I have a heating/AC duct that is above my layout. It hangs down about 14" from the ceiling and is about 15" above the layout and is about 10" away from the wall it runs down. It runs through one wall of my layout and 90% down the length of the perpendicular wall, then up through the ceiling. I would like to come up with a way to hide or cover it up to prevent dirt and such from falling down. Any suggestions?
You could box it out using track pieces and suspended ceiling panels. Or box it out with 2x2’s and drywall, tape and spackle the corners so the eges are sealed, and paint it your sky color.
You could mold a removable foam mountain around it. May take several sections.
You could create a nice overhead control panel for dispaching and turnout togles.
I forgot to mention it runs about 7’ in length. I like the idea of boxing it out except I was thinking of something cheaper than drywall like plywood, luan board, or maybe even styrene. As for a control panel, that would be pretty cool but where do I run the wires? Down the side of the wall behind the duct?
The only thing cheaper than drywall is used cardboard boxes. You have to frame for anything that you use; this is where the cost is. not the drywall.
You could frame it with ceiling tiles, but you do have to be accurate when you install the metal framing.
Have a local sheet metal shop give you a quote for reducing the ductwork (making it flatter) and mounting it as close to the ceiling as possible. You could probably do the work yourself. You only need to make sure the area of a cross section of the new ductwork is the same size as the old ductwork. (Ductwork that is 6" x 8", or 48 sq in, can be replaced with 3" x 16" or even 2" x 24" ductwork.) I recommended a sheet metal shop because they can make the adapters for specialty ductwork. It shouldn’t be a terribly expensive proposition.
Darrell, quiet…for now
Have you considered painting it ? I’ve seen folks paint them black to make them less obstrusive. Also being black would show the dirt quicker so it could be cleaned. Just a cheap idea.
Mmmmmmmmm …I wouldn’t recommend making the ducts so “flat.” The cross-sectional area may be the same, but as you change the shape so it is less square (or round), the static friction increases and the air flow will be reduced (and/or the fan may labor). Might not make much of a difference, depending on your particular application, but keep it in mind.[2c]
Dante