How to Build a Custom Vent Hood

Give your kitchen a high-end upgrade with a DIY range vent hood made of simple supplies from the hardware store. This weekend project will take a few hours and only a small portion of your remodeling budget. 

By Hannah Bruneman

The vent above your range does an important job in the kitchen. While functional, it isn't always the most visually appealing feature. Most range vent hoods look like they're better suited for sterile professional-grade kitchens, surrounded by other stainless-steel appliances, shelves, and countertops. To fix this problem, we built a range vent hood that can be installed right over the vent, creating a high-end element that will instantly upgrade your kitchen. Our vent hood had the control panel on the bottom of the unit, making this project a simple, aesthetic solution. This project is inexpensive, effective, and can be done in a weekend. If you can build a box, you can build a custom vent hood. Follow along with our steps below to see how we did it. 

See more weekend projects for your kitchen here.

  • Working time 3 hrs
  • Start to finish 1 day
  • Difficulty Kind of easy
  • Involves Carpentry Skills, Painting
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What you need

Tools
Materials
Cuts
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How to do it

Step 1

Cut Boards

Cut boards to length, according to cut list above. The long front board and trim pieces should have two mitered edges along the short edges. The side boards and long trim pieces should have one mitered edge each on the short side. We made our box to fit a 30-inch-wide opening. You can adjust the box to fit your specific dimensions

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Step 2

Frame Box

With the boards cut, lay them in a line in the following order: side, front, side. The mitered edges should point toward each other. Run a strip of tape along the outside seams of the boards—this technique will make sure your corners are joined together tightly. Then, run a bead of wood glue along the mitered edges. Working quickly so the glue doesn’t drip, fold the side boards up to form the frame of the vent hood. Clamp to hold in place and let dry. Secure with screws in each corner.

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Step 3

Attach Top

With the frame sides built, it’s time to attach the top of the vent hood. Place the cut-to-size board on top of the frame’s edges and glue. Let glue dry and screw to secure, driving two screws into each side edge and four into the long edge.

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Step 4

Add Trim

Next add the trim along the perimeter of the vent hood. Glue trim around the top and bottom of the vent box cover. Secure with finishing nails, if desired.

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Step 5

Sand and Paint

Fill any nail holes with wood putty and let dry. Sand all surfaces and wipe clean with a tack cloth. Paint with a paintbrush and let dry.

Once dry, use a drill to attach the box to cabinet opening.

Editor's Tip

We recommend painting cabinetry and trim with oil-based paint. It has a hard finish that holds up to heavy use.

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