“How’s it hanging?” That was the question on our minds last week — not the casual greeting, but the real problem: how were we going to hang a $60 range hood we found on Craigslist?
We loved the price and the look, and our plan was to build a custom wood cover for the hood (see inspiration in last week’s post), but we hadn’t thought through the installation. This was an under-cabinet hood and we don’t have cabinets above the stove — so how do you convert an under-cabinet hood to a wall-mounted one?
My online searches didn’t turn up straightforward instructions at first, until I stumbled across Kenmore’s wall-mount bracket. We didn’t buy that exact kit — our hood is Jenn-Air — but it proved the idea was practical: you can retrofit an under-cabinet hood to mount on a wall. We sketched a plan, shopped for materials, and prepared for a potentially messy DIY experiment. The basic idea: attach a sturdy wood mounting panel to the studs, then use heavy-duty metal brackets to support the hood in place of a cabinet.
Before we could hang the hood, we had a few prep tasks. For one, our tile didn’t extend high enough under the vent pipe. It only took about 20 minutes to mix thinset and add a few spare tiles, but it was annoying to revisit the tiling step. Still, we’ve learned to roll with minor setbacks: sigh, laugh, and get it done.
Next we mapped important reference points on the wall with painter’s tape to make sure the hood and the future shelves would align and that we hit the studs when fastening the mount. It looks chaotic, but it’s a reliable method when planning a wall-mounted hood installation.
Those tape marks indicated:
- 1 & 2: Placement of floating shelves — we wanted the bottom of the hood and the top shelf to line up (about 34″ from the counter, which is within the recommended 30″–36″ clearance).
- 3, 4 & 5: Stud locations — critical for securely attaching the hood and its mounting board.
- 6: Center point of the stove — so the hood would sit squarely above it.
To locate studs we used a tip Sherry suggested earlier: mark the ceiling where studs are visible when the wall was open, then hang a thread with a paper clip from each mark so the stud locations were perfectly transferred down the finished wall. Those tiny ceiling marks will be covered when we install crown molding.
With guides in place, we secured our first mounting board. The hood alone could have spanned two studs, but its pre-cut mounting slots didn’t line up with the studs. Instead we attached a wider plank to two studs with 2.5″ screws and added a heavy-duty anchor at a third point for extra support. We checked our plan with a contractor first — always a good idea before drilling into finished tile — then braced ourselves for the tile-drilling stage.
Using a glass-and-tile drill bit, we carefully drilled the holes for the screws. It took steady pressure and concentration, but we got all the holes drilled without cracking tiles. Then we fastened the plank into the studs — feeling those screws bite in was incredibly reassuring. At that moment we knew the mount would carry serious weight.
We installed a second board above to support the metal brackets that would attach the hood. That panel was also secured into two studs and reinforced with heavy-duty anchors. The vent pipe sits slightly off-center relative to the boards, but once we build the wood hood cover the appearance will be centered and tidy. The blue arrows in the photo point to the screws the hood will hang from.
We felt better knowing that most upper cabinets are attached to studs with screws and support lots of dishware; a hood mounted to a similarly secure board should be equally solid. Then it was time to lift the hood. This felt even more nerve-wracking than drilling into tile — we half expected the whole tiled wall to peel off — but the wall held firm.
Sherry steadied the hood while I attached the brackets to the wood panel and to the hood using the same slots a cabinet would have provided. Once both brackets were secured the hood felt rock solid. We removed the temporary support and continued with finishing steps: connecting the vent pipe and plugging in the hood. Fortunately, the hood’s existing power cord lined up nearly perfectly with our outlet.
One small but useful update from readers: metal foil tape (available at hardware stores) provides a better long-term seal for the duct than standard duct tape. We’ll be retaping the vent with foil tape to ensure a tight seal.
Right now the exposed vent pipe, mounting boards, and the hole in the ceiling look unfinished — but this was a functional, necessary step. The hood now hangs at 34″ above the counter, which sits comfortably in the manufacturer’s recommended 30″–36″ range. It also has two light settings, which feels like an upgrade after months without a hood.
The exposed mounting wood will be covered by the custom wood hood cover we plan to build — the small overhang will actually give us a place to attach that cover securely. Filters weren’t snapped in for some shots, so the hood looks a bit raw from below; once the filters are installed it will look tidier.
If you’re worried it might fall down overnight, we were too — we even pulled the stove out the first night just in case. After several days with no creaks or movement, we’re comfortable calling the installation a success. Between the long screws into studs and the heavy-duty brackets, the mount is secure.
Next up: building the wood cover to hide the pipe and mounting hardware and give the range hood a finished, cohesive look. We’ll share those plans and photos soon. In the meantime, did you tackle any heavy-object hanging or tile drilling this weekend? Any tips for building a clean wood hood enclosure? We’ve also got a big project starting today that will last a few weeks — more on that tomorrow once we’ve survived day one and have photos to share.