DIY Vent Hood Cover

When I first came up with the design for our kitchen, I envisioned a black range hood chimney…which we installed originally. What I hadn’t taken account for was our 10 foot ceilings and the issue of the chimney being too short to reach to the ceiling. We were left with the options of purchasing an extension which would run around $200 for a three sided metal piece, or to leave it as is – looking a little funny, or to build a DIY vent hood and just cover it all up.

You can guess what my vote was.

DIY Vent Hood Cover Mood Board

I created this design mood board to help me get focused. I landed on a vertical shiplap vent hood, made from ripped pieces of 1/4″ birch plywood, and flanked by floating shelves on both sides. We had installed floating shelves with the original range chimney, but they were hung up using metal rod brackets that the heavy wooden shelves slid onto. Because our studs weren’t in great locations, the resulting shelves weren’t super sturdy, and one sagged due to the lack of studs and because of a warped board. All in all, I knew we could do better and would need to build something more solid for the long haul.

Step 1: Frame Out The Vent Hood 

We started with two cleats, made from 1x2s, that would form the back of the floating shelves, and would also be a junction point for the vent hood. then we created the top and bottom braces. We used painters tape to hold the sides in place while we attached the front pieces, and left a 1″ gap between the chimney and the vent hood so we could still access the vent buttons. 

Step 2: Add Bracing

At this point we had the option either place braces on the wall vertically, or on the front. We ultimately decided to go wit the front both to help support the long pieces of plywood, and because the front part of the ceiling brace was very secure and we felt it would help solidify the structure.

We also added middle braces attached by pocket holes. All internal framing was done with 1x2s with the exception of the front part of the brace on the ceiling which was a 1×4. 

Step 3: Create + Attach Shiplap

Next we ripped our 1/4″ plywood into 6″ pieces and attached them using a nail gun to face out the vent hood. 

Step 4: Add Trim

The last step was attaching 1×4 trim around the bottom to create a clean modern look.Then I stained it with a classic black stain. And finished the floating shelves in my favorite English Chestnut stain, and with that my vision came to life and totally transformed our kitchen! I was able to build the hood and the new shelves for just over $100 versus the $200 plus tax and shipping the chimney extension would have cost. I feel like this route 

See more projects and the step-by-step process in real time on my Insta here!

Don’t miss my other posts on all things home renovation here!