Oops, I think I added this picture twice. Well, it sure looks awful.
How do I cover low hanging duct work?
by Faith Amadio
+3
I think I accidentally sent a picture of my grandchildren when I asked this question before. Honestly, I really DO have pictures!! Please bear with me while I try to figure out what I'm doing. We have a hall next to our family room that leads to our furnace room but, off this hall is a small room that I would like to redo into a den/reading room. However, the low hanging duct work is extremely ugly. Please, please, please can anyone help us cover this unsightly duct work? We need a solution that is affordable. Dare I say, cheap? We're senior citizens on a fixed and very limited budget. Help would be so appreciated. Thank you.
Picture #4 - This is the view down the hallway to the furnace room. Right now there is a sliding door at the end, but, it's not very attractive, either.
Picture # 2 - Ah, yes...looking up, you see the very ugly duct work. It makes me shudder every time I look at it.
Picture # 3 - The door to the left is the room we'd like to convert to a den/reading room.
This is the entrance to the hall. The pictures aren't in order unfortunately, but, I'll number then so you'll get an idea of the impact. So, this is picture #1 - not bad, until you look up, which you can't help but do, since the ceiling is very low. Oh please help me solve this problem, but, I just have this sinking feeling there is no solution for this problem within out means. Still, it's nice to dream! Thank you for such a wonderful forum!! It's amazing!
Hi Faith,
Unfortunately, some projects just don't have a simple, cheap, easy to do solution. Typically, ductwork like this would be framed in and then covered with plywood or drywall. A lot of work, but not super expensive if you have the skills to do it yourself. You can even attach rigid foam boards directly to the ductwork and paint them making a sort of faux soffit, which would also not be expensive. Or, just embrace the look. Maybe spray paint the ceiling and ductwork black to give it a modern industrial look and unify it or repaint with the white I see you already used.
Have a box built around it
Consider embracing the look and using foam board to cover the ugly wires and really junky parts, as Seth has suggested. Embrace the space by doing color-block paint work on various visible surfaces that would coordinate with your other designs. Good luck.
I agree with Katie. It's there...work with it. Cover the wires, etc, as suggested, and make the ductwork a statement. You could consider some of the new removable wall papers. They install very like contact paper does, and are just as removable. Darker colors and busy designs would help disguise that big dent.
Maybe try hanging Sheets/pretty material. Way to embrace but put your own touch to it
Kathy's solution is the most expedient, and will completely hide the unsightly ductwork with an attractive no-maintenance cover that is easy to clean.