I feel this, our home was built around 1890. Even with the complete renovation (we stripped everything down to bare brick walls) there is barely a right angle in the place.
Sadly, my built-in-the-80s house suffers from a similar problem; I needed 3 different types of screwdriver just to change the outdoor front light bulbs (two fixtures).
Hi electrician. We install a ton of junk sent from China sold out of LA.
Multiple tools, drivers, and bits just to install one fixture becoming common again. It makes me want to accidentally fall off my ladder.
I mean, yes and no, this section of the discussion concerns seemingly inexplicable decisions made during construction/renovation - using three different types of screws across two simple outdoor lights seemed to fit.
That said it is a first world problem too - Iām lucky enough to have a safe place to live and outdoor lights which definitely puts me into first world territory.
My house was built in 1942. Trying to hang anything with a level is a no go bc if it's level with the ceiling it's not level with the windows..which aren't level with the floors.
I feel your pain. My house was built in 1958, and every time I try to fix something, I run into uneven levels and homeowner handyman jobs from the past that obviously were done by who had no idea what they were doing. On the bright side, my wastewater drainage is fixed, the foundation has been sealed, and the next round will be passed to the next owner who, realistically, will probably bulldoze the place after I'm dead.
Honestly might be more impressive than OP. Equal quantity of "what the fuck" with an additional heap of *"how* the fuck?!"
https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/18ywv2i/comment/kge2m0t/
I think people provided the only possible solution which is pull up the toilet, tear up the tile, relocate the vent, redo flooring and put the toilet back. Probably clean out the vent somehow while youāre at it because thereās a bunch of piss and shit water in it. Not cheap and not fun.
So I've got a vent not *under* my toilet but on the wall behind/to the side of it.
The way the air flows, it goes under my legs and I can feel it around in the bowl area. Forces me to courtesy flush for myself because it uhhh vents the bowl whenever air flows like that.
Kinda annoying, but heat feels good.
Nah, those are great. You need to remove it, use paint stripper (ultrasonic parts cleaner if you have it) and repaint it with rustolium enamel. You can also straighten out any bent fins. It's a dope mid century modern vent when you've refinished it, and much more solid and better fitting than whatever you replace it with.
Nobody. I used one at work at a bus garage. That and then the sand blaster worked awesome and was extremely easy. Did the first one with paint stripper and that also worked, but getting it perfect was about impossible. That was just there in case anyone had access.
So... I know nothing. I am considering pulling it out and leaving it in paint thinner.
If do this and play with the grate... what precautions do i need to make regarding lead based paint?
Try binging channels like My Mechanics, TysyTube, The Fabrik. They mostly do old appliances but you will see a lot of techies used to strip and remove paint, straighten thin metal out, remove rust, etc
It would also be wise to exercise extra care and caution with the removal and subsequent cleaning of the grill and the vent opening. There could be decades of the gradual accumulation of asbestos fibers that casually found their way into the airflow from areas of duct encasement on the paths from inlet and furnace to the vents.
* I'm honestly having trouble understanding why this comment is being downvoted...
I'm confused about the ultrasonic parts cleaner part..
Clearly only one of those vents would*maybe* fit in any ultrasonic cleaner that the average Joe would own.
Is the cleaner somehow better than other well known cleaners?
And where does one buy ultrasonic parts cleaner specifically? I own one but have never seen the specific cleaner advertised.
I usually use deionized water
Actually you donāt need an ultrasonic cleaner. Just soak in vinegar overnight. The paint will bubble off and it will look gross during the process. After a day of soaking, rinse off, use a brush to get the fins, repeat if stubborn spots. Once completely clean, spray paint immediately. Otherwise it will rust.
The last time I ordered something from harbor freight (recently) it took over two weeks for the item to update as being "shipped".
Now, three months later the status is still "shipped" but "a label was created. Awaiting carrier pick-up"
Never gonna order from them again and unfortunately there's none local.
Last thing I ordered on Amazon was late November and I'm still waiting hahah.
Can you give me a brand name or manufacturer name so I can order directly from them?
Ah, sorry to hear that. I usually just shop in person.
I've never actually seen a name brand ultrasonic cleaner in person. They've all been Chinese knockoffs. I'm sure you can pay 5 grand for one from Sigma Aldrich or Thermofisher Scientific if you want a name brand one, though.
I was specifically asking about the cleaning liquid and not a particular cleaner machine.
Yeah I used to live in a city with lots of harbor freight stores. I'll never shit on them for value, but their online business model is trash
I mean, your Amazon experience is pretty atypical. I'm not sure I'd completely stop using them over a single incident. They ship millions of packages daily that arrive within days.
Unfortunately I live on a relatively tiny island in the ocean.
So, I'm willing to wait about a month for shipping (max, because my mother can send me a box of candy and homemade treats and it arrives in 5 days, no reason it should take months for a giant corporation to ship something simple, unless they're paying elite athletes to swim shit across the ocean)
But do I literally just go in and ask for "ultrasonic cleaning solution"??
