# Installing Ceiling Vent covers



## Houston204 (Oct 18, 2009)

Drive the screws into the boot.

I've only heard members of my company refer to register boxes as boots before. 
I always get a strange look when I ask for boots at a supply house.


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## Marty S. (Oct 31, 2009)

Actualy you button lock boot ears onto boot. The ears will span between the joists and give you a place to screw in to. Never saw the ears available at any supply house, we just make them at the shop. They look like a square root sign,5/8 down+5/8 up + a 12 to 15" extension.

If you can't come up with the ears then you will need wood along the boot edges for screws.


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## Houston204 (Oct 18, 2009)

Never heard of button locks. 
With metal boots, why not drive the screw into the boot?
Are you speaking of ductboard?


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## hvac122 (Dec 10, 2007)

Unless you buy a special boot that is made with ears on it you must add the ears to the boot and hang it that way before drywall. It is just a flange of sheetmetal that buttonlocks to the boot. It gives you a place to secure the boot to hang it on rough in and gives you a place to secure register to on finish. 
I have no idea how you would skrew a register into the boot as there is no flange.


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## Houston204 (Oct 18, 2009)

I guess I'm buying special boots and never realized it. 
So your 8x10 boot has a 8x10 box not 10 x 12 with an 8x10 opening?


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## hvac122 (Dec 10, 2007)

I suppose it all depends on where you live as to what is normal or special.

We just buy a boot that would go in the floor around here and put ears on it to install in a ceiling or a wall. 4 x 10 is our most common size.


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## bkeech (Jun 4, 2008)

so I have a couple registers that I already drywalled with nothing but the box there. What can I do for these? Drywall anchors?

For the ones not drywall yet, I can take sheet metal and make something to screw into?


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## hvac122 (Dec 10, 2007)

Drywall anchors will be tough as the holes for the registers are real close to the hole you already have and will usually break the drywall. I would try to get some metal and make a short ear to squeeze next to the boot. 

For the ones not drywalled we make a ear 1/2upx 1/2down x 4 at 90 degree or so and buttonlock it to the boot. That way you have something to skrew to.


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## bkeech (Jun 4, 2008)

hvac122 said:


> Drywall anchors will be tough as the holes for the registers are real close to the hole you already have and will usually break the drywall. I would try to get some metal and make a short ear to squeeze next to the boot.
> 
> For the ones not drywalled we make a ear 1/2upx 1/2down x 4 at 90 degree or so and buttonlock it to the boot. That way you have something to skrew to.


 
Thanks.

So can you describe what buttonlocking is?


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## hvac122 (Dec 10, 2007)

Its a punch tool for buttoning together two pieces of metal. Kind of presses/locks them together.


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## Marty S. (Oct 31, 2009)

Malco brand -snap lock punch -is the tool. Guess buttonlock is a slang term.


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