How to cover exposed AC and utility lines on a wall
Exposed utility and AC lines running across walls or through rooms can be difficult to conceal when building a standard bulkhead or soffit isn't an option. Finding a code-safe way to cover these gaps and jagged drywall stops people from being able to cleanly finish spaces like laundry corners, garages, and bathrooms.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Building a custom soffit or bulkheadDid this help you?
- 2Using oversized cable mouldingDid this help you?
- 3Wrapping it to look like a tree branch with fake leavesDid this help you?
- 4Framing it in with rustic wood or drywallDid this help you?
- 5Hiring someone to redo the installationDid this help you?
- 6Using a modern privacy screen or room dividerDid this help you?
- 7Stacking the washer and dryer and painting the areaDid this help you?
- 8Building a stub wall or frame around the pipe to hide itDid this help you?
- 9Opening up the floor and wall to move the pipe internallyDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“My mom got a AC installed and these guys went right through the bathroom with the lines. Looking for a way to cover this but a bulkhead seems tough either way.”source ↗
“When I asked my mom why they ran it directly through the room she said he drilled through the exterior of the house at the wrong spot apparently.”source ↗
“I’m looking to clean up and finish the laundry corner in my attached garage here in San Diego, California, but I’ve hit a bit of an HVAC layout and safety puzzle.”source ↗
“I want to know the code-safe way to cover the exposed yellow insulation and jagged drywall above the furnace.”source ↗
“I want to know how to cover or screen off the 6-inch gap to block the view of the furnace.”source ↗
“yeah its obvious you either move the pipe or build a wall around it. but what im asking is how feasible would it be to move the pipe into the exterior wall. like is it no big deal or a pain in the ass. maybe this is more of a carpentry question…”source ↗
“i was thinking that would be the easy fix but it also adds the pipe plus the another 4 inches with framing/dry wall into the room. ideally it would be flush to allow a couch to sit against the wall”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 2Can you move a waste pipe inside a wall near outlets?
- 2How to insulate a rim joist around pipes and wires
- 3Stud finder mistakes refrigerant line for stud when hanging shelves
- 3How to run electrical wire through an exterior wall safely
- 5How to run cables through a wall without cutting drywall
- 2How to cover an ugly plastic fence without drilling