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How to Build a Custom Range Hood for $20

published Jan 20, 2015
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(Image credit: On Bliss Street)

If you missed the earlier Before & After post, here’s the custom range hood cover that reader Erica fabricated for her largely DIY kitchen. She took a basic builder grade feature, and made it work for her. Check out the step-by-step process to make one yourself…

What You Need

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Materials

Supply List:
  • (1) 2’x4′ Luanan plywood
  • (1) 1″ x 2″- just a small piece cut in half lengthwise to make square pieces of board.
  • (2) 2 1/2″x 4″ x 6′ Aspen boards- ripped in half lengthwise to make 4- 1/2″ x 1 3/4″ x 6′ boards.
  • Wood glue
  • 1/2″ brad nails
  • 3/4″ brad nails
  • (2) 2″ screws
  • Paint (the same color as your cabinets)
Cut List
  • (4) 7″ pieces of aspen for trim for sides of box
  • (2) 9″ 1″x1″ pieces of scrap for corners.
  • (1) 30″ x 9″ luanan for front of box
  • (2) 9″ x 7″ luanan for sides of box
  • (3) 30″ pieces of aspen. 2 are for front trim and 1 is to use as a cleat to attach the cover to cabinets.
  • (6) 5 1/2″ pieces of aspen for trim for sides of box
  • (5) 5″ x 5 1/2″ pieces of luanan for slats for front of box (optional)
  • (4) 1 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ pieces of luanan for slats on sides of box (optional)

Tools

  • Screwdriver
  • Hammer
  • Paintbrush

Instructions

1. First, measure your existing range hood. For this project, the cover needed to measure 30″wide, 7″ deep and 9″ tall.

One of the sides, covered in trim. Do the same thing with the other side, as well as the front. (Image credit: On Bliss Street)

2. First assemble your sides and front with the trim. Glue the pieces together, then use 1/2″ brad nails to hold them together (just clip and file them down if they go through). You only need a few- they will just hold until the glue dries. Make sure you cover the entire surface of your board with glue.

(Image credit: On Bliss Street)

3. Using 3/4″ brad nails, attach the 2 corner pieces to the front and sides of the box to cover the edges of the luanan that is showing.

(Image credit: On Bliss Street)

4. Attach the sides to the corner pieces using brad nails as well.

Optional: If you want to add slats to the front of the hood cover, divide the front into sections (depending on how many slats you’d like). Once you figure out the measurements and placement, glue in place. Use a scrap piece of wood between each to make your spaces uniform.

(Image credit: On Bliss Street)

5. Next, using a level, attach a 30″ cleat to the cabinet above your range. Use some wood glue and 2″ nails to attach.

(Image credit: On Bliss Street)

6. Screw the box into the cleat that is attached to the cabinet above the range hood.

(Image credit: On Bliss Street)

7. Paint!

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