Wood Vent Buyer's Guide: How to Choose the Perfect Vent for Your Home
Introduction
Choosing the right wood vent for your home is more than just finding a functional cover for your duct opening. A well-matched vent enhances the aesthetics of your space, improves airflow, and seamlessly integrates with your flooring. While the process may seem simple, there are several factors to consider, from species and finish to size and style. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to select the perfect wood vent.
Contents:
Style: Choosing the Right Design for Your Space
Wood vents come in a variety of styles to suit different aesthetics. We offer three main styles:
Trimline
Our flagship vent design, featuring a timeless, bi-directional louver style. This best-selling vent works in almost any space. We've sold millions of these vents over the decades that they have been produced.
Eggcrates
A classic, old-school design popular in the Northeast. These vents are highly durable and ideal for cold air returns due to their large openings and excellent airflow. We manufacture our egg crates by dado cutting each slat, then assembling the lattice by hand with dowels for added strength.
Modern Linear
A sleek, contemporary design with straight louvers for improved airflow and clean, modern lines.
Model: Understanding Vent Installation Options
Vents can sit in or on the floor offering different looks for different applications. In general there are two types of vent installation:
Flush mount
A flush mount vents sits flush with the surface of the floor. These are best installed by a professional with a new floor or during a refinish.
Insert
An insert vent sits on top of the existing floor. These are great for retrofits.
Flush mounts can be ordered and installed with or without a frame. So in all, we offer three main installation types for our vents:
Flush mount with Frame
Our most popular model, featuring a removable inner portion (the "gut") that rests securely on the frame. The frame is rabbited, allowing the "gut" to rest on the frame over the duct opening.
The vent is installed so that its surface is level with the floor. Best suited for new flooring installations or refinishing projects.
Flush mount without frame
A single-piece design where the subfloor must support the vent around the duct opening.
The vent is installed so that its surface is level with the floor. Best suited for new flooring installations or refinishing projects.
Insert
These vents sit on top of your existing flooring, making them perfect for retrofitting older homes with metal vents. We round the edges to create a smooth transition between the vent and the flooring.
Vents for special applications
We also offer vents for specific use cases, including:
Toe kick vents
Designed to fit under cabinets for discreet airflow.
Round vents
Compatible with high-velocity HVAC systems such as SpacePak. We also offer two types of couplings for seamless integration.
Filter Vents
Wall-mounted vents that hold an air filter, featuring a hinge and clasp for easy maintenance.
Base vents
Triangular vents that sit against the wall with louvers slanting downward.
Size: How to Measure and Order for the Perfect Fit
When ordering vents, its important to keep in mind two dimensions: Duct Opening and Overall Dimensions.
Duct opening: This is the size of the opening in the floor, wall, or ceiling where your vent enters the room.
Overall dimensions: This is the overall size of the vent, which will be larger than the duct opening. It includes the frame, if the the vent has one.
The most common way to order vents is by duct opening size. Simply measure your duct opening, and we'll craft a vent to fit. In certain cases, you may need to order by overall dimensions, such as for retrofits or architect-specified designs. We will assist you in calculating the proper size.
Additional Considerations:
We offer vents in various thicknesses (e.g., 3/4", 3/8", 5/8") to match different flooring types.
Large vents include 3/4" wooden dividers for added durability. If desired, we can hide dividers beneath the louvers, though this is not recommended for floor applications.
For extra strength, we offer custom-welded metal supports to reinforce the vent without changing its aesthetics.
For very large vents, we may separate them into multiple pieces for easier shipping and installation.
For complex custom vents, we provide CAD drawings.
Standard vs Custom Sizing
Our Trimline vents come in 10 stock sizes, ensuring quick turnaround times. If your required size isn't listed, we can custom-make a vent to fit your specifications. In fact, we can make a vent in just about any size. Almost all larger vents are custom sized.
Custom vents in production at our plant
Species: Matching Your Vent to Your Floor
Your vent should match your flooring species to ensure a seamless look. If you are unsure about your flooring species, we can help! We can often confirm the species from a picture, or we may request a small wood sample to analyze its color, density, and grain.
We stock nearly every type of lumber used for flooring, including popular species like Red Oak, White Oak, Maple, and Hickory, as well as exotic options such as Cumaru, Brazilian Cherry, and Australian Wormy Chestnut. If you can buy the flooring, chances are we can craft a vent to match.
Finish: Achieving a Cohesive Look
With the rise of prefinished floors, matching accessories like vents, treads, and transitions has become increasingly important. Often, flooring producers finish only the floors, leaving accessories to be customized separately.
At Grill Works, we offer custom finishing services to match any stain. Our team can also add texturing techniques like wire brushing and hand scraping. For accurate stain matching, we request a sample from you and develop a custom color formula. For larger projects, we provide a sample board with several options so you can choose the best match.
Dampers: Controlling Airflow
We offer two damper styles for our standard vents:
EZ damper
A slim metal design that slides into a groove and can be adjusted with a small tab. It sits flush beneath the vent and does not interfere with the duct opening. These dampers are by far our most popular option.
Box dampers
A traditional style with a tab on the surface for opening and closing.
Lead Times: Planing your Order
It’s important to account for lead times of materials in any project. When installing wood vents as part of a new floor or refurb project, don’t wait until the last minute to order your vents. That said, we pride ourselves on some of the fastest lead times in the industry. If you need vents fast, we can probably help.
Stock vents: Ship within 1-3 business days.
Custom vents: Ship within 5-7 business days.
Prefinished vents: Add 5-7 days to the standard lead time.
We stock thousands of vents in our warehouse to ensure a fast turnaround
Airflow: Ensuring Optimal Performance
A well-designed wood vent should allow air to pass through efficiently. All of our vents are designed and tested for optimal airflow. For applications requiring more airflow you can usually tweak two things. First, choose a style that allows for more airflow. Our Egg Crate style has large openings that allow ample air to flow through. If you are designing a new space, you can also increase the size of your duct openings. In situations where airflow is a concern, you should consult an HVAC profession. An HVAC professional can review our airflow data to help design the best ventilation system for your space.
Conclusion: Find the Perfect Vent for Your Space
Selecting the right wood vent ensures that your space looks cohesive while maintaining proper airflow. At Grill Works, we offer a variety of styles, finishes, and custom options to suit any project. Whether you need a standard stock vent or a fully customized solution, we’re here to help.
Need assistance finding the right vent? Contact us today to discuss your project, request a sample, or place an order.
Give our team a call. We’re here to help.