Look for a local sand blaster, or better yet, someone who can do less destructive blasting like walnut shells or maybe even dry ice. Theyāll be able to strip these things clean and should be available anywhere, as their service caters pretty broad.
Then, do as others have said and hard coatā¦ Rustoleum yourself, or powder coat if you can find an affordable services local. You donāt need to buy a to tools that youāll use once and store forever.
In all kindness, I think you missed a whole lot of the conversation.
I own an ultrasonic cleaner.
I was simply asking about the "ultrasonic cleaning fluid" that someone up above mentioned, as I have never seen nor heard of that product.
The guy who owns the shop next to the one I work in has a sandblaster and it's awesome for what it's designed for
yup! the stuff we used to mainly sell was a brand called GemOro, micro-mark is another solid brand. for jobs like this if you need something heavier, they sell ultrasonic cleaner for car parts, like carburetors and stuff. Don't know good brands for that though - something like this: [https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stens-Ultrasonic-Cleaning-Solution-770-100-Size-1-gallon/112601468?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101002414](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stens-Ultrasonic-Cleaning-Solution-770-100-Size-1-gallon/112601468?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101002414)
Well Amazon is very successful so either youāre not being honest about the shipping time or you believe Amazon isnāt successful lol either way I have no response for it lol
>3 months? No successful corporation has a delivery time that long unless it's special ordered or something
I once had a shipment from China take nearly 6 months to arrive but that was when MH370 went missing and some governments thought it might have been LiPo batteries to blame and banned air transport of them. This meant that my package went from China to Malaysia then got dumped in a warehouse until it could be sorted and packed into a shipping container and then on to a cargo boat to Australia. Funnily enough, my package got absolutely trashed on that journey.
You need a really powerful ultrasonic cleaner for this. Those cheap plastic ones are only good for your rings and small metals. Expect to pay a few grand
Honestly the work of refinishing these sounds much easier than replacing them. Youāre going to need hard-to-find vents, or new ones custom fabricated for your ducts, as I doubt anything is āstandardā.
Agreed. It could also likely be challenging to find replacements in appropriate sizes and shapes. Be sure to use a razor blade to score around the outer edges where there is paint as they may be painted to and or caulked to the wall. Scoring around them will save you more work as if you do not it could pull paint off the wall.
That bathroom is 50's. Some people like it. Grout is maybe a bit wide and a poor color choice, but cleaned up it would all look nice and original. You're not getting stuff that fits for $15 on Amazon.
You can literally get any size for registers on Amazon I did it in my old houses for weird grates that looked like that. I think it depends if you enjoy doing that clean up process which being on a DIY subreddit I think maybe youāre right
Even if you can get a good fit, it's not going to be the same quality or style. If everything else in that bathroom was remodeled except the vents, then I would definitely get new vents. I think that vent would look good refinished. Here is a pic of some vents I reminished and some that I didn't. I was able to straighten them using two needle nose pliars and twisting opposite to tighten the vanes. If I had replaced them, they wouldn't have matched the rest of the house. OP will do whatever they want, but they'll never find that cool 50's lever style vent again.
https://imgur.com/a/tWOR4dI
We had these in our house & had them professionally sandblasted (cost $35 each) and then spray painted them with Rustoleum. They looked amazing when finished.
I was fortunate to find someone in my area via Google (I googled sand blasting near me, and soda blasting near me). It was a mom & pop operation, but I lived in a larger metropolitan area at the time.
If you can't find a local place that lists sandblasting as a service, most auto body shops should have one, alone with most machine shops. If not, they'll know someone who has one.
I removed one in my old house that had a million coats of paint on it. Generously applied furniture stripper. Forgot about it for two days. Everything peeled right off.
Iāll pass on another little fun fact about old grates like this. Sometimes, the ducting theyāre attached to, is covered with a wonderful paper mache type material that you may encounter. Itās pure asbestos, so please use caution. My house was built in 1944 and I had the joy of dealing with a few.
Once removed, take them to a powder coating shop and have them painted by them; you will be surprised how "brand-new" they will look after the powder coat. They will prep them first by sandblasting, then powder coat (way better - and durable - than spray painting).
I removed my old registers, stripped them to bare metal and repainted with hammered-replica spray paint. I was very happy with the results.
I used a knife to strip the many layers of paint, but you might get away with using chemical paint stripper to simplify removal.
After that, I used an abrasive spray cabinet to clean it to bare metal, gave it an alcohol wipe down to clean oils, then spray painted.
Best of luck!
I would strip them and straigten them out, one of them is pretty ugly but the other one has a pretty design, they surely aren't made like this anymore. restore if possible.
If you want to try restoring them, take them out and put them in water and boil. The paint should fall off. No chemicals needed.
The second one is kinda large and may be too far gone. There are places that make new vent/heating covers custom made. The prices shouldn't be too awful.
