HOW TO BUILD A RANGE HOOD

Well, I figure we may never get our remodeling done, so maybe I should post something that is mostly done; the range hood.

Range hoods are expensive, and when you don't want something everyone else has you pay through the nose for it, unless you build it yourself. Then, instead of paying a thousand or five, you pay $250 or so. And, you probably need to sacrifice some quality... unless you are a fine woodworker.

Step #1.
Never use inspiration from magazines to model your range hood after. This will cost you lots and lots of money. Or cause your husband lots and lots of agony as you decide to try and build it yourself. OR it will cause you to compare your finished range hood to your inspiration and let's face it, depression will set in.

Oh zinc, why do you taunt me so. WHY are you so expensive?? I refuse to faux paint zinc. I would just do a poor job.


Chalkboard then, a nice alternative to zinc. Between these two I decided to go darker on part of the hood. (These two photos are from the book Beautiful Kitchens by Better Homes and Gardens)


This hood I've shown before. I love the scallops. I don't know why!!! I don't consider myself a girly girl and I blame Stampin' Up! But, I think a few scallops can hang in the kitchen for a while.


Step #2
Design your hood, have your husband frame the hood, cut your design out of MDF and go to town baby. Horrible description I know. Oh, I also cut out a paper pattern (non-3D) and taped it to the wall to see if I liked the size and how high I wanted it.

Step #3
Buy a hood fan. Ugh, this is almost as hard a decision as deciding on the look of the hood itself.

Step #4
Prime it.


Step #5
Paint it and cross your fingers. Lucky it's just paint and you can change it.


I did have a shelf at one point, but it was bowed so I removed it and frankly, never found the energy to make a new one. I was also very unsure about the part descending down the wall. I really liked thicker corbels but decided to go this route. I think it's just okay. I may saw them off one day. That will be the same day I remove the scallops, so this means probably never.


I'm surprised how faintly the scallops show up, but not disappointed.



At certain times of the day the scallops are more pronounced and I'm not disappointed in that either.


I think when the kitchen is done and the crown molding goes up with will look better. But as it stands now, I'm pretty pleased.

(If you would like to see better, but still not great, instructions I have posted them here)

So there you go, next up, the barn door.