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Fine Homebuilding: The Magazine

Fine Homebuilding: The Magazine


Fancy Grilles from Recycled Iron

comments (0) April 29th, 2009 in Blogs        
RDA Robyn Doyon-Aitken, producer
no recommendations

Iron Age grilles are substantially built and guaranteed against breakage.
Iron Age grilles are substantially built and guaranteed against breakage.Click To Enlarge

Iron Age grilles are substantially built and guaranteed against breakage.

Photo: Krysta S. Doerfler

by Justin Fink

Cast-iron vent grilles

â–  Manufactured by Iron Age Designs
â–  206-276-0925; www.ironageregisters.com
â–  Cost: 4x10 grille, $45; 4x12 grille, $49


I’ve had an Iron Age Designs vent grille on my desk for the past couple of weeks, and almost every visitor picks it up, turns it over in their hands, and asks me if they can take it home. It’s funny how the little things end up being the most talked-about features in a house.

Cast-iron vent grilles
Iron Age grilles are substantially built and guaranteed against breakage. The surface of each grille has a sculptural relief to add a bit of elegance. Five different designs are available in a traditional clear, bronze, or black powder-coat finish. My favorite finish option, though, is baked-on french-fry oil. The recycled oil, taken from local restaurants, gives the grille a smooth texture and a chocolate-brown color similar to antique raw-iron castings.

The grilles are heavy enough to stay in place on the floor, and they all have factory-bored points on the underside that can be drilled out to hang the grilles on walls or ceilings. The maximum flange thickness typically protrudes 1⁄4 in. above the surrounding floor or wall.

—Justin Fink is an associate editor.


posted in: Blogs, hvac, hardware

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