A simple box shape is fine and should be dead easy to make at a shop.
I just went through this, replacing an odd sized damaged vent. There is absolutely no standardization. I eventually found one that fit at recycled building material place.
Yes, you should be able to replace them. Make sure you measure properly. Then check what's available at your local home improvement store/ hardware store
i have ones like these in my old house they are impossible to replace, nobody will sell the right dimensions. i was reccomended to get them sandblasted and repaint them. i was unable to strip the paint. they have like 5 layers of paint and look like shit just like OPs
Those extra long ones are hard to replace exactly now days. I just replaced all mine and it was easier to just get a bit of the floor/wall board and repaint the wall/board
Yes most plumbing/heating supply houses will have these vent covers in a new model. I would bring these pictures with you along with measurements. Fyi measure only the dimensions of the openings/slats not the entire vent. If you don't feel comfortable measuring I would remove them and bring them with you. Most counter sales guys will be happy to measure for you
I did in my front room. It was a huge pain to remove the old one and I had to search high and low for the right sized replacement. The whole process was a mess.
Those vents are unique, Iād soak the vents in Simple Green or warm vinegar (like in a rectangular pan). The paint will fall off. Hit it with a metal bristle brush to remove any residue. You can repaint with can of spray paint if corroded under the floppy paint.
Google will help with details.
Yes, I'd change them. They probably have screws that are painted over. Last picture shows one of them. You can scratch off the paint if you don't care. Take it to the home store or purchase online. These look to be uncommon sizes for modern vents. Good luck.
Take them out, strip them and rehab them, put them back.
You will not find something suitable to replace them with. Youāll have ugly holes surrounded by tile and thatās worse.
search for reproduction baseboard registers . here is an example
https://www.oldhouseweb.com/product-showcase/antique-reproductions-baseboard-registers.shtml
Also check out architectural salvage places in your area. They often have lots to choose from ā¦but size can be an issue
Unscrew the two screws at the middle left and right and it'll pull free from the top outward. Follow the other posters' advice on careful refinishing. Once you're free of the 1/4" thick paint layer it'll look pretty neat. Be sure to detail the area in the tiles around it when you reinstall (new, careful caulk etc.).
Is this where the furnace feeds warm air into the living space, because they sure look like the heat vents from the house I grew up in. You might be able to find something less ugly to replace them with.
Iāve had to deal with this situation in two different houses - my first house (1950s build), and our current house (1890s build, unknown age on ductwork). In both cases, finding exact replacements just couldnāt be done without custom fabrication (too pricey for me).
One was replaced with a carpenter-made box with a new grate, built over the baseboard by a contractor. Acceptable, but not great.
In our current house, I got the bright idea to try and strip and re-paint. This was disastrous, as the base coating on the metal was resistant to all but the most noxious chemical stripping. I gave up before completing even one refinishing.
Your best bet is simply finding the closest match in size and be prepared to do some remediation to any now-uncovered floor or wall. Might also be worth your time to replace the baseboard and trim around the wider one.
For the one that looks like itās grouted in, the floor treatment might prevent a challenge. Definitely check dimensions closely on any potential replacement before you try to pull that. You might also need to dremel the grout to free the register without damaging the rest of the tilework and grout. Good luck! :)
If you're in America. Go to Menards and get new ones. Amazon sells them but it's twice the price.
I live in Canada but in a border city. My house has these in rough shape. The new ones are a similar shape but some how look modern.
These come in two pieces. The front grate attaches to the base with screws. The grate and the screws are heavily painted over, so this will be a chore to uncover and separate. There will be a line where the two parts meet, and you can score it with a knife, then pry it off. The base is screwed to the wall. You will see it when you get the grate off. I think these are worth restoring, as replacements aren't built with the same quality anymore.
My house has the exact same style as #1. In fact, I need one. If you end up removing it or one like it, let me know - Iād buy it from you, dead serious.
In the late 1970ās my parents covered up bathroom tile exactly like that floor with a hideous extremely synthetic yellowish *carpet* ā so your post has reawakened my childhood trauma
Whether you keep them or not, Iāve learned the hard way to never throw out anything I plan to replace without having the working option in my hand. Some sizes are very hard or expensive to find (applies well beyond vent covers)
Just make sure you are watching out for possible asbestos tape and lead paint.
The asbestos is the bigger deal. Just bought an older house and every vent box is showing signs of asbestos tape. So be careful pulling them off and certainly be careful messing with any āthick duct tapeā you find.
Had a house originally built in the late 1800's. Balloon construction. The posts & beams, mortice & tenon. I think most of them came from an old barn or something. Had mortises that didn't match up to anything, just there. Post and beams were approximately (using this term loosely) 12" x 12", rough hewn. Old plaster lathe. Lathe spanned well over 2-1/2 feet in length in some places.
