a wall violates the NEC, and says the kit uses a pre-wired harness between two flush plates while its extension cord stays outside.
The CMK70 was evaluated to UL 498 and UL 514C and carries a cETLus listing. ETL and UL are both OSHA-recognized testing laboratories, so either mark satisfies the code.
The harness is 54 inches long, and the installation sheet keeps both plates within the same wall cavity. On a brick chimney breast with no drywall, the kit has nowhere to go.
The exceptions to Section 400.12 are narrow, covering cases such as temporary wiring and environmental air spaces. A CL2 rating on a power cord does not create one.
So the in-wall kit hides power and HDMI together, and the assembly is built around the code rule. What you give up is the drywall requirement above the mantel, a harness that caps the span, and the occasional wall where wiring inside blocks the route. A surface raceway works on brick, needs no wall cuts and costs less. It also leaves the run visible, and the cord inside it still sits under the Section 400.12 question.
Electricians disagree on the TV’s factory cord. Some posters on the Mike Holt Forums say it cannot go in a wall, while others relay a reading that an appliance’s attached cord is not what the section targets.
Neither EC&M’s summary nor Wiremold’s FAQ addresses that case, so the inspector settles it.
Heat limits for cords and raceways near the firebox
Keep plastic raceway at least 6 inches from the firebox opening, and keep the wall behind the TV cooler than the TV’s own operating limit. The TV reaches its limit long before any power cord does.
Section R1001.11 of the 2018 IRC, quoted by JLC in 2022, keeps combustible mantels and trim 6 inches or more from the opening. Anything within 12 inches can project no more than 1/8 inch for each inch of distance.
Plastic raceway is combustible, so the cautious reading treats it as trim. Route it outside the 6-inch zone and keep it thin close in. NFPA 211, the chimney and fireplace standard, is the other reference installers cite, and Rockford Chimney Supply notes that an insert’s manual sets its own clearances.
The sources disagree on how hot the TV wall can get. Home Theater editor Rob Sabin, in JLC, says conditions turn less than ideal for electronics at 85 to 90 degrees F. HomeServe’s target is below 100 degrees F while the fireplace runs, and Samsung’s 6 Series and 7 Series user manuals cap the operating range at 104 degrees F.
I’d use 90 as the working ceiling and 104 as the hard stop. No single source states that, but it fits what they all say.
Cords have more headroom. Southwire’s 2019 spec sheets list SPT-3 cord at 60 C (140 F) and SPT-2 cord at 105 C, and IEWC’s lamp-cord sheet shows 60 C as the standard UL rating with versions available up to 105 C.
Even the lowest cord rating sits above the TV’s 104 F (40 C) limit. One guide in the top results warns about wires melting against the brick wall, but the cord ratings show that a wall at TV-safe temperatures will not do that. The ratings cover insulation only.
- Tape the probe of an electronic thermometer to the wall where the TV will hang, the method Sabin recommends.
- Run the fireplace on its highest setting and log the reading over several hours, as Forge and Flame advises.
- Compare the peak against the TV manual and the 90 and 104 degree marks.
Fuel type changes the result. Pellet inserts push most of their heat out the front, so the wall above stays cooler, while wood-burning units run hotter and may need extra heat protection (Forge and Flame).
A mantel or heat deflector redirects rising heat away from the screen (HomeServe). Mantels Direct also advises planning two separate paths, one for power and one for HDMI and other TV cables.
How to install a cord cover on a brick fireplace
Dry-fit the raceway from the outlet to the TV, fasten the base to the brick, lay the cords in, snap on the lid and paint it. Only the fastening differs from a drywall install, so that gets its own breakdown first.
Adhesive, masonry screws or mortar-joint anchors
Adhesive is the quickest option and the weakest on brick. Cable Organizer says its adhesive-backed raceway is not recommended for the abrasive surface of brick and may need extra adhesive to stay put.
| Fastening | Best for | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| Adhesive backing | Rentals, short light runs | Rough brick grips poorly |
| Tapcon screw in the brick face | Permanent runs | Needs a hammer drill and a carbide bit |
| Screw in a mortar joint | Light loads like a raceway base | Softer, wears loose over time |
Sources split on mortar. Pine Hall Brick, a brick maker, says to drill mortar for light jobs and brick for heavy ones like a TV mount. This Old House says to drill the brick unless the item is very light, because mortar deteriorates faster.
A raceway base is light, so the TV-bracket rule is stricter than this job needs. Concrete Fastening Systems, the Tapcon distributor, lists the screws as suitable for brick and for the joints between bricks, and calls the standard version a light-duty fastener.
Steps from outlet to TV
- Dry-fit the raceway from the outlet to the TV, trimming pieces and test-fitting every corner.
- Mark the fixing points on brick or mortar, away from the brick edges.
- Drill each hole with a hammer drill in hammer-and-rotation mode and an ANSI carbide bit. Use 5/32 inch for a 3/16 inch Tapcon, and drill at least 1/2 inch deeper than the screw will reach.
- Blow the dust out of every hole.
- Drive the screws through the raceway base, then lay the cords in.
- Snap the lid on and fit the end caps.
Tapcon also sells SDS-Plus bits for its anchors, so an SDS hammer drill works too. McMaster-Carr notes that SDS-Plus bits fit SDS-Plus tools only, not SDS-Max rotary hammers.
