Build a Home Bar - Electrical, AV & Other Wiring

Electrical (Outlets as well as Lighting and Wall Switches)
Audio (line level audio wiring was run to a central point for "whole house audio")
Telephone
Video
Computer Network

Electrical

The electric wiring uses four 15 amp circuits. 1 for the lights, 1 for the outlets, 1 for the bar fridge, and one for the sump pump under the sink.

All the wiring was done before putting up the sheet-rock (of course). Most of the electrical runs along the outside wall where the wall meets the ceiling. This was a convenient location because we didn't have to drill holes in rafters and we could run the lateral runs between the rafters.

All the electrical was done with 2 conductor (plus ground), 12 gauge Romex®. The only exception being the upstairs / downstairs switch which required three conductor wire.

Audio

The audio cable used for the Whole House Audio system consisted of 24 guage shielded twisted pair. There is a pair for input and output (so two pairs) by the TV, in the office, and by the Jukebox. There is also speaker wire that runs outside to go underneath the deck in the back yard. Wiring was also run from the den and living room upstaris.

All the pairs of wire come together into a single switch panel that allows me to specify which input goes to which outputs. For example, I can set it so that the Jukebox plays throughout the house, or I can have it so that it just plays in the Basement and in the living room.

In addition to the line level audio that was run, we also installed speaker wire ro each corner of the room for surround sound. The speak wire terminates at each end in a wall plate with "press on" type wire connectors. All the wires come together into a single plate behind the TV.

Telephone

There were four additional telephone jacks added. One on the long wall by the TV, one behind the bar, one in the laundry room, and one in the office. All are tied into the existing phone wiring.

Video

The video cable consisted of running a coax cable to where the TV was to go, and to the shelf where the TV behind the bar was to go. I also ran a cable to the office although it isn't currently being used. Before the ceiling was sealed up I also ran cable to the spare bedroom and to the kitchen.

Computer Network

CAT 5 network cable was run throughout the house. Since the ceiling was about to be covered in sheetrock, we chose to run CAT5 to every location we could imagine. It runs from each room in the house, including 1 where the jukebox is, 1 behind the bar, and four in the office. They all come together in a patch panel in the furnace room. The network is connected using a 3Com OfficeConnect 100MBS 8 port hub.

ROMEX® is a registered trademark or Southwire Company.