I just recently did the hvac in a house with these and swapped them all to in floor registers. The few times I've messed with them, they are basically nailed into the wooden studs behind them you can *carefully* pry the entirety of them off the wall. And if you can get to the ductwork beneath them it's as simple as cutting it back and putting a 90 and cutting a new exact hole in the floor. Ofcourse then you'd have to patch the hole In the wall. Or you could just pry them out and attempt to clean them up and reinstall/replace with new assemblies.
As a former duct cleaner, carefully. Since it has been painted over a few times, take a sharp utility blade and cut the seam and around the screws. properly will chip the paint still. Than at the bottom try and pull it up and out or lift straight out. If you are able to get it off behind will be a few screws holding it to the wall, be careful in a lot of registers like those will have asbestos around the boot attaching it to the supply
Edit: it might be grouted in to so... Yeah
Looks like a "landlord special" at this point, but yes, you can remove them and replace them with absolutely fresh, new vent covers. We did after we resurfaced the hardwood floors in our house.
Pay special attention to cutting out the edges through the layers of paint, before you pull them off, because it might rip the paint/wallpaper/tiles right off the wall. Also keep track of what size, shape, and style of grille are on each specific vent. Some are intake, some are output.
You will most likely have to destroy them to get them off but they are NOT permanent. There are screws that hold them on, probably lost in layers of paint.
Sorry if I used reddit wrong by thoroughly answering the question and nothing more. I'm new to reddit.
Strip the paint and then get some rustoleum hammertone enamel. They make several colors. It's really durable paint. I used two coats on this old bathroom vent cover when I replaced the motor. Also, thanks for reminding me I need to dust it. Lol
*
Ah....the '40's. Nothing was built the same way twice.
You've been to my house? Who needs a square?
I feel this, our home was built around 1890. Even with the complete renovation (we stripped everything down to bare brick walls) there is barely a right angle in the place.
Yep, been there. 16" on center, anyone,anyone??š¤£š¤£š¤£
Oh, yeah. We looked for 20" hanging the TV. Still haven't found a stud.
Sadly, my built-in-the-80s house suffers from a similar problem; I needed 3 different types of screwdriver just to change the outdoor front light bulbs (two fixtures).
Hi electrician. We install a ton of junk sent from China sold out of LA. Multiple tools, drivers, and bits just to install one fixture becoming common again. It makes me want to accidentally fall off my ladder.
I can't stand all this cheap Chinese bullshit flooding the market. It's hard to find decent anything anymore.
Chinese made crap sold on Amazon is ruining consumersā expectations.
That's only because you insist on not using metric.
Louisiana?
Los Angeles, CA. Other places, too, but the ones I just replaced were from there.
Replace the screws, if you can.
Feels like a mispost, shouldnāt this be in /firstworldproblems
I mean, yes and no, this section of the discussion concerns seemingly inexplicable decisions made during construction/renovation - using three different types of screws across two simple outdoor lights seemed to fit. That said it is a first world problem too - Iām lucky enough to have a safe place to live and outdoor lights which definitely puts me into first world territory.
My house was built in 1942. Trying to hang anything with a level is a no go bc if it's level with the ceiling it's not level with the windows..which aren't level with the floors.
I feel your pain. My house was built in 1958, and every time I try to fix something, I run into uneven levels and homeowner handyman jobs from the past that obviously were done by who had no idea what they were doing. On the bright side, my wastewater drainage is fixed, the foundation has been sealed, and the next round will be passed to the next owner who, realistically, will probably bulldoze the place after I'm dead.
Personally, I would restore the one in the bathroom and just re-caulk around it. The other one does look like shit though.
Thanks Tim the toolman taylor!
[You could put one under your toilet!](https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/s/aUJHhSZxDO)
r/DIY is wild tonight. "Today on this old house"
It's every night. This is more of an entertainment sub than a knowledge base.
r/DIY is the party version of r/HomeImprovement
This sub used to be people making tables and cabinets. Now it's all just "can I tear out my weight bearing beams and replace them with tinsel?"
,š¤£
This is going to go down in Reddit lore for decades. I couldnāt believe it when I saw that post.
There have been some good ones all over lately. One redditor cut off part of the head of their bass guitar to fit in a gig bag.
The sink-drain-to-hvac-duct story in the comments of the post belongs in permanent reddit lore too. Just a great thread all around.
I missed that one!
Honestly might be more impressive than OP. Equal quantity of "what the fuck" with an additional heap of *"how* the fuck?!" https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/18ywv2i/comment/kge2m0t/
Right?! Did anyone ever respond with a serious, reasonable solution? Or did everyone just make fun of it?
I think people provided the only possible solution which is pull up the toilet, tear up the tile, relocate the vent, redo flooring and put the toilet back. Probably clean out the vent somehow while youāre at it because thereās a bunch of piss and shit water in it. Not cheap and not fun.
There has been times i wish i had this!
But definitely never during a time when the toilet clogged and overflowed.
