How Do I Choose a Floor Vent Cover, and What Size Do I Need?

A floor vent cover (also called a floor register or a grille) is the piece that sits over the hole where warm or cool air comes into the room. Replacing it is a small job, but two things trip people up: the size, and the type. Here is how to get both right, with real products sold on FloorBox.

You can see every model in our floor vent covers category.

What size floor vent cover do I need?

The size on a vent cover is the size of the hole in the floor, not the size of the cover you see. That hole is called the duct opening.

Here is how to measure it:

1. Lift the old cover out of the opening.
2. Measure the opening itself, from the inside edges. Do not measure the old cover.
3. Write it as width by length, in inches. For example, 4 x 10.

Common opening sizes you will see on FloorBox vents are 2 x 12, 3 x 10, 4 x 10 and 4 x 12. The Aria Vents Framed Floor Vent Lite, for example, comes in all four.

Then check the outside size. The visible part of the cover is often bigger than the hole. The Biyork Nouveau 8 hardwood floor vent fits a 4 x 10 inch opening, but it measures 6.75 x 13 inches on top. That matters if the vent sits close to a wall, a cabinet or a door.

If your opening doesn't match any size, or the hole is damaged, contact us before you order.

Framed, flush or drop-in: what's the difference?

The big question is when the vent goes in: before the new floor, or after.

• A framed vent has a frame that sits on top of the floor.
• A flush vent sits level with the floor, with no frame.
• A drop-in vent sets into the duct opening.

Aria Vents Framed Floor Vent Lite

• Goes in any time, even after the floor is done. Aria calls it a DIY install in about 15 minutes. The frame sits on top of your floor.
• About 1 13/16 inches (46 mm) of it drops into the opening (Aria dimension sheet attached to the product page). That is the part that has to fit inside your duct.
• You can hide your flooring in it. The centre tray holds a piece of your own tile, hardwood, vinyl, laminate, cork or carpet, so the vent blends into your floor. Aria says the material must be at least 1/8 inch thick.
• ABS plastic, rated up to 300 lbs.
• No damper included. A damper is the little flap that lets you open or close the airflow. For this model it is sold separately as the Aria Vents Damper Lite. It clips on with no tools, but once it is on, it can't come off. It only fits select sizes, so check the damper page first.

Aria Vents Flush Floor Vent Lite

• Goes in before the floor. Aria's install guide has you screw a base to the subfloor first, then lay your flooring so it ends up level with it. Aria lists it as a pro install, about 30 minutes.
• Sits level with the floor, with no frame on top. Its height can be adjusted to match your flooring.
• Same centre tray idea: fill it with your own flooring, at least 1/8 inch thick.
• Dampers are built in. Aria says you adjust them by lifting out the tray and bending them.
• ABS plastic, rated up to 300 lbs.

Not sure what a subfloor is? Our post on what a subfloor is explains it.

Inte-Grates Floor Vent Drop-In Series

• Made for floors that are already installed. You set it into the open vent.
• Centre tray for your flooring. You cut a piece of matching flooring to fit. The tray is 3/4 inch deep (Inte-Grates sales sheet attached to the product page).
• Sliding airflow control, so you can open or close it.
• Plastic, made in Canada, in black or white.

Can I get a wood vent that matches my hardwood floor?

Yes. You have two simple options.

• A vent made to match a floor. Biyork's hardwood floor vents come in colours made to go with its Nouveau 8 floors. The Nouveau 8 Barely Beige vent, for example, is European oak.
• An unfinished wood vent. The CG Hardwood Molding Flushmount Vent in unfinished white oak is sold unfinished. That means it comes as bare wood, with no stain or coating. It is a 4 x 10 inch vent and comes in three thicknesses: 1/2 inch, 5/8 inch and 3/4 inch. Pick the one closest to the thickness of your hardwood. It also comes in red oak and maple.

For vinyl plank, laminate or tile, the tray vents above let you match your floor: you use a piece of the same flooring (at least 1/8 inch thick for Aria).

What about vents in the basement?

Some homes have vents in the walls or ceiling instead of the floor. If yours does, FloorBox has wall and ceiling models too:

• The Aria Vents Flush Wall Vent Lite sits flush with the drywall. It needs drywall mudding: its edge gets covered with drywall compound, then sanded smooth. Aria lists it as a pro install, about 30 minutes. Its centre plate can be painted or wallpapered.
• The Inte-Grates Drywall and Ceiling Vent Drop-In Series is a wall vent with no mudding required, according to Inte-Grates. The brand says you drop it into the opening and hold it with the screws provided. It can be painted or wallpapered.

What that means for you

• Floor not installed yet? Now is the time to plan a flush vent like the Aria Flush Lite, since it must go in before the flooring.
• Floor already done? Pick a framed or drop-in vent. Both go in without lifting the floor.
• Want the vent to almost disappear? Choose a model with a centre tray and fill it with a piece of your new floor.
• Hardwood floor? Look at a wood vent made to match, or an unfinished one.
• Measure the hole, not the old cover, then check the outside size.

Where your new floor meets another floor at a doorway, you may also need a transition strip. See which transition strip to use between two floors.

Still unsure which vent fits your opening? Contact us and send your measurements.

Frequently asked questions

Is a floor register the same thing as a floor vent cover?

Yes, in everyday use. Both words mean the cover that sits over the duct opening in your floor. Some people say grille too.

Do I measure the old vent cover or the hole?

The hole. Vent covers are sold by the size of the duct opening. The cover you see on top can be bigger.

Can I put a new vent in after my floor is installed?

Yes. A framed vent like the Aria Vents Framed Floor Vent Lite or a drop-in like the Inte-Grates Drop-In Series is made for that. The Aria flush vent is not: it goes in before the floor.

Can I close a floor vent to cut the airflow?

On models with a damper, yes. The Aria Vents Flush Floor Vent Lite has dampers built in, the Inte-Grates drop-in has a sliding control, and the framed Aria Lite takes the optional Damper Lite.

Are plastic floor vents strong enough to step on?

Aria rates its ABS plastic Lite floor vents up to 300 lbs. For any other plastic vent, check the product page before you put it in a busy spot.

Can I put thin vinyl plank flooring in the vent tray?

Aria says the material in its trays must be at least 1/8 inch thick. Check the thickness on your flooring's product page, and contact us if you are not sure.