Can You Paint Floor Registers?

How to prep and spray paint floor registers for an easy upgrade.

Yes, you tin can spray paint your estrus registers! Giving them a fresh coat of paint with this DIY project will make your floor vents look brand new and give your rooms an updated look.

Years agone I started spray painting something in our house that was sticking out to me – our flooring registers. Nosotros used to have laminate floors that were a darkish carmine tone and I noticed immediately after they were installed that the light colored vents were sticking out like a sore thumb.

So I sprayed them. And wouldn't y'all know it, iv years later they are nonetheless looking pretty darn adept! This air vent is in the kitchen and we walk on it daily: spray painting floor registers

At that place are a few scratches on it merely null major – I'thou actually surprised at how well they have held up. This is after 4 years people!

So, it's been a twelvemonth and a half since we got our new finished on site hardwoods put in, and it's taken a year and a one-half for me to continue the spray painting makeover throughout the rest of the main flooring.

It'due south just a little affair, the lighter registers bugged me EVERY fourth dimension I took a photo of a space. Not plenty to actually do anything about information technology for xviii months, obviously, merely I did notice them.

Spring to a DIYer means many things – one if which is the ability to spray paint outside again – 'tis a glorious thing. So I got to it.

1. Make clean the registers well.

I always say the prep is the about important part of any spray paint project!

I took the register out (and covered up the hole because we take modest animals that would go for a ride through the HVAC system), then cleaned it off:

spray painting floor registers

You don't have to go crazy hither, give information technology a practiced wipe to get the dirt and grime off. If they are really bad, launder them in the sink with warm, soapy water. Make sure to clean between the slats well -- you tin as well run these through the dishwasher if yours are particularly dirty.

Just brand sure the vent is completely dry before painting!

If you take any imperfections in the surface like scratches or rust spots, knock those down with a wire castor or steel wool and so wipe away any dust. Wood vents should exist prepped with a sanding cake to remove any meridian coats.

While the vents are drying, y'all tin can vacuum the debris out of your air ducts while you have access!

2. Spray your registers!

If your floor vent covers become a lot of foot traffic, it's a skillful idea to prime them with a skillful quality spray primer commencement. I don't unremarkably prime ours since about are out of the mode, and as you tin can see above even those that do get traffic notwithstanding hold upward well.

We accept dark hardwood floors, and then I wanted the vents to blend in a little more. I've shared how much I beloved oil rubbed bronze spray pigment:

oil rubbed bronze spray paint

It's been a while my friend. I've missed y'all.

I went outside in the glorious warm weather condition and started spraying:

spray painting floor registers

Then I waved at my neighbors, trying not to wait like a freak for spray painting my registers and standing there taking a picture of myself while doing it. :)

I recommend opening the annals and laying it in a cardboard box so you can spray from all angles. The box prevents the current of air from affecting your spray.

I'grand not concerned with covering every single spot inside the floor grates, but get what is most visible.

A few tips for a perfect spray pigment stop:

Good prep (cleaning and sanding) volition preclude crackling and allow for the best adhesion.
Sparse, light coats are platonic -- if you hold the nozzle down and spray too much you lot'll get drips.
Numerous light coats will look better than fewer heavy coats.
Lighter coats dry much faster, and so you'll be able to move on quicker!

I started painting all of our registers in this house presently after moving in:

spray painted floor vent

Here's a wait at them in the floor in our one-time house, one painted, ane non:

spray painting floor registers

See how the the darker one kind of disappears and you don't notice it every bit much? I don't want to notice floor registers. :)

If you lot leave them outside to dry they'll be ready to put back inside ten minutes – as long every bit it'due south non humid out. Avoid walking on them for a while so they can cure well:

dark hardwoods dark floor vents

Each 1 took me nearly five minutes offset to end, and then some drying fourth dimension.

Again, information technology'south not a large change but I honey it. Our floor vents are no longer the first thing I see when I walk in the room!

I uncertainty the lighter ones were standing out to anyone else, but I'chiliad weird and it's my business firm so I changed them. :)

You can also update metal vent covers on the walls or ceiling using this aforementioned process!

Have you spray painted your floor vents? It'due south a little thing that I find makes a big divergence in our dwelling house!

Check out all of my spray paint projects and reviews hither!