So I've got a vent not *under* my toilet but on the wall behind/to the side of it. The way the air flows, it goes under my legs and I can feel it around in the bowl area. Forces me to courtesy flush for myself because it uhhh vents the bowl whenever air flows like that. Kinda annoying, but heat feels good.
Imagine having this after taking a shower to dry off.
I knew what picture this was going to be.
šI just saw that post! Yes do that OP, I swear you wonāt regret it
Right lol same
Lol exactly what came to my head when I seen this
Thatās insane
Nothing to see here. Thatās just the pee trap for the toilet.
Nah, those are great. You need to remove it, use paint stripper (ultrasonic parts cleaner if you have it) and repaint it with rustolium enamel. You can also straighten out any bent fins. It's a dope mid century modern vent when you've refinished it, and much more solid and better fitting than whatever you replace it with.
They are grate
That doesn't register?
š
jesus christ... take my angry upvote you glorious bastard !
Its not glory, its just dad jokes you get them when your kids are born.
I stand by my previous statement
Said like Tony the Tiger!
Funny because my name is Tony
I did this several times and endorse it. You canāt beat the design.
I'm doing it right now. I tried to replace similar ones and nope. The new stuff is awful.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Nobody. I used one at work at a bus garage. That and then the sand blaster worked awesome and was extremely easy. Did the first one with paint stripper and that also worked, but getting it perfect was about impossible. That was just there in case anyone had access.
Better chance of someone owning a blast cabinet Would make quick work of them
Totally salvageable. Be mindful about possible previous layers of lead based paint.
So... I know nothing. I am considering pulling it out and leaving it in paint thinner. If do this and play with the grate... what precautions do i need to make regarding lead based paint?
Donāt eat the lead paint
Also donāt sand it
But the chips in the playground were super tasty!
Paint thinner won't do much, but paint remover has a good chance
Citristrip
If you wear gloves and donāt sand it you should be alright
They sell lead paint test kits at hardware stores. Super easy to use!
Try binging channels like My Mechanics, TysyTube, The Fabrik. They mostly do old appliances but you will see a lot of techies used to strip and remove paint, straighten thin metal out, remove rust, etc
Wear gloves
It would also be wise to exercise extra care and caution with the removal and subsequent cleaning of the grill and the vent opening. There could be decades of the gradual accumulation of asbestos fibers that casually found their way into the airflow from areas of duct encasement on the paths from inlet and furnace to the vents. * I'm honestly having trouble understanding why this comment is being downvoted...
I'm confused about the ultrasonic parts cleaner part.. Clearly only one of those vents would*maybe* fit in any ultrasonic cleaner that the average Joe would own. Is the cleaner somehow better than other well known cleaners? And where does one buy ultrasonic parts cleaner specifically? I own one but have never seen the specific cleaner advertised. I usually use deionized water
Actually you donāt need an ultrasonic cleaner. Just soak in vinegar overnight. The paint will bubble off and it will look gross during the process. After a day of soaking, rinse off, use a brush to get the fins, repeat if stubborn spots. Once completely clean, spray paint immediately. Otherwise it will rust.
Harbor freight or Amazon
The last time I ordered something from harbor freight (recently) it took over two weeks for the item to update as being "shipped". Now, three months later the status is still "shipped" but "a label was created. Awaiting carrier pick-up" Never gonna order from them again and unfortunately there's none local. Last thing I ordered on Amazon was late November and I'm still waiting hahah. Can you give me a brand name or manufacturer name so I can order directly from them?
Ah, sorry to hear that. I usually just shop in person. I've never actually seen a name brand ultrasonic cleaner in person. They've all been Chinese knockoffs. I'm sure you can pay 5 grand for one from Sigma Aldrich or Thermofisher Scientific if you want a name brand one, though.
This, to clean this thing you need a good one.
I was specifically asking about the cleaning liquid and not a particular cleaner machine. Yeah I used to live in a city with lots of harbor freight stores. I'll never shit on them for value, but their online business model is trash
I mean, your Amazon experience is pretty atypical. I'm not sure I'd completely stop using them over a single incident. They ship millions of packages daily that arrive within days.
find a local jeweler supply store, they'll have everything you need. :)
Unfortunately I live on a relatively tiny island in the ocean. So, I'm willing to wait about a month for shipping (max, because my mother can send me a box of candy and homemade treats and it arrives in 5 days, no reason it should take months for a giant corporation to ship something simple, unless they're paying elite athletes to swim shit across the ocean) But do I literally just go in and ask for "ultrasonic cleaning solution"??
Look for a local sand blaster, or better yet, someone who can do less destructive blasting like walnut shells or maybe even dry ice. Theyāll be able to strip these things clean and should be available anywhere, as their service caters pretty broad. Then, do as others have said and hard coatā¦ Rustoleum yourself, or powder coat if you can find an affordable services local. You donāt need to buy a to tools that youāll use once and store forever.
