How to Fish Electrical Wire Through Studs Inside Drywall (Beginner-Friendly!)
Okay, y’all—today’s the day you level up your DIY game and do something you maybe never thought you could: run electrical wire through your wall.
Sounds intense? Sure.
Totally doable with a little help and the right tools? Heck yes.
Whether you’re adding a new outlet, hiding some ugly cords, or planning your next glow-up project, this tutorial’s gonna walk you through the whole process in plain English—with a few laughs along the way. Let’s do this.
What You’ll Need:
Klein Tools 56335 Flat Steel Fish Tape (aka your wire whisperer)
Electrical wire (Romex is your go-to)
🎯 Tip: If your outlet is on a 15 AMP Circuit - use the White, 14 Gauge Romex (14/2 = Size of the wire/number of insulated copper wires in the jacket). If your outlet is on a 20 AMP circuit, use the YELLOW, 12 gauge Romex (12/2 = Size of wire/number of insulated copper wires in the jacket. [MAKE SENSE…?]
Drill with a ¾” spade bit
Drywall saw or utility knife (or an oscillating multitool if you’re feeling fancy)
Flashlight (or an affordable endoscope camera)
A little patience and maybe a yummy protein bar (optional but encouraged)
[ALL MATERIALS CAN BE FOUND HERE AS WELL]
Step 1: Make a Plan, Friend
Before we go drilling into stuff, let’s do a little recon:
I’f you’re running a wire down a large length of a wall, use a stud finder to map out where the studs are. Mark the center of each stud
Mark the top of your existing outlet box—then go about 8–12 inches above that for a cleaner wire path (trust me, this saves a lot of bending and frustration).
Double-check what’s inside your wall. A smartphone with the flashlight on or an endoscope camera can help you peek inside before committing. Because guess what’s not fun? Hitting a pipe. 🫠
🎯 Tip: If your span between fixtures goes across multiple studs, it’s aways best to expose those studs (trust me, it’ll make things easier in the long run). You can do this by either cutting a rectangular section of drywall out at the stud (leaving about 2-4 inches on each side of the stud) -or- you can also cut the entire length of the run out like I did in my garage. I mostly did this show everyone the process of saving the patches and reinstalling afterwards, but it’s the absolute best way to ensure you’re doing everything safely - just be ready to patch and mud and sand a LOT).
Step 2: Drill the Studs
Using your spade bit, drill through each stud along your planned wire path. Make sure your holes line up from one stud to the next—this is where a longer bit can come in super handy (especially if you’re only going through two studs and don’t really want to remove more drywall).
🎯 Tip: Don’t drill right on top of the outlet box. That makes a sharp bend and wires don’t like being yoga-flexible.
Step 3: Push the Fish Tape Through
Okay, now here’s where it gets fun.
Take your Klein Tools flat steel fish tape and gently push it through the first opening, snaking it through each hole you drilled.
You’re sending it all the way to the other box (or opening) at the end of your run. This is why leaving space on each side of the stud to drill and line up those holes matters—you don’t want to be wrestling a rogue fish tape like a rodeo clown.
👉 If it gets stuck: back it up a bit, change your angle slightly, and try again. Slow and steady, no Hulk strength required.
Step 4: Attach the Romex to the Fish Tape
Once your fish tape reaches the other end—yay!—it’s time to bring your wire along for the ride.
Here’s how to attach Romex like a total boss:
Strip about 4 inches of the outer sheathing to reveal the wires inside.
Take the bare ground wire and wrap it snugly around the loop at the end of the fish tape.
Use electrical tape to wrap everything nice and tight. Smooth out any pokey spots so the wire won’t snag inside the wall.
Tug-test it. If it’s not secure enough to survive a gentle pull, redo it. Better now than halfway through the wall!
💪 Step 5: Pull That Wire Back Through
Now comes the magic moment.
Gently pull the fish tape back through the wall, bringing the Romex wire with it. Keep steady pressure and don’t rush. If it snags, back off a bit and wiggle—it’ll find its way.
When the wire pops out the other side, detach it from the tape, feed it into the outlet box, attach the outlet box to the drywall and/or stud, and breathe a sigh of DIY victory.
Watch the video below if you want to see my first ever struggle with the steel fish tape (and feel free to use packing tape like I did here since there wasn’t electrical tape nearby and taking more trips back and forth to the garage wasn’t on my “to-do” list at the time 😜).
🎉 Step 6: Clean Up + Show Off
Push your wire through the new box, install the box, and add your wire to the new fixture.
Install stud nail plates over your wires and patch up any drywall if you had to cut openings. (And hey—if you saved the original piece, just screw it back in and tape it up. You got this.)
Look at what you just did. Seriously. You ran electrical wire through a wall. That’s not just handy—that’s badass.
💬 Got questions? DM me, tag me, or holler from your garage—I’m cheering you on every step of the way.
P.S.
If you’re simply running a wire through a vertical section of the wall with NO studs…that’s WAY easier than you think! You can simply cut the spaces for your new electrical fixture and us THIS to fish a string up or down through the space to then tie to your Romex and pull through! EVEN WORKS ON CEILINGS!
