Need some help to cover this ugly grate
by
Michelle
+9
This is a spot in the hallway that measures 37 x 25.5, what it used to be is a grate for the oil system at some point, the previous owners removed it and put this mess instead. Help!!!I hate the metal trim, sharp edges currently covered by a rug. How do I make this pretty on a low budget?? Thank you! I look forward to some creative ideas!
12 answers
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I see two options, take it out and install hardwood in a different pattern and color to make it stand out. The other option would be to replace with a birch plywood and paint and stencil to look like a rug.
Lagree Wyndham
on Jan 27, 2016
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Lagree has the right answer. Install a nice patern in different wood and make it the size of a rug not just the size of the patch.
Jean Myles
on Jan 28, 2016
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The grate would have looked better than that. I'm not sure which way the measurements go but would a hall runner cover it up? If it's 37"wide then no. Would you have enough of this hardwood inside closets to pull up and use to fill the hole? It would still show but wouldn't look as bad. Another thought might be to extend the hole approx 3 or more feet, center it in the hallway with same distance at each end and have an insert made of carpet so its flush with the surrounding hardwood and glue it down. I have seen this in houses where the border of a room is hardwood and the carpet center is inset. You could just have a remenant cut, doesn't have to be expensive. You could also do that with a nice tile, just make sure it's flush. Don't worry abought wrecking more of the floor, that ship has sailed, the hall is ruined anyway so as you said, "make it pretty." Hope this helps.
Lori
on Jan 28, 2016
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You can have a flooring expert come in and instal new unfinished hardwood, and have it stained to match the existing floor color, or if this are is in the center of the hallway, you could do an inlaid parquet floor design, which would make this a decorative conversational element to the hallway.
LD
on Jan 28, 2016
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There will not be anything to attach wood to if you remove the metal so I suggest that you may have to build a brace from one side to the other of the floor joists. Then you can build up the surface to meet the floor. We removed a old chimmny and found we could only use concreat then we fill in with plywood and wood flooring. Not easy and lumber liquidators the oak to match 100.00 to fix less than 200 square feet.
Teresa
on Jan 28, 2016
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I agree with Linda, I'd have a flooring expert come in and match the hardwood.
Barbara
on Jan 28, 2016
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We had a similar situation in a home we are renovating where two floor furnaces had been removed. We did what Lori suggested, removed wood from closets and from a bathroom that was being tiled. It's a lot of work because you have to remove more wood to blend in the pieces and make it look seamless with the existing wood floor. It is totally worth it in the long run though. Looks like the original floor now.
Martha Anne Horning
on Jan 28, 2016
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Awesome feed back in a few months will get an estimate from flooring professionals
Michelle
on Jan 28, 2016
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Awesome feed back in a few months will get an estimate from flooring professionals
Michelle
on Jan 28, 2016
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Awesome feed back in a few months will get an estimate from flooring professionals
Michelle
on Jan 28, 2016
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Awesome feed back in a few months will get an estimate from flooring professionals
Michelle
on Jan 28, 2016
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I had that problem once and covered the hole with a piece of plywood, painted a border around the edge and stenciled a design in the middle and made it look like a rug. You might have to put some putty in the cracks. It's inexpensive and looked great. Every one knew it was where a floor furnace had been and that made it a conversation piece. To me it looked a lot better than a patched floor. It was an interesting piece of art. You can go on line under stenciled rugs. I choose my own design. You could use acrylic or chalk paint and a coat of urethane. I put the grate outside my back door to clean our shoes off on.
Norma Bryson
on Feb 05, 2016
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