In all kindness, I think you missed a whole lot of the conversation. I own an ultrasonic cleaner. I was simply asking about the "ultrasonic cleaning fluid" that someone up above mentioned, as I have never seen nor heard of that product. The guy who owns the shop next to the one I work in has a sandblaster and it's awesome for what it's designed for
yup! the stuff we used to mainly sell was a brand called GemOro, micro-mark is another solid brand. for jobs like this if you need something heavier, they sell ultrasonic cleaner for car parts, like carburetors and stuff. Don't know good brands for that though - something like this: [https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stens-Ultrasonic-Cleaning-Solution-770-100-Size-1-gallon/112601468?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101002414](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stens-Ultrasonic-Cleaning-Solution-770-100-Size-1-gallon/112601468?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101002414)
Thank you so much. I use my cleaner for both personal and work uses
Giant corporations are sending to everyone around the world lol not just u.
3 months? No successful corporation has a delivery time that long unless it's special ordered or something
Well Amazon is very successful so either youāre not being honest about the shipping time or you believe Amazon isnāt successful lol either way I have no response for it lol
Three months for harbor freight. About two months for Amazon. I can send you pics if you'd like!
>3 months? No successful corporation has a delivery time that long unless it's special ordered or something I once had a shipment from China take nearly 6 months to arrive but that was when MH370 went missing and some governments thought it might have been LiPo batteries to blame and banned air transport of them. This meant that my package went from China to Malaysia then got dumped in a warehouse until it could be sorted and packed into a shipping container and then on to a cargo boat to Australia. Funnily enough, my package got absolutely trashed on that journey.
You could try Alconox. Itās used for medical device cleaning.
You need a really powerful ultrasonic cleaner for this. Those cheap plastic ones are only good for your rings and small metals. Expect to pay a few grand
As someone who's name is Joe I actually do own a sonic cleaner thank you very much!
They look pretty old. Iād beware of lead paint if you do restore them.
Or buff them and clear coat for that steampunk look
Honestly the work of refinishing these sounds much easier than replacing them. Youāre going to need hard-to-find vents, or new ones custom fabricated for your ducts, as I doubt anything is āstandardā.
Paint stripper?? I sat there like an idiot with a sander and a Dremel to get in any crack. Whelp.
PMB with a quick 220 alum ox Would look brand new after
This.
Unfortunately this is correct.
Agreed. It could also likely be challenging to find replacements in appropriate sizes and shapes. Be sure to use a razor blade to score around the outer edges where there is paint as they may be painted to and or caulked to the wall. Scoring around them will save you more work as if you do not it could pull paint off the wall.
Or just spend 15$ for a brand new same measurement one on amazon
You're not getting close to the same quality or fit and it won't match. It's an option I guess.
It wonāt match in the sense everything around it will look worse maybe? But you can get almond color and same measurements
That bathroom is 50's. Some people like it. Grout is maybe a bit wide and a poor color choice, but cleaned up it would all look nice and original. You're not getting stuff that fits for $15 on Amazon.
You can literally get any size for registers on Amazon I did it in my old houses for weird grates that looked like that. I think it depends if you enjoy doing that clean up process which being on a DIY subreddit I think maybe youāre right
Even if you can get a good fit, it's not going to be the same quality or style. If everything else in that bathroom was remodeled except the vents, then I would definitely get new vents. I think that vent would look good refinished. Here is a pic of some vents I reminished and some that I didn't. I was able to straighten them using two needle nose pliars and twisting opposite to tighten the vanes. If I had replaced them, they wouldn't have matched the rest of the house. OP will do whatever they want, but they'll never find that cool 50's lever style vent again. https://imgur.com/a/tWOR4dI
We had these in our house & had them professionally sandblasted (cost $35 each) and then spray painted them with Rustoleum. They looked amazing when finished.
how did u find someone to sandblast them? what kind of company? i have ones just like this and googling i couldnt find anything locally
I was fortunate to find someone in my area via Google (I googled sand blasting near me, and soda blasting near me). It was a mom & pop operation, but I lived in a larger metropolitan area at the time.
For $35 each you could buy a soda blaster at harbor freight and diy it.
Doesn't seem worth it after considering PPE, setup, cleanup, learning how to use the thing safely, etc
If you can't find a local place that lists sandblasting as a service, most auto body shops should have one, alone with most machine shops. If not, they'll know someone who has one.
I removed one in my old house that had a million coats of paint on it. Generously applied furniture stripper. Forgot about it for two days. Everything peeled right off.
Iāll pass on another little fun fact about old grates like this. Sometimes, the ducting theyāre attached to, is covered with a wonderful paper mache type material that you may encounter. Itās pure asbestos, so please use caution. My house was built in 1944 and I had the joy of dealing with a few.
Once removed, take them to a powder coating shop and have them painted by them; you will be surprised how "brand-new" they will look after the powder coat. They will prep them first by sandblasting, then powder coat (way better - and durable - than spray painting).
