# How to attach ceiling register to duct?



## adrianm (Mar 23, 2010)

I'm redoing a duct in my basement and am having trouble figuring out how the register is supposed to attach to the register boot. The register boot just has straight sides. I've seen instructions on using this in a floor, where the register just slips in. But on a ceiling (or wall) I need to have something to screw the register to. 

Do I put a wood frame around it and screw to that? Cut back the material of the register boot end and fold it in front of (behind?) the drywall and screw to that? Or is there some other kind of duct part I overlooked for this job?


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## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

the boots used for ceilings often have a tab of sheet metal that bends to 90 degrees and then the screw will bite into it.
if the boots are lacking the tabs, cut them before install.
add blocking or some sort of backing for the tabs and you should be good to go.


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## adrianm (Mar 23, 2010)

Would the ceiling type boot look the same as the floor type---I have to bend it? Or would it come with tabs already bent? 



> if the boots are lacking the tabs, cut them before install.


So if I can't find the type with the tabs just snip along the corners to make tabs and then fold them back?


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## fabrk8r (Feb 12, 2010)

Make a sheet metal sleeve, raw on one end with 3/4" flange out on other end. Make sleeve long enough to lap into the existing boot by about 1"and then pop-rivet or screw inside the boot. Then screw register to flange.
You should be able to make one yourself easy enough, but if you have a sheet metal shop nearby they should be able to make you one fairly quickly.


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## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

adrianm said:


> Would the ceiling type boot look the same as the floor type---I have to bend it? Or would it come with tabs already bent?
> 
> So if I can't find the type with the tabs just snip along the corners to make tabs and then fold them back?


you need to bend them.
yes, cut at the corners.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

You want a basement boot, or ceiling register boot. Already has the ears you need.

http://www.standexadp.com/catstyle.php?prodcode=FG25&groupname=Register Boots

Basement boots, PB13, P7,P5

Ceiling register boots, P13F, or P13PF.


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## adrianm (Mar 23, 2010)

Well, I went back to the largest Home Depot and looked around. I didn't see any "basement" boots or flanged boots. I did find the "Speediboot", however. http://http://www.speediboot.com/ Looked perfect, and it has a nice easy mounting bar. So I took one of these home...but I discovered that you need 10 inch joists to use it. I have 8 inch joists and the mounting bars were swinging in the area below the joists when I pushed the duct up as far as possible. 

So I ended up making flanges with scraps of sheet metal as suggested by fabrk8r. I chose this route because if I snipped the corners and folded down the metal I'd have to fold a 10 inch long area and I was very uncertain that I could do that straight. (There must be tools that I don't have that are used for this kind of thing.) I was also concerned that some rivets were in the way. (By adding flanges I figured I could always try again if they didn't come out good enough.) 

Anyway, I installed wood blocking and put my modified boot in and everything looks Ok. Thanks to everyone who responded to my query.


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