DIY – Return Vent Cover!
Calling ALL DIY’ers!!!
Who doesn’t love a good DIY?!?! I am a sucker for them (and now we have a full blown business based on our love for them. Woot!)
So this DYI project is one I’ve gotten quite a few questions on!
<—Do you have an old nasty return vent cover that looks like this? (Btw...don’t judge me on how nasty this looked before. We bought a fixer upper built in 1984 and I’m pretty sure this one was from 1984.) Don’t fret, my friends! I have an easy project to make it look more snazzy, even if yours wasn’t as nasty as mine.
You will need: wood for your frame (I used 1×2’s), aluminum sheet, cutters, tape measure, wood glue, L-brackets (w/ small screws), double sided foam tape (or small hinges, if you use a filter behind this return vent)
I began by measuring the old air return vent. You want your new vent to be the same size as the old one.
I added a middle bar to mine because it seemed to help brace the aluminum sheet better and add more sturdiness to the frame.
I cut 2 – 1X2’s long ways first to the length it needed to be. (mine was 36′′ long) Then cut the smaller pieces for the height (my vent was 14′′ tall, but I cut my pieces 10′′ long to account for the other boards...see the picture) AND if you’re confused, just message me! I’ll walk you through it.
After cutting your pieces, go ahead and paint them the color you want. I chose Sherwin Williams Alabaster White (the absolute best for trim, doors, etc.).
After they’re dry, I assembled it with wood glue in between the joints and small L-brackets to attach the aluminum sheet (which I cut down to match the size I needed with the cutters). Since my return vent doesn’t require a filter behind it, I used double sided foam tape to stick mine to the wall. So far, so good!! It hasn’t come off and it’s easy to remove for cleaning behind it.
If your vent has a filter behind it then, I would suggest picking up small hinges and either putting them on the top or bottom of the cover and possibly using velcro for the other side. This is where you can channel your Inner DIY!! I know it’s there!
There are a few other options for your aluminum sheet, too (I purchased mine at Home Depot). This is the one I loved though!
I really hope you try it out for yourself! It’s super easy, but makes such a difference. I always suggest to my Buyers and Sellers that upgrading your home while you’re living there, even just these small touches everywhere, will really make a difference and set your home apart from others down the street from you. Even if you don’t plan on selling any time soon, just trust me, do them now and it’ll pay off later!
I would love to see your Before & After pictures!! Good luck!
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