How to Hide Security Camera Wires: 7 Fool-Proof Ways

By AlfredCamera

May 25, 2023

Knowing how to hide security camera wires can not only help optimize aesthetics, but also property protection.

Leaving camera wires exposed increases the risk of lawbreakers cutting the cables and leaving you blind as to what’s happening in or outside the home.

Concealing security camera wires isn’t complicated. With the correct tools and a DIY attitude, you can retain your home’s beauty and maximize security. Read on to find out how.

7 Ways to Conceal or Camouflage Security Camera Cables

The following methods will help you learn how to hide security camera inside or outside the home.

Table of Contents

Method 1: Buy a security camera with wires matching your home’s wall paint

This trick is one of the most cost-effective and effortless ways to conceal home security camera wires, preventing trespassers from cutting signals to the receiving unit.

Unfortunately, security camera wire types come in limited color options (mostly black, white, or gray). There’s a good chance your home security camera has a cable sheath with a different color from your wall, ceiling, or other surfaces.

Method 2: Paint the security camera wires

Applying paint over the home security camera wires with a color matching the underlying surface is one of the easiest ways to mask a camera cable.

Here’s how to hide security camera outside the home by painting the wires.

Choose a paint color that matches the mounting surface . You can use color-detecting mobile apps to determine the exact color match for your camera wires.
Mount the security camera to the desired position.
Run the cables along the wall or other structure and secure them with wire staples or cable clips.
Get your paintbrush and apply paint over the camera wires, ensuring adequate coverage to make the cables look invisible.

Method 3: Use a cord cover or raceway

This trick is perfect for those who want to learn how to hide Nest camera wires without messy painting. A cord cover or cable guard is an easy-to-mount fixture with adhesive backing for protecting all wire types.

Here are the steps.

Buy a cable cover long enough to shield the security camera wire from the outlet to the device. You might need several pieces for this project.
Choose a cable guard or raceway with a matching color to the wall.
Fasten the cable cover on the wall (most products have an adhesive backing for easier installation).
Remove the cable guard’s cover and position the security camera wires in the channel. Alternatively, slip the cables into the hole if you cannot remove the channel cover.

hide — *Credit: Legrand, North America.*

Method 4: Use large furniture to conceal security camera cables

This method is as straightforward as choosing a security camera with the same-colored wires as your home. It’s also inexpensive if you already have furnishings in the room where the home security camera is located.

Look at your room, patio, veranda, or porch and identify decorative elements you can turn into cable concealment tools. Porch lights, hanging plants, paintings, and cabinets are all appropriate.
If there’s nothing already lying around the property, consider buying decorative items to use. Tall potted plants, mantels, carpets, and bookshelves can work.
Position the security camera wires behind or underneath the decorative pieces and secure them with zip ties.

Method 5: Hide security camera wires in false ceilings

Learning how to run security camera wires without an attic is easy if your home has false ceilings. These are horizontal structures connected to the home’s principal ceiling by struts or suspension cables.

Look for gaps or channels in the false ceiling structures for passing the security camera cables through.
Insert the cables through the space and secure them with glue or cable wires.

Although this technique seems straightforward enough, consider hiring a professional if you’re unsure about installing the security camera wires in false ceilings. There’s a good chance you might damage it if you’re not careful.

wooden ceiling — *Credit: Zim Home Security Cameras.*

Method 6: Run security camera cables through the wall

This technique requires a bit of elbow grease because you need to gain access to the wall’s inside and outside surfaces.

However, it’s one of the most effective ways to conceal security camera wires because they will be on the wall’s other side. This trick is perfect for security camera systems with receiving units or electrical outlets directly opposite them on the wall’s other side.

Here’s how to run security camera wires outside using this technique.

Unplug the home security camera from the outlet as a safety precaution.
Mark a section on the wall adjacent to the outlet where you will drill a hole.
Get a metal coat hanger and straighten it. Insert the metal strip through the hole to probe for possible obstructions.
Insert the security camera wires through the opening and reestablish power to the unit.

Method 7: Hide the security camera cables in flexible plastic tubes

The last trick we will share about how to run security camera wires through soffit or behind the wall is similar to Method 6 but a little more labor-intensive.

The objective is to conceal the security camera wires in flexible plastic tubes running behind wall panels or above the soffit. Hence, you need two holes for inserting the flexible tube before slipping the cable.

This not only provides effective cable concealment but protection. Your security camera wires will be safe from the elements.

Determine the wall stud’s location and start drilling a hole large enough to accommodate the flexible tube. Do the same next to the security camera.
Insert the flexible pipe through the opening and retrieve it at the other hole.
Slip the security camera wire through the tube and catch the loose end at the opposite hole.

You can contact a professional to do this task if you’re not confident about performing it.

pipes — *Credit: Zim Home Security Cameras.*

FAQ

Can I use wireless cameras to avoid dealing with wires?

Yes, you can install wireless cameras instead of wired versions to avoid dealing with cables, but they aren’t always going to be completely wire-free depending on how they are powered. While wireless security cameras transmit video and audio data through radio waves, some will be need to be plugged in to be powered.

Wire-free security cameras address aesthetic concerns associated with wired versions. These devices also make burglars and home intruders unable to cut anything, retaining your home surveillance capabilities.

Learn how wireless cameras work for a better appreciation of such systems.

What tools and materials will I need to hide my security camera wires?

The materials you’ll need for concealing home security camera wires depend on the chosen method.

For example, paint may be necessary to mask the cables with a color that matches the wall.

A drill, drill bits, and raceway are essential when hiding the camera wires through a plastic tube behind the soffit, wall, ceiling, or other structure.

How do I find the best route to run my security camera wires?

The best route to run your security camera wires depends on your home’s layout, including the device’s location relative to its network connection or video recorder.

However, consider the following tips to determine the most appropriate route for your security camera wires.

The cables must be far from electrical wires (especially high-voltage ones) and high-temperature devices, appliances, and fixtures (including fluorescent lights).
Choose a route that protects the security camera wires from the elements, especially UV rays and moisture.

How do I safely and securely attach my wires to walls and ceilings?

You can use cable clips to safely and securely attach security camera wires to ceilings and walls. Glue and hooks are also effective. You don’t need these materials if you already have a security camera wire protection cover (i.e., raceway).

Should I hire a professional to help me hide my security camera wires?

We recommend hiring a professional to conceal home security camera wires if you aren’t confident about doing the task, as it can cause damage to the walls if it involves drilling.

What are the risks of leaving security camera wires exposed?

The most significant risk of leaving security camera wires exposed is the increased chance for home intruders to interfere with video and audio signal transmissions from the camera to the receiving unit.

They could cut the camera wire or pull it out from the device to disconnect the camera. Either way, you won’t see their wrongdoings and won’t have the means to document their crime.

Exposed or dangling home security wires can also undermine cable integrity. Ultraviolet radiation can burn the wire sheath to a crisp, making them brittle and more susceptible to cracks. Rain and snow can introduce moisture to the cables, undermining their integrity and functionality.

Conclusion

Learning how to hide security camera wires might be the least of your concerns. However, it can help you maintain security camera operational integrity by preventing lawbreakers from disconnecting signal transmissions.

It can also make your home more pleasant-looking than having wires dangling from walls or ceilings.