i know It sounds pretty awesome, right? 😀 Ok, this process is boring but I need to do it before finishing this room, but I really like the way it turned out. The result ended up being more exciting than the title of this post suggests.
My studio has its own HVAC unit, and since it was installed in July 2017, the indoor portion of that system has been housed in a storage closet off the studio’s back entry.
But at first it didn’t seem that way. I completed that back entry only in February. When the HVAC is installed, the storage closet actually looks like this…
And as long as everything is wide open, I don’t have to worry about the HVAC unit getting enough air. But once the closet work starts, the drywall goes up and the closet door is installed, I always leave the closet door open so that there is enough air for the unit to function properly.
Fast forward to 2024, and even though I’m making a lot of progress in the studio, I still haven’t ventilated the storage closet for air flow, so I still have to leave the door open. I only close the closet door (and turn off the HVAC) if I need to take photos with the closet door closed. But as soon as the pictures are taken, I open the door and turn the HVAC back on.
Until yesterday. The storage closet that houses the HVAC unit is finally out! I can now keep the door closed and not worry about the lack of airflow burning out the HVAC system. And it took me seven years! You can’t rush these decisions and projects, you know.
As I shared yesterday, I originally planned to have this vent on the wall in the main part of the studio next to my desk and perpendicular to the office area cabinets. But after reading some suggestions in the comments on a post the other day, I decided to put the vent right here on the rear entry.
It was delivered yesterday, so I got busy right after lunch. The vent comes in two pieces – a metal frame that fits into the wall and a decorative paint-ready vent that snaps into the metal frame. So using the metal frame as a template, I held it where I wanted it, traced around it, and then used my Dremel Multi-Max oscillating saw to cut the drywall.
Then I used the first rectangle as a guide to cut a rectangle from the drywall on the room side of the wall.
A common application for these vents is to install a metal frame over the opening to the intake duct in an HVAC unit. But my application for this vent is a bit different. I don’t need it to go directly into the HVAC intake duct inside the closet. I need a vent to provide airflow into the room.
For my particular application I decided not to even use a metal frame and just stick to a pretty vent cover to the wall. But I decided that in the future I wanted to remove the vent cover, so I went ahead and used a metal frame. If I ever repaint these walls, I’ll be glad I can easily remove the vent and spray the outside. I didn’t really have anything to screw this metal frame to, so I ended up using E6000, an industrial strength adhesive, on the back of the edges to adhere to the wall. I cut it so that the fit would fit snugly inside the wall to hold the extra adhesive.
After doing some paint touchups on the wall around the metal frame, I took the exterior decorative vent cover and used my paint sprayer (This is what I use and highly recommend — affiliate link) to give it two coats of paint.
And as soon as it was dry enough to handle, I placed it in a metal frame. This is how it looked. The wall paint was still a little wet, but I was too anxious to wait. I wouldn’t exactly say you should call a patient DIYer.
And here it is with all the mess cleaned up and the closet door closed…
I think it looks great! And I am so glad that some of you suggested this place for this. I decided to have a large vent on the wall next to my cabinets, so I’m glad it was placed in a more inconspicuous spot. I was hoping to paint this wall next to the cabinets last night before I went to bed, but somehow my paint got damaged and it was too late to go to Home Depot and buy more. So you have to imagine that the wall is light gray instead of blue. But doesn’t that crater look pretty?
HVAC vents are some of the things we learn to live with, and our eyes usually see past them. However, I’m glad I was able to find space for this in a space other than the main wall in the main part of the studio. And I think this crater is pretty…for a crater. I mean, it’s a crater. This is a necessary thing. But as vents go, I’m pretty happy with this one.
Now I have to take care of the mess inside the room. The person who installed the HVAC did the worst job of building this plywood base for the unit. I wasn’t home when it was over, and I wasn’t that disappointed when I got home. So anyway, without taking away the original, I had to make it look better. And I need to cut the rectangle from the base so that the vent cover fits perfectly. I took the vent cover off a long time ago because it wasn’t installed properly and it was very difficult to open and close to get the filter in there. So at this point, I’m tapping filters on the opening. 😀 I have to redo all this so I can use the correct vent.
And then I have to finish it inside. I’m not sure how to do this, but I’ll figure it out later. Or I leave it. It’s inside the room, so does it really matter? And even though these vents are made to hold a 1″ filter, I don’t see the need to put a filter on it since I don’t use it for its standard purpose. I don’t want to restrict airflow into the closet and the original HVAC unit has a filter. So I plan to keep this filter free for unrestricted air flow.
What matters is how it looks from the studio, and I’m really, really happy with how it turned out. I’m so glad to finally be able to keep that door closed!
Addicted 2 Decorating shares my DIY and decorating journey as I renovate and decorate the 1948 Fixer Upper that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has MS and is unable to do physical activity, so I do most of the housework myself. You can learn more about me here.
