Baseboard Vents

[emoflamingo]

We have a bunch of old ones at our house, kind of like this:



But with more grating and a nice avocado green and rusting on the back.

Would you just replace them or have them powder coated?

I did a google search and it doesn't look like they are too expensive for white metal replacements, but as of right now we have wood trim (and I don't see that changing unless we opt to replace the beat up trim we have now instead of painting our existing stuff white which is what I prefer but it's up to the person doing the work and it won't be me), so I was leaning towards a silver tone if I could find it.

Opinions or suggestions? Where are my "house integrity" people? It's not like my house is all that great (holla to 1963) but I want something that looks good and not too modern because eventually, we'll be bitching about how people couldn't keep the integrity of a 1960s era house when updating it.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Replace. They're inexpensive and still come with pretty much the exact same look - only cleaner. I had to paint one that was a weird size in the OH house and it was kind of a PITA and never looked 100% right.

[emoflamingo]

Yeah, I'm fairly certain they were painted before lol.

I'm just going to order them and surprise H like he has for awhile with his video game deliveries. Though he DID surprise me with my mantel. (Hope that goes up soon!)

[FoxInFiji]

We have similar baseboard vents only ones from the 70's with curved openings on the front. They worked but I wanted to replace them. I had a hard time finding anything decorative for baseboard vents (most decorative styles are for the floor) and still keeping with the straight line craftsman style. We bought these:


www.lowes.com/pd_231248-34146-ABBBWHB15_0__?productId=3260303

Only problem is we wanted to use ORB for all of the vents in the wood trim (which would match the doorknobs and most of the light fixtures and cabinet hardware) and white in the main bathroom where we have white trim. So we're spray painting the antique brass ones ORB (so the adjustable damper is black unlike the white ones). I'm not 100% sure how the best way to do that is but the face plate comes off so that may be helpful. I'm also ordering the same wicker style RA grilles for the whole house and ceiling mounted diffusers for the basement. The silly thing is those come in ORB but not white. We have high and low RA grilles so the bottom ones will be ORB and the upper ones we'll spray paint white.

*crosses fingers* I hope it all turns out OK. We've spray painted the existing upper RA grilles white and didn't have any issues with paint flaking off or with it looking bad. I think the issue becomes when you have multiple layers of wall paint on them to try to get them to blend in with the room. Spray paint is thin enough and sticks well enough I hope it's not be an issue for such a little used part of the home. It's not like a doorknob or cabinet hardware that you're touching everyday.

[mrspez07]

Mar 12, 2013 15:37:16 GMT -5 FoxInFiji said:

We have similar baseboard vents only ones from the 70's with curved openings on the front. They worked but I wanted to replace them. I had a hard time finding anything decorative for baseboard vents (most decorative styles are for the floor) and still keeping with the straight line craftsman style. We bought these:


www.lowes.com/pd_231248-34146-ABBBWHB15_0__?productId=3260303

Only problem is we wanted to use ORB for all of the vents in the wood trim (which would match the doorknobs and most of the light fixtures and cabinet hardware) and white in the main bathroom where we have white trim. So we're spray painting the antique brass ones ORB (so the adjustable damper is black unlike the white ones). I'm not 100% sure how the best way to do that is but the face plate comes off so that may be helpful. I'm also ordering the same wicker style RA grilles for the whole house and ceiling mounted diffusers for the basement. The silly thing is those come in ORB but not white. We have high and low RA grilles so the bottom ones will be ORB and the upper ones we'll spray paint white.

*crosses fingers* I hope it all turns out OK. We've spray painted the existing upper RA grilles white and didn't have any issues with paint flaking off or with it looking bad. I think the issue becomes when you have multiple layers of wall paint on them to try to get them to blend in with the room. Spray paint is thin enough and sticks well enough I hope it's not be an issue for such a little used part of the home. It's not like a doorknob or cabinet hardware that you're touching everyday.

We have the same shape, but I really like the style of the one you posted!  The ones that weren't already replaced may have to be replaced with that one!  We have a few odd sized wall grills we have had to paint, but otherwise have replaced and will continue to replace as needed. The bright white clashes with the cream trim in some rooms, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

[FoxInFiji]

Mar 12, 2013 17:26:33 GMT -5 mrspez07 said:

We have the same shape, but I really like the style of the one you posted!  The ones that weren't already replaced may have to be replaced with that one!  We have a few odd sized wall grills we have had to paint, but otherwise have replaced and will continue to replace as needed. The bright white clashes with the cream trim in some rooms, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

I ordered the baseboard ones from Lowe's (we don't have any here) but they don't carry all of the wall/floor sizes and colors.  You can find the whole list here along with some other designs:
accordventilation.com/elite.html

I'm going to try to get the whole house to match when it comes to grilles and diffusers.  You'd be surprised how many people comment on the baseboard diffuser in the main bathroom. 

[TBM]

Mar 12, 2013 13:22:06 GMT -5 emoflamingo said:

Opinions or suggestions? Where are my "house integrity" people? It's not like my house is all that great (holla to 1963) but I want something that looks good and not too modern because eventually, we'll be bitching about how people couldn't keep the integrity of a 1960s era house when updating it.

I guess you haven't read my complaints about updates done to 60s houses while we were house hunting. lol

To be honest, my complaints were about removing walls where it didn't make sense, or putting traditional cabinets in a mid century modern house (or a 70s modern house like our new house), or other adornment that just doesn't work with whatever particular style of 60s house it is.  I have no issue with updating mechanicals, although I will admit that I know absolutely nothing about baseboard heating/vents.

[pitterwoo]

The title of the post made me think of baseboard vents of a different type. Crummy little molding...grumble, grumble...stupid dust ledges. ::shakes fist::

[emoflamingo]

Mar 12, 2013 18:14:16 GMT -5 TBM said:

Mar 12, 2013 13:22:06 GMT -5 emoflamingo said:

Opinions or suggestions? Where are my "house integrity" people? It's not like my house is all that great (holla to 1963) but I want something that looks good and not too modern because eventually, we'll be bitching about how people couldn't keep the integrity of a 1960s era house when updating it.

I guess you haven't read my complaints about updates done to 60s houses while we were house hunting. lol

To be honest, my complaints were about removing walls where it didn't make sense, or putting traditional cabinets in a mid century modern house (or a 70s modern house like our new house), or other adornment that just doesn't work with whatever particular style of 60s house it is.  I have no issue with updating mechanicals, although I will admit that I know absolutely nothing about baseboard heating/vents.

Your new house is a far cry from mine though! Mine's just a ranch, yours is art lol. (I have mentioned I love the courtyard yes?)

[emoflamingo]

Mar 12, 2013 18:46:54 GMT -5 pitterwoo said:

The title of the post made me think of baseboard vents of a different type. Crummy little molding...grumble, grumble...stupid dust ledges. ::shakes fist::

HAH. That too. I realized that later and I was like "should I change it?... Nah."