DIY Munkey Boy

I've never considered myself handy with tools. I didn't even hang my Elfa Closets myself (I relied on Parker to do it when I moved.)

So, despite this, I figured I could but a new cold air return grill vent into my living room without any assistance. You know the idea. Think small. Start small. Grow as you learn and become more self confident. I ordered a wooden grill vent and had it delivered. It arrived and I was super psyched to start the project. After the vent sat for a week, I wondered if I was ever going to start the project. Breathe. Take a moment and examine the project.

Get the tools out (I had everything I needed (I think). I removed the old nasty metal vent. This was easy. I used a drill on the long screws until I realized that they weren't held in by anything. The drywall around the screws had been destroyed from multiple prior removals. Then I scraped off the monstrous amount of caulk that the rebuild contractor had used to make the vent flush with the wall. (I discovered that the vent was not however level to the floor (or gravity for that matter).

I measured twice and marked the parts of the wall I needed to cut away. Then I looked inside the wall and measured inside the studs and framing. Uh-Oh. The frame built inside the drywall to the HVAC system was too small for the 12x24 vent I'd purchased. Was my project derailed? Nope. I whipped out a hammer and pounded the bottom frame down and the top frame up and proceeded to cut the drywall with a six inch drywall saw. Hole complete, I slid in the frame for the new grill. Nearly perfect fit.

After vacuuming up all the debris that the sawing had left behind, I replaced the frame inside the wall and mounted the actual wooden grill. Awesome. Not only does it freakin' fit, I did all the work myself. Tomorrow's project is to take out the grill and paint it the same color as the wall. I may also search to see if Home Depot has some kind of epoxy or glue that I can mount the interior frame to the dry wall for a more flush fit on the finished job.

So the end result? I feel more confident with tools and taking on home DIY projects myself. Just because you never tried something before, doesn't mean you can't do it. Nor does it mean you have to beg your DIY experienced friends to help you. Hmmm... I smell more DIY in my future. Wish me luck.