Painting the raceway and matching the brick
PVC raceway takes latex paint. Legrand’s CordMate III sheet lists it as paintable with latex-based paint (May 2024), and Cable Organizer sells WireHider lids the same way, in flame-retardant PVC.
Match the surface under the lid, not the room. Unpainted brick takes a brick-red or mortar-grey lid, and painted brick takes the wall color.
Paint the lid flat on a bench before it goes on, so paint stays out of the hinge and off the cords. Touch up the end caps after.
How to hide cords behind or inside the mantel
A hollow mantel shelf hides cords by making the mantel itself the raceway. It works when a ledge already sits under the TV or one can be added. Julie Blanner’s painted-brick fireplace uses a shallow shelf with a front face built to read as mantel and moulding.
A narrow ledge with a fascia board leaves a cavity along the back for cords. If you already have a wood mantel, cutting a pass-through in the back gives the wires a path to the outlet, as Cache Homes suggests. For a short exposed run, books or a candle set in front is the stopgap Checkatrade names.
The clearance limits from the heat section still apply to anything built down the sides of the opening. Keep the channel on the mantel’s top or back edge.
A floating shelf screwed to a cleat across the brick works the same way. Designers use floating shelves around fireplaces for a ledge that reads as decor, and the cords run behind the fascia.
Whichever version you build, plan one cord exit at the outlet side and one behind the TV. Anything between those two points stays inside the cavity.
When do these methods fail on a brick fireplace?
Raceways usually fail for plain reasons. A screw too close to a brick edge cracks it, a bundle outgrows the channel, the wrong channel gets picked for the wiring, or there’s no outlet to feed.
| Failure | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cracked brick edge | Screw placed too close to the edge | Move the fixing point inward |
| Lid will not close | Cords exceed the channel capacity | Step up to a larger channel |
| Wrong channel for the wiring | Makers rate raceway differently | Read the rating on the label |
| No power in reach | A raceway moves cords and adds no outlet | Have an electrician add one |
Raceway makers draw the voltage line in different places, so the product’s own rating decides what goes inside it. Wiremold tech support’s answers on the CordMate III page describe it as designed for low-voltage cabling (50 V or less) and tell buyers who need raceway for power to call the company. D-Line says its smaller Micro+ half-round cover is not for running line-voltage wiring (Lowe’s listing), while Cable Organizer rates its one-piece latching raceway for cables up to 600 volt.
A failed heat test or an inspector’s refusal ends a raceway plan too, and no cover fixes either.
On the drilling side, Tapcon embedment runs from a minimum of 1 inch to a maximum of 1-3/4 inches (Concrete Fastening Systems), and This Old House says to stay more than 1 inch from a brick edge. For sizing, D-Line’s mini raceway measures 1.18 by 0.59 inch and holds up to three cords of roughly 1/3 inch in diameter (D-Line listings).
FAQ About Hiding TV Wires Over a Brick Fireplace
Do you need an electrician to add an outlet above the fireplace?
Yes, and on solid brick it is sometimes not possible at all. One homeowner reported electricians saying no outlet could be mounted into the brick fireplace (Designing Vibes).
Where drywall sits above the mantel, a listed in-wall power kit avoids new wiring.
Can a Frame TV or a picture frame hide the cords?
Only the part behind the screen. Checkatrade describes hanging a light frame so the wires sit behind it, and Samsung’s The Frame pairs with a One Connect cable.
The stretch from the outlet to the TV still needs a raceway or a mantel channel.
How do you hide a cable box or streaming device?
Move them off the fireplace wall. A cabinet or media unit beside the fireplace holds the cable box, and a One Connect box does the same job for supported Samsung TVs.
A streaming stick plugs into an HDMI port on the TV, so its short power cord is the only part that needs an outlet nearby.
How do you remove a raceway from brick without damaging it?
Unscrew a screwed base and patch the holes with matching mortar, which Pine Hall Brick calls simple to repair in a mortar joint.
Adhesive backing is the harder removal on rough brick, so test one end piece before committing to adhesive-backed raceway.
Does the same approach work on stone or brick veneer?
Surface raceway carries over unchanged, because it sits on the face of the material.
Running cable behind stone cladding is a different job. Tradespeople on MyBuilder advise conduit or sheathing so the cladding adhesive never touches the cable.
Can wireless HDMI replace the cable?
It removes the HDMI cable but not the power cord. Most kits need power at both the transmitter and the receiver, so the outlet problem at the TV stays.
What to Settle Before Buying Any Raceway
Hiding TV wires over a brick fireplace starts with two checks, the wall temperature at the TV position and the inspector’s reading of the cord rule. Both checks cost nothing, and either one can cancel the plan.
The order matters. Test the wall temperature first, then ask the inspector how the cord rule applies, and only then buy the raceway, sized to the cable count. A failed check after the purchase leaves you with a raceway kit and no wall to put it on.
The raceway route trades one visible line on the wall for brick and drywall that stay uncut.
This position was verified in October 2026. A jurisdiction that adopts a newer NEC edition, or a new outlet above the mantel, changes the cord question and calls for a fresh check.
- Kitchen Color Schemes by Cabinet Color: What Pairs Well - October 19, 2026
- Curtain Colors for Every Wall Color: Safe vs Bold Picks - October 18, 2026
- Interior Design Styles: Find Your Primary and Secondary - October 14, 2026