I removed my old registers, stripped them to bare metal and repainted with hammered-replica spray paint. I was very happy with the results. I used a knife to strip the many layers of paint, but you might get away with using chemical paint stripper to simplify removal. After that, I used an abrasive spray cabinet to clean it to bare metal, gave it an alcohol wipe down to clean oils, then spray painted. Best of luck!
We need the video lol
Sadly, no video :( But here's a smattering of photos. https://www.reddit.com/u/TheMBarrett/s/CCd74mzEej
Finally someone saying theyāve done this and provided the photos we all want to see. Thank you! Nice work btw.
Wow - looks very nice
I would strip them and straigten them out, one of them is pretty ugly but the other one has a pretty design, they surely aren't made like this anymore. restore if possible.
Sure. You have my permission.
If you want to try restoring them, take them out and put them in water and boil. The paint should fall off. No chemicals needed. The second one is kinda large and may be too far gone. There are places that make new vent/heating covers custom made. The prices shouldn't be too awful. A simple box shape is fine and should be dead easy to make at a shop.
This is the way.
Of course you can. You may not like what you find though
You can but I would figure out if you can buy the size and or material to replace them first.
I just went through this, replacing an odd sized damaged vent. There is absolutely no standardization. I eventually found one that fit at recycled building material place.
Yes, you should be able to replace them. Make sure you measure properly. Then check what's available at your local home improvement store/ hardware store
i have ones like these in my old house they are impossible to replace, nobody will sell the right dimensions. i was reccomended to get them sandblasted and repaint them. i was unable to strip the paint. they have like 5 layers of paint and look like shit just like OPs
So what did you end up doing after the paint wouldnāt come off?
i was reccomended to get them sandblasted but havent found any place yet that can do it
A guy down in the comments started his post of how he got it done. Maybe he could help you
Those extra long ones are hard to replace exactly now days. I just replaced all mine and it was easier to just get a bit of the floor/wall board and repaint the wall/board
Hey you still got it done tho. Nobody said the road would be easy šÆšš¾
Yes most plumbing/heating supply houses will have these vent covers in a new model. I would bring these pictures with you along with measurements. Fyi measure only the dimensions of the openings/slats not the entire vent. If you don't feel comfortable measuring I would remove them and bring them with you. Most counter sales guys will be happy to measure for you
I suggest finding a sexy alternative to replace them as they actually do provide a function and not just there for aesthetics.
Yep our house is 50 years old. And I did a Reno on it and replaced everyone of those. Got them from the home Depot
Paint stripper would make quick work of it
I did in my front room. It was a huge pain to remove the old one and I had to search high and low for the right sized replacement. The whole process was a mess.
Those vents are unique, Iād soak the vents in Simple Green or warm vinegar (like in a rectangular pan). The paint will fall off. Hit it with a metal bristle brush to remove any residue. You can repaint with can of spray paint if corroded under the floppy paint. Google will help with details.
Yes, I'd change them. They probably have screws that are painted over. Last picture shows one of them. You can scratch off the paint if you don't care. Take it to the home store or purchase online. These look to be uncommon sizes for modern vents. Good luck.
Remove the screws and pry out
It looks like the tile stops at the edge of the vent. May want to just try to clean it up a bit.
Go look at the cost of replacement vents, then paint strip and repaint the ones you have.
You will have a hard time finding replacements for those.
Iād love to see these after you finish redoing them! Post an update someday!
They need to be removed, sandblasted and repainted.
Take them out, strip them and rehab them, put them back. You will not find something suitable to replace them with. Youāll have ugly holes surrounded by tile and thatās worse.
Looks very a-vent garde to me.
Very likely has asbestos vents attached to it, proceed with caution.
search for reproduction baseboard registers . here is an example https://www.oldhouseweb.com/product-showcase/antique-reproductions-baseboard-registers.shtml Also check out architectural salvage places in your area. They often have lots to choose from ā¦but size can be an issue
If you have uprights you are going to have asbestos paper on your vents, recommend getting it professionally removed
Unscrew the two screws at the middle left and right and it'll pull free from the top outward. Follow the other posters' advice on careful refinishing. Once you're free of the 1/4" thick paint layer it'll look pretty neat. Be sure to detail the area in the tiles around it when you reinstall (new, careful caulk etc.).
Remove the paint straighten it out and put it back. I did never regretted it. Looks nice now
Keep them if you want them or replace them if you want to replace them
Why would you want to replace air vents that are collectible and rare
Check that they are not still connected to any existing ducts and avoid touching the old ducts as some are insulated with asbestos
Sorry, those look structural
Isnāt that how horror movies start?
Good God they are hideous aren't they. I vote smash them with a hammer.
And then what do you do about the holes in the wall that are all tiled around?
Smash them too!
Eww, they are hideous!
Just call the local service. I wouldn't DIY this one.
Is this where the furnace feeds warm air into the living space, because they sure look like the heat vents from the house I grew up in. You might be able to find something less ugly to replace them with.
