Mounting air vent covers in the ceiling

[Howard]

How is this done in T-bar tile?

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The old holes that were created from simple screwing are no longer usable.

 

[olds]

Do the old holes go into the duct work?

 

[OUCaptain]

You could cut the side off of a large washer to get it close enough to the duct or use one of these.

 

[Nik]

Buy 2 small sheet-like strips of aluminum, maybe 1" wide and 3" long.

Bend at 90 degrees.

Screw one side into the duct work so that you'll have small "wings" (HAHA TAMPON JOKE) on either side of the duct work to which you can screw the vent into.

If your mounting holes are gone, make new ones

 

[waffleironhead]

epoxy

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Nik
Buy 2 small sheet-like strips of aluminum, maybe 1" wide and 3" long.

Bend at 90 degrees.

Screw one side into the duct work so that you'll have small "wings" (HAHA TAMPON JOKE) on either side of the duct work to which you can screw the vent into.

If your mounting holes are gone, make new ones

Good idea, thanks. If I install the tabs above the tile I might even be able to get away with not removing the angles every time I want to remove the tile.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: waffleironhead
epoxy

no

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
You could cut the side off of a large washer to get it close enough to the duct or use one of these.

Don't think those would work in this application...

 

[iGas]

Normally round registers/vents are use in the ceiling and they are framed/hung by the t-bars, or friction fit to 4" or greater round ducts with 3 screws to the sides.

Rectangular or square registers/louvers tend to be use for floor or wall that is friction fit (may be screw down if required).

As said above you can use sheet metals bent into t-shapes to mount your register.

Or, push the duct work up and slide 2 pieces of wood up for backing, and use 4 drywall screws to hold the backing in place, then put the duct work back where it belong and mount the register via 2 screws through the ceiling tile to the wood backing.

 

[iGas]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: waffleironhead
epoxy

no

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
You could cut the side off of a large washer to get it close enough to the duct or use one of these.

Don't think those would work in this application...

Those will work for your application however you have to mount the spring wingback behind the register mounting plate then push them through the enlarge holes in the ceiling tile.

<--- plumbing/gas/HVAC

 

[spidey07]

compression fittings or molly bolts? Basically treat it like drywall.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: iGas

Normally round registers/vents are use in the ceiling and they are framed/hung by the t-bars, or friction fit to 4" or greater round ducts with 3 screws to the sides.

Rectangular or square registers/louvers tend to be use for floor or wall that is friction fit (may be screw down if required).

As said above you can use sheet metals bent into t-shapes to mount your register.

Or, push the duct work up and slide 2 pieces of wood up for backing, and use 4 drywall screws to hold the backing in place, then put the duct work back where it belong and mount the register via 2 screws through the ceiling tile to the wood backing.

I might go with the last method you mentioned, actually. It'll be a lot easier to self-tap into the wood than it would be to align all the holes for the angles.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: spidey07
compression fittings or molly bolts? Basically treat it like drywall.

The hole on one side is totally messed up, and there isn't enough play that I can make another hole with enough meat around it. Compression fittings are a whole 'nother beast, as iGas can probably tell you.

Originally posted by: iGas

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: waffleironhead
epoxy

no

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
You could cut the side off of a large washer to get it close enough to the duct or use one of these.

Don't think those would work in this application...

Those will work for your application however you have to mount the spring wingback behind the register mounting plate then push them through the enlarge holes in the ceiling tile.

<--- plumbing/gas/HVAC

Aren't toggle bolts one-use only?

 

[iGas]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: spidey07
compression fittings or molly bolts? Basically treat it like drywall.

The hole on one side is totally messed up, and there isn't enough play that I can make another hole with enough meat around it.

Originally posted by: iGas

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: waffleironhead
epoxy

no

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
You could cut the side off of a large washer to get it close enough to the duct or use one of these.

Don't think those would work in this application...

Those will work for your application however you have to mount the spring wingback behind the register mounting plate then push them through the enlarge holes in the ceiling tile.

<--- plumbing/gas/HVAC

Aren't toggle bolts one-use only?

Yes, However the holes in the register aren't large enough to pass the toggle through, and you don't want a large hole/washer to be seen from the finish side of the register.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: iGas

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: spidey07
compression fittings or molly bolts? Basically treat it like drywall.

The hole on one side is totally messed up, and there isn't enough play that I can make another hole with enough meat around it.

Originally posted by: iGas

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: waffleironhead
epoxy

no

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
You could cut the side off of a large washer to get it close enough to the duct or use one of these.

Don't think those would work in this application...

Those will work for your application however you have to mount the spring wingback behind the register mounting plate then push them through the enlarge holes in the ceiling tile.

<--- plumbing/gas/HVAC

Aren't toggle bolts one-use only?

Yes, However the holes in the register aren't large enough to pass the toggle through, and you don't want a large hole/washer to be seen from the finish side of the register.

Right, I get it now. If there was a little more space I'd consider this option, but again the hole is totally messed up. It's not like I couldn't find the toggle after removing the bolt anyway...

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: waffleironhead
epoxy

FUCK THAT OLD SCHOOL CRAP! MIGHTY PUTTY FTMFW!!!!!

 

[dullard]

It may be ghetto, but I've just put 2x4 wood scraps on either side of the duct and screwed the vent cover in place. If you do it right, the vent cover will hold the wood in place and the wood would hold the vent cover in place with nothing but 1 screw on each side. But, I've glued the wood in place for easier installation and removal.

 

[Paperdoc]

Originally posted by: Nik
Buy 2 small sheet-like strips of aluminum, maybe 1" wide and 3" long.

Bend at 90 degrees.

Screw one side into the duct work so that you'll have small "wings" (HAHA TAMPON JOKE) on either side of the duct work to which you can screw the vent into.

If your mounting holes are gone, make new ones

A similar alternative: in most hardware stores you can buy L-shaped pieces of steel intended as corner braces in boxes. They have holes pre-drilled. Using the pre-drilled holes and sheet metal screws, mount one of these on each end of the ductwork above the tile hole. Measure carefully and drill new holes to line up with the holes in the vent cover you are trying to mount. Use a diameter of drill bit so you can use longer self-tapping screws to turn into the holes on the brackets you just made. Install ceiling panel, then install cover. Only problem is, you must remove the cover in order to remove that ceiling tile to work above it later.

On the other hand, I like dullard's method. It will support the cover nicely, plus it means the cover and wood strips are fastened to the ceiling tile, not the duct. So you can take out the ceiling tile easily when you need to - the cover comes with it.