Smart way to hide HVAC duct in closet

3 years ago

We are doing some remodeling work in our bedrooms, and having a hard time figuring out what to do with the closet in one of the rooms.

- The closet in this bedroom has an unusual ductwork going through it. I think this is carrying air from the furnace/HVAC. There is a metal box on the floor, as well as a 12 inch pipe going from the box to the ceiling. See "HVAC" picture below to see what I mean. The metal box occupies about 40% of the width of the closet -- it's a real pain.

- We are considering a new closet design where we remove the closet doors and have an "open reach in" closet. This will make the HVAC, which was previously not visible when the closet was closed, very visible.

- California Closets has proposed building an enclosure of panels around the pipe and box. See "Snapshot of proposal" picture below. The rest of their proposal accommodates the HVAC pretty well -- there's a shelf and a long-hang section above the box. So the functionality is great for the space. The concern here is solely about the aesthetics of hiding that ductwork.

My main questions are:

- Are we overlooking a better way to address this HVAC eyesore? E.g. painting? A curtain? Something else?

- Do you think the enclosure solution will work out well? Or will we end up regretting this route?

This question is quite similar to this previous post: Block off AC duct in closet (houzz.com). The key difference is that they didn't have that metal box at the bottom of the closet.

Thanks for your thoughts!

HVAC:

Wide angle of closet:

Snapshot of proposal:

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Comments (5)

PRO
HALLETT & Co.
3 years ago
There is only so much they can do but that drawing makes sense. If the duct is 8” currently we can assume it will be at least 10” when it is boxed in, does that leave enough depth for a floor to ceiling shoe cabinet in front of the duct? 12” deep, floor to ceiling, adjustable shelves...
Nate A thanked HALLETT & Co.
Nate A
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Actually yes, they have also proposed a cabinet in front of the pipe enclosure.

- The cabinet must face left, not out of the closet, because it needs to be mounted on the right wall of the closet.

- The cabinet cannot go all the way to the closet ceiling, because there is an overhang/soffit at the front of the closet.

Do you see any issues with making the cabinet face left, or with having it not go to the true ceiling? We were shying away from this because it was starting to feel a bit cobbled together.

Screenshot of cabinet proposal (as viewed from the left so that you can see the shelves. the grey slab above the cabinet is the closet overhang).
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Nate A
Original Author
3 years ago
@HALLETT & Co. -- Do you happen to know if there are any concerns with having the enclosure right next to the ductwork? In particular, the metal box at the bottom of the closet is 13.5" deep. To make the enclosure flush with the rest of the new shelves, the front panel would be at 14". Is it OK to have the enclosure so close to the HVAC?

(I assume yes, since the box only has 1/2" clearance at the back as well).
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
3 years ago
I wouldn’t be concerned with that at all- at most it gets to 100 degrees when the heat is on, I doubt even that hot. I don’t like the shelf turned sideways, it’s the limitation of their hanging system. Better than wasted space though. I do wonder if you could eek out a bit more usable storage having a custom guy build this with plywood.
Nate A thanked HALLETT & Co.
Nate A
Original Author
3 years ago
@HALLETT & Co. I agree that I don't like the sideways shelf. I think the hanging items will essentially block the shelf as well.

What would you think of attaching some floating shelves to the enclosure around the pipe? We were thinking either that, or hooks.

Smart way to hide HVAC duct in closet

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Smart way to hide HVAC duct in closet

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