Vents

The lake house vents are in BAD shape.  But there are 15 vents, four HUGE, five large, five normal, and tiny one.  I priced new vents and was not going to spend three hundred dollars on new vents.  SO painting them is my only option.  I got two cans of spray paint to match the hardwood floors. 

First I laid an old towel in the bottom of the tub, I sprayed the vents down heavily with 409, then I filled the tub up with scalding hot water.  I decided to soak them.  Let the water do the hard work.

Confession, I didn't mean to soak them overnight, but this tub is only used when we have guests.  So I was able to leave them there without worrying about it.  This is what I found the next day.  I always use rubber gloves on all gross jobs.  I scrubbed all the vents with my scrub brush.

You can see how much dirtier the water is after they were all scrubbed.  Always clean before you paint.  So you won't get flaking paint.

I stacked them to dry.

Like I said they are in bad shape, and that is the factory paint.  Before I put them back I will vacuum out the ducts.  I am also going to put weather stripping along the sides to hold them in place.  After we put the hardwood floors down they slide in the openings.  Drives me crazy. 

Getting ready to paint. I am just using an old sheet as a drop cloth.

First coat.

Never fails I start a project and Gary decides to do something.   He decided to mow today.

So no second coat today. 

I decided to paint the louvers, after I did the first corners with weather stripping.  I did the second top coat at the lake.   So two cans of paint did the insides and the tops twice of 15 vents.

I only painted the inside of the vents with one heavy coat of paint.  Then I put peel and stick weather stripping on the corners to stop the vents from moving.   I vacuumed out the vents out while I did this.  I do that once a year.   It will shock you what they gather. Love my Dyson, great vacuum.

The vents look 100 percent better, and match way better.  I am pleased.   I am doing the master bath two next.   A different color to match the tile.  

I didn't paint the master closet vent.  Honestly I just missed it.  Like I said it took two cans of spray paint to do 15 vents, I have $7 in paint and $8 in insulation to make the vent stay in play.  So for $15 I have a whole new look.

Happy Venting.