Help me hide my furnace

[natejj]

Here are 2 shots from inside of my kitchen. As you can see, my unsightly furnace is currently exposed. The previous owners had a sheet hanging over it... but it looked even worse. I'd like to build a simple cover for this, but I'm fairly newb when it comes to carpenty. I figured I'd just measure the hole, cut out a sheet of plywood that fits just inside, then tack on some baseboards around to hide the edges and cut slots in the middle so the furnace can get air... and be done with it? Then have it hang on 2 screws or something so it can be easily taken up/down so I can access the furnace.

Anyone have any suggestions or tips? My idea is pretty plain but simple.

http://imgur.com/AWcpX

http://imgur.com/W1xIw

[Tik-Tok]

Louvered bi-fold door.

http://images.craigslist.org/5Nb5Ic5Ka3Gd3F13N5c6k7dc36f00a7e11e20.jpg

[GTS4tw]

I would bring the door header down so that it is level with the laundry room and then do bi-folds on both so that it matches. Hard to determine dimensions but it might also work to open up the front of the wall between the rooms and make it seem like one closet, covering it with 2 bifolds. I would recommend against just covering it with plywood and making it so you have to screw it on and off, with filter changes, pilot light, and servicing it will need to be accessed a few times a year at least and the screw holes will strip out leaving it loose or requiring new ones and look unsightly.

[Phl0xed]

Originally posted by GTS4tw
I would bring the door header down so that it is level with the laundry room and then do bi-folds on both so that it matches. Hard to determine dimensions but it might also work to open up the front of the wall between the rooms and make it seem like one closet, covering it with 2 bifolds. I would recommend against just covering it with plywood and making it so you have to screw it on and off, with filter changes, pilot light, and servicing it will need to be accessed a few times a year at least and the screw holes will strip out leaving it loose or requiring new ones and look unsightly.

Beat me to the punch. As stated: If you plan on keeping it separate from the laundry, at least bring the top of the frame down so it is level with the laundry. Louvered bi-folding door is a great idea. Still leaves the furnace with plenty of breathability.

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but is there some sort of baseboard around the laundry? What ever you do, match the furnace space to the laundry, so as to keep it easy on the eyes. :)

[Nitron88]

Neatly place a blow up doll in front, hope not to scare the dog during his meals.


Originally posted by natejj
Here are 2 shots from inside of my kitchen. As you can see, my unsightly furnace is currently exposed. The previous owners had a sheet hanging over it... but it looked even worse. I'd like to build a simple cover for this, but I'm fairly newb when it comes to carpenty. I figured I'd just measure the hole, cut out a sheet of plywood that fits just inside, then tack on some baseboards around to hide the edges and cut slots in the middle so the furnace can get air... and be done with it? Then have it hang on 2 screws or something so it can be easily taken up/down so I can access the furnace.

Anyone have any suggestions or tips? My idea is pretty plain but simple.

http://imgur.com/AWcpX

http://imgur.com/W1xIw

[sputnik]

Why is there a furnace in your kitchen?

[natejj]

Originally posted by sputnik
Why is there a furnace in your kitchen?

It's a mobile home. Appreciate the tips, I'm going to keep it seperate from the laundry, but yeah matching would look much better, then the doors would be a great touch.

[Kloubek]

Agree with the suggestions here 100%. You really need to make sure you use something with louvers to ensure proper airflow, and the height is too high right now to install a standard height bifold door. Your biggest issue might be to find one that is the proper width to fill that space.

[natejj]

Originally posted by Kloubek
Agree with the suggestions here 100%. You really need to make sure you use something with louvers to ensure proper airflow, and the height is too high right now to install a standard height bifold door. Your biggest issue might be to find one that is the proper width to fill that space.

Yeah that's what I'm worried about. I just measured it, and the opening is 20.5" across. I'm heading down south next week so I'll see what I can find (I live in northern BC).

As for "bringing down" the top part... is this basically what I have to do...?

Install 2x4" in the frame of wall, to support the "wall".... measure the space, cut piece of plywood or similair wood.... attach to 2x4..... plaster/sand/paint around edges?

[sillysod]

If it's an odd ball size you will have a hard time finding a door to cover it. Absolute worst case scenario would be to put horizontal blinds infront of it.

Would be super cheap to get cut to size and would cover it up.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by natejj


Yeah that's what I'm worried about. I just measured it, and the opening is 20.5" across. I'm heading down south next week so I'll see what I can find (I live in northern BC).

As for "bringing down" the top part... is this basically what I have to do...?

Install 2x4" in the frame of wall, to support the "wall".... measure the space, cut piece of plywood or similair wood.... attach to 2x4..... plaster/sand/paint around edges?

Find a door that fits, something standard sized, and make your hole fit the door, otherwise you will have to get a custom made door. How far south are you going? Should be able to find something at a used building materials place somewhere on your way.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by sillysod
horizontal blinds

Vertical blinds might be better suited.

[Kloubek]

Nah... it sounds like he wants this to look decent and blinds are a total cover-up.

Sorry OP, but you talk about plaster... and my only experience is with drywall.... so I would frame in the area above that you need to bring the top of the opening down and then cut pieces of drywall, screw them in, and then tape, mud and sand. Should be fairly straight-forward. If you're actually plastering then I guess you probably would use something like plywood, but should get advice for someone who has a clue. That would not be me.

As far as the door size, I highly doubt you're going to find something that fits exactly. In that case, you'd either have to rip out one of the studs and then position it to accomodate the door. Or, have a custom door built but I imagine that would cost a mint for what it is.

Don't be afraid to rip out a stud - provided it isn't structural of course. It isn't as much work as it seems... then you can use whatever sized door you like. (Is 24" a standard bifold door size? I dunno)

[speedog]

Also be mindful of regulations regarding how close a furnace can be to any wall or structure.

[legendboy]

^ looks like a re do to me

i would rip that wall out and re position/frame things in properly

maybe bring somebody in for drywall mud and tape, then finish it off

[raceman6135]

Another alternative would be to build your own door, and use some metal venting material like they use to cover floor-mount hot water heating radiators, like this:

http://www.diywithadd.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/L1040469.jpg

http://www.airflexind.com/images/gr-circle_link.JPG

http://www.airflexind.com/images/gr-poseidon.JPG

Without too much difficulty, you could buy a plain, flat slab door, cut holes in it and put in the ventilation material, too.

[natejj]

First goal is to not spend a lot money! Budget for this project is like... $200 max. Second goal is to do as little work as possible, so there will be no ripping out of studs or reframing for a door. We're talking about a mobile home from 1974 that I plan on selling in a few months and just want to make it look decent, not go Mike Holmes on this biatch.

Plan is to "bring down" the top with drywall or whatever I can get my hands on, and then sand/mud it so it at least matches the laundry. Then I'm just going to insert a piece of wood with some trim around the edges, so it sits on top of the furnace gap. I'll install one of those fancy metal cover's to let it breath and be done with it.

Thanks for the tips.

[sillysod]

The only reason I suggested blinds is because chances are he is not going to find a door that fits. Building something, getting a custom door etc is going to be well over $200.00

Blinds will be super cheap. Horizontal or vertical, I just think faux wood horizontal ones would look better and will be cheaper.