DIY Floor Vent Cover

Measure the length and width of the vent and add ½ inch to each measurement. Cut a flat piece of wood to these dimensions.

Draw a design for the vent cover holes on a sheet of paper. Keep the pattern as simple as possible to simplify the process of cutting it out of the piece of wood. For instance, your pattern could consist of horizontal lines or square holes

Place a piece of transfer paper on the wood surface and place the paper with the pattern on top. Trace along the outlines of the design with a sharp pencil to transfer the pattern to the wood.

Secure the piece of wood to your work surface with two clamps to hold it steady while you cut. Fit the jigsaw with an appropriate blade for your pattern. Refer to the manual for the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Cut along the outlines of your pattern with the jigsaw. Use a chisel to carve out any small areas that the jigsaw could not cut.

Sand the surface and edges of the vent cover with sandpaper or a sander. Begin with a coarse grade, such as 100-grade sandpaper, and replace with progressively finer grades of sandpaper until the surface and edges are smooth.

Cut two strips of wood that are each ½ inch shorter than the length of the vent. These wood strips can help you keep the cover in place on the vent.

Place the vent cover on the work surface with right side down. Draw a straight line ½ inch from one long edge of the cover.

Apply wood glue to one edge of one strip of wood. Place the strip on the inside edge of the pencil line.

Repeat Steps 8 and 9 for the second strip of wood and attach it to the second long edge of the vent cover. Let the glue dry completely before use.