Measuring Air Duct

The measurement you will order is your air duct opening size, not the outer frame size.

To measure, you will need to unscrew and remove your old vent cover.

Next, measure the width and height of your air duct opening. If the duct opening is 18” wide x 6” high, you will order a 18×6.

Ducts are not always perfect and sometimes roughly installed, so you may run into a partial inch measurement. In most cases, partial measurements can be rounded to the nearest whole number. For example if you measure 17 3/4″, most likely an 18″ will work and a custom size is not needed.

Tip: To get a cleaner measurement, you may have to trim back the drywall with a utility knife or exert some force to slightly expand or bend the metal duct opening.

Make sure that the vent’s face or front will fit within any wall, baseboard or trim obstacles. Your Vent Crafters vent will have a 1-1/4” border from the flange to the outer edge, on all 4 sides. If you have a piece of intruding trim such as a baseboard, you may need to cut that protrusion slightly.

Please visit our “Specs & Drawings” page for more information on dimensions and sizing.

Measuring Filter Frames

If your HVAC system requires you to change your air filter at one of your return air vents rather than at the A/C unit, we can provide a filter frame cover that will match your other vent covers. A filter frame is a decorative return vent made with a door for the purpose of changing an air filter.

To determine the size filter frame you will need, we need to know what size your air filter is. If you purchase air filters that are 20×20, you will order a 20×20 filter frame. Your finished filter frame will look like this, in the style and color of your choice:

The outer frame will be roughly 3.5″ larger in each direction than your filter. For example if you order a 20×20, the overall size of your filter frame will be 23.5″ x 23.5″.

Please note filter frames are made slightly thinner than our standard vents, at 16G. This prevents the unit from being too heavy and hazardous to open when you change your filter.