We knew we wouldn’t want the range hood exposed for long, so we set out to build a custom cover. For height, we followed the manufacturer’s recommendations and installed the hood 34″ above the counter, right in the middle of the suggested range.
To decide on the final look, I mocked up two Photoshop options. The first design featured square panels across the front, similar to many inspiration photos we liked. Those squares were intended to be trim panels.
It felt a bit top-heavy, so we tried a second, cleaner version and preferred it right away.
I measured and sketched a rough technical drawing to plan the cover. I sketched the hood to scale on graph paper under a blank sheet, then drew the cover around it with a thicker marker so I could visualize how it would fit.
On the same sheet I worked out what lumber and plywood I’d need. My goals for the project were clear:
- Make the cover sturdy using moisture-, steam-, and grease-resistant plywood so it would last.
- Keep it as lightweight as possible to avoid adding unnecessary weight to the wall.
- Create an attractive finished look that complements the kitchen.
With plywood panels and 1x2s in hand, I started building from the bottom up. I constructed a U-shaped frame from three 1x2s joined with pocket screws using a Kreg Jig. To attach the frame to the wall I added pocket holes so the frame could be securely screwed to the wood plank we had used to mount the hood.
The frame doesn’t touch the hood itself, so the cover essentially floats around it. Our high-efficiency hood vents steam upward, and the wood surround should hold up to normal kitchen conditions just like many wood cabinets and hood surrounds do. We’ve heard from others who’ve built or had wood covers installed with no moisture issues.
Note: the photos show duct tape on the vent joints; we later replaced that with metal foil tape for a proper seal.
Once the frame was mounted I nailed thin plywood panels in place to form the three lower sides of the cover.
I left a small gap around the hood so we could still reach the control buttons. The gap is narrow enough to hide the hood visually but wide enough for fingers to access the controls without difficulty.
If you stand at a normal height you can see the controls without ducking, which keeps them accessible but discreet.
For the next tier I built a slightly smaller 1×2 frame and ran one edge through the table saw at an angle so the sloped plywood panel would sit against it cleanly. I didn’t obsessively measure the angle; I made an educated cut that fit the slope better than a square edge would.
Here it is attached to the upper portion of the hood so the sloped piece has a proper ledge to rest on.
I added a small 1×2 ledge to secure the next plywood panels with nails and cut it with a slight angle to help the sloped panel sit flush.
With the sloped plywood in place, the form began to take shape.
The next two side pieces were non-rectangular and required precise cuts. I held each piece in place, marked the exact cut line, and ran them through the table saw to create accurate quadrilateral panels.
With those panels attached, the cover was starting to look like a cohesive unit. It still looked unfinished without trim, but the major construction was done.
For the final tier, I built a small frame to enclose the vent pipe — the chimney section. I attached the tiny 1×2 frame directly into ceiling joists so it would be secure. The vent hole in the ceiling was larger than expected, so there’s some patching to do there before crown molding is installed.
Covering the chimney with a plywood panel completed the major build portion of the project.
At this stage the hood was fully covered, fully accessible, and securely mounted. It still looked a bit raw, so the trim work would be important for a finished appearance.
I chose lightweight plywood for trim to keep the cover light, and I glued the trim in place to minimize visible nail holes. I used construction adhesive and clamped or taped pieces while they set. Once painted with a durable cabinet paint, the trim should hold up well against typical kitchen conditions.
We decided against the small boxy panels from the original renderings and went with a cleaner, simpler trim that better matches our cabinets. Using adhesive allowed some small adjustments during installation, though I switched adhesives mid-job when an older tube ran out. The second adhesive held pieces in place immediately, which eliminated the need for extra tape.
The top trim took a little longer, especially because I ran out of material and had to make an extra trip to the store, but by the end of the day the cover looked much more finished.
We left the chimney without decorative trim since it isn’t a focal point and there weren’t visible seams that required finishing. Once the ceiling hole is patched and crown molding is added around the top, the entire assembly will look much more polished.
It’s not perfect yet — it still needs priming, painting, and a bit of caulk to make seams seamless — but it meets the three goals: sturdy, lightweight, and attractive.
The finished cover doesn’t include the features of a professional unit, but once painted it should perform and wear like painted cabinetry. Material costs for the surround were about $90, bringing the total for both hood and surround to roughly $175 after accounting for the hood and mounting hardware — significantly less than comparable ready-made options.
We took some after photos while the kitchen was clean for a book photoshoot. The space still needs crown molding, open shelves, paint, flooring, and a few other finishing touches, but adding the hood cover helps break up the tile and starts to give the wall more character.
Seeing something on this wall again is a welcome change after two months of emptiness. We’re excited to prime and paint the cover, patch the ceiling, and hang the open shelves next — more projects to share soon.
Have you ever built a range hood or hood surround? If not, this was our first time and it turned out to be a rewarding DIY. You never know what you might find yourself tackling next.