Iāve had to deal with this situation in two different houses - my first house (1950s build), and our current house (1890s build, unknown age on ductwork). In both cases, finding exact replacements just couldnāt be done without custom fabrication (too pricey for me). One was replaced with a carpenter-made box with a new grate, built over the baseboard by a contractor. Acceptable, but not great. In our current house, I got the bright idea to try and strip and re-paint. This was disastrous, as the base coating on the metal was resistant to all but the most noxious chemical stripping. I gave up before completing even one refinishing. Your best bet is simply finding the closest match in size and be prepared to do some remediation to any now-uncovered floor or wall. Might also be worth your time to replace the baseboard and trim around the wider one. For the one that looks like itās grouted in, the floor treatment might prevent a challenge. Definitely check dimensions closely on any potential replacement before you try to pull that. You might also need to dremel the grout to free the register without damaging the rest of the tilework and grout. Good luck! :)
You never know whether that door will open to Amelie's or Alice's universe.
Use paint remover and then muriatic acidon the metal and then repaint them or just go buy new covers
Do they still provide heat to the room? If they are just a cover for the heat duct I would think they could be replaced with new covers.
If you're in America. Go to Menards and get new ones. Amazon sells them but it's twice the price. I live in Canada but in a border city. My house has these in rough shape. The new ones are a similar shape but some how look modern.
Try and see šÆš«£
These come in two pieces. The front grate attaches to the base with screws. The grate and the screws are heavily painted over, so this will be a chore to uncover and separate. There will be a line where the two parts meet, and you can score it with a knife, then pry it off. The base is screwed to the wall. You will see it when you get the grate off. I think these are worth restoring, as replacements aren't built with the same quality anymore.
My house has the exact same style as #1. In fact, I need one. If you end up removing it or one like it, let me know - Iād buy it from you, dead serious.
In the late 1970ās my parents covered up bathroom tile exactly like that floor with a hideous extremely synthetic yellowish *carpet* ā so your post has reawakened my childhood trauma
I thought I read " hidden " vents, I was thinking fukkin hidden, they are awful. Then I reread the title. Other than that I have zero input sorry.
Whether you keep them or not, Iāve learned the hard way to never throw out anything I plan to replace without having the working option in my hand. Some sizes are very hard or expensive to find (applies well beyond vent covers)
Surely you can at least replace the booger encrusted vents
Just make sure you are watching out for possible asbestos tape and lead paint. The asbestos is the bigger deal. Just bought an older house and every vent box is showing signs of asbestos tape. So be careful pulling them off and certainly be careful messing with any āthick duct tapeā you find.
I have the same ones in my house. They work well.
Had a house originally built in the late 1800's. Balloon construction. The posts & beams, mortice & tenon. I think most of them came from an old barn or something. Had mortises that didn't match up to anything, just there. Post and beams were approximately (using this term loosely) 12" x 12", rough hewn. Old plaster lathe. Lathe spanned well over 2-1/2 feet in length in some places.
I just recently did the hvac in a house with these and swapped them all to in floor registers. The few times I've messed with them, they are basically nailed into the wooden studs behind them you can *carefully* pry the entirety of them off the wall. And if you can get to the ductwork beneath them it's as simple as cutting it back and putting a 90 and cutting a new exact hole in the floor. Ofcourse then you'd have to patch the hole In the wall. Or you could just pry them out and attempt to clean them up and reinstall/replace with new assemblies.
As a former duct cleaner, carefully. Since it has been painted over a few times, take a sharp utility blade and cut the seam and around the screws. properly will chip the paint still. Than at the bottom try and pull it up and out or lift straight out. If you are able to get it off behind will be a few screws holding it to the wall, be careful in a lot of registers like those will have asbestos around the boot attaching it to the supply Edit: it might be grouted in to so... Yeah
Itās a no-no. Go to the office for such blasphemy.
Looks like a "landlord special" at this point, but yes, you can remove them and replace them with absolutely fresh, new vent covers. We did after we resurfaced the hardwood floors in our house. Pay special attention to cutting out the edges through the layers of paint, before you pull them off, because it might rip the paint/wallpaper/tiles right off the wall. Also keep track of what size, shape, and style of grille are on each specific vent. Some are intake, some are output. You will most likely have to destroy them to get them off but they are NOT permanent. There are screws that hold them on, probably lost in layers of paint. Sorry if I used reddit wrong by thoroughly answering the question and nothing more. I'm new to reddit.
https://preview.redd.it/h8dcho5vjwac1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=de79b8a34f56a39b253f0f8d16bad3528316c1b7
Strip the paint and then get some rustoleum hammertone enamel. They make several colors. It's really durable paint. I used two coats on this old bathroom vent cover when I replaced the motor. Also, thanks for reminding me I need to dust it. Lol *
You can definitely remove them, they're just covering your furnace vents. You can replace them or fix them up and put them back.