Yes, a cold air return cover can match your floor. Vents.com builds egg-crate return covers from your own LVP, LVT or hardwood flooring, in 6 and 8 inch widths and lengths from 20 to 36 inches. Measure the duct opening, not the old grille, and order that size.
Supply vs. return: what's different
A supply vent blows heated or cooled air into the room. A cold air return pulls room air back to the furnace or air handler so it can be filtered and conditioned again. Because a return moves the same volume of air through one opening, it's larger than a supply register and often sits low on a wall or in the floor.
That size is why a return is the grille most people want to hide or match. An 8x30 inch metal grille in the middle of a floating floor stands out. A cover made from the same plank as the room doesn't.
Sizes of matching cold air returns
Opening area is width times length of the duct opening, before any grille bars take up room. Prices are the current LVP/LVT listing prices. In our store data the three most-ordered return sizes are 8x24, 8x30 and 8x20 inches.
Shop matching cold air returns
How to measure your cold air return
- Remove the old grille. Most lift out or have two screws.
- Measure the opening in the floor. Take the width and the length of the hole itself, in inches.
- Check the corners. Openings are sometimes a little out of square. Write down the longest measurement in each direction.
- Match it to a size above. If your opening lands between sizes, don't guess. Contact us with the exact measurements before ordering.
- Check your flooring thickness. We build vents from flooring at least 5 mm thick. If your flooring has an attached pad, check whether the listed thickness includes it.
Our floor vent size guide has the same steps for supply vents.
What the egg-crate pattern does for airflow
An egg-crate return cover is a grid of small square cells instead of a few long slats. Air passes through each cell, and the grid keeps small objects out of the duct. Return air also has to get through that grid, so a grille that blocks too much of the opening can make a system work harder and get louder.
Three practical points:
- Don't shrink the opening. Order the size that matches the duct opening so the cover isn't covering more than it should.
- Keep it clear. Rugs and furniture over a return slow airflow, just as they do over a supply vent.
- Ask your HVAC contractor about sizing. Your system's total return capacity is a design question for the person who installed it. A cover shouldn't be the limit.
Vents.com doesn't publish an open-area percentage or airflow rating for return covers, so we don't quote one here.
LVP and LVT vs. hardwood returns
The method is the same for every floor: the cover is made from a piece of your own flooring, so it matches the planks around it. The listing for returns is for LVP and LVT, and that's where the matching cold air return is ordered online. If you have engineered hardwood, send a request on our hardwood vent quote page and mention that you need a return.
Whichever floor you have, pair the return with your supply vents so the room reads as one surface: LVP/LVT floor vents or engineered hardwood vents. On a COREtec floor, start from our COREtec vents collection.
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Vinyl (LVP/LVT) floor vents · Hardwood floor vents · Matching cold air returns
Frequently asked questions
Can a cold air return cover be made to match LVP or hardwood?
Yes. Vents.com builds the cover from your own flooring in an egg-crate pattern, so the grille takes on the color and grain of the floor. The listing on the store is for LVP and LVT. For engineered hardwood, use the hardwood quote request and say you need a return.
What sizes do matching cold air returns come in?
Vents.com builds returns in 6x20, 6x24, 6x30, 6x36, 8x20, 8x24, 8x30 and 8x36 inches. Return openings are measured width by length, and the most-ordered sizes are 8x24, 8x30 and 8x20 inches.
How do I measure a cold air return?
Remove the old grille and measure the duct opening in the floor, width by length. Measure the opening, not the outside of the grille, since the grille's frame is larger than the hole.
What does the egg-crate pattern do?
Egg-crate is a grid of small square openings. It lets air through on every side of each cell and keeps pencils, toys and pet hair out of the duct. Open area varies by design, so compare listed open area if a maker publishes it.
Do I need a matching return if I already ordered matching floor vents?
No, it's optional, but the return is usually the largest grille in the room, so it's the one you notice most. Many homeowners order the return together with their supply vents.
Are supply vents and cold air returns the same size?
No. Supply registers are usually 2, 4 or 6 inches wide. Returns are wider and longer because they pull air back to the furnace.
Related guides
- Floor vent sizes and how to measureA size chart, how to measure the duct opening, and the sizes we build most.
- Do flush vents restrict heat and AC?What open area means, and how to tell if a vent is really holding back air.
- What custom floor vents costPrices by size for LVP vents and returns, and what drives the cost.
- Floor vents for hardwood floorsFlush vents made from your own hardwood, so grain and finish match.
- 4 ways to get vents that match your floorDIY trays, vents made from your floor, printed vents and installers compared.
- Floor vents made to match LVP and LVTFlush vents built from your own vinyl planks, in 9 sizes plus returns.