Installerstore.com Blog

Updated January 13th, 2022 – Check out our new How to Measure Registers and Grilles page for even more details. We even have a short video tutorial on Facebook!

“Measure Twice Order Once”

One of the most common returns we receive concerning our floor registers, involves a customer who miss-measured.. They’ve measured the faceplate of their existing register or grille, and ordered using those numbers. This is incorrect for floor registers and grilles. It is an industry standard to measure your duct work or the actual hole in the floor.  This blog explains just what a register is and how it differs from a grille, and how to properly measure and install them.

Register vs. Return Air Grille

The official definition of a register is “an adjustable, grill-like device through which heated or cooled air is released into a room.” A register most commonly has air coming out of it (whether it be cold air or warm air) and will have a damper to control the airflow. The damper would drop into the hole/opening in your floor, and have a movable plate for regulating the airflow usually by a visible knob the protrudes from the faceplate (this will vary by style of register). Other common names for a floor register include: diffuser, vents, air register, supplies, air outlets, etc.

A register is different from a return air grille. Floor return air grilles are used as a return or exhaust air inlets to ducts. Because air does not come out of the duct work, dampers are not included (because there is no forced air flow to control). Floor return air grilles will still have a small drop in area that will go into your floor opening, but there will not be a damper. There is not a wide selection of styles and finishes for floor grilles, and if you have a small enough opening (that matches floor register sizes) you could use a decorative floor register and leave the damper completely open. Other common names for floor air return grilles: floor grilles, floor returns, floor grates, etc.

How to Measure Floor Registers and Grilles

It is an industry standard to measure the actual hole/opening in the floor to get the correct size of floor register or grille that you will need. Take out the existing floor register, and measure the length/width of the opening in inches (all registers will be listed in inches). If your duct work/opening in the floor is 4″ x 10″, you’ll need to purchase a 4×10 floor register. It will not matter if you say the length first or the width first, example 10×4 or 4×10, when it comes to floor registers. Most floor register dampers will drop into the hole about 1 inch or so, so make sure you have enough clearance in your duct work for this. DO NOT MEASURE THE FACEPLATE OF THE EXISTING REGISTER!

            
A register/grille faceplate will differ from style to style and manufacturer to manufacturer. The packaging of the floor register or listing on a website, will have the opening dimensions. The faceplate dimensions should be listed in the description- but that will not be the main number identifier, nor will you likely find a replacement register/grille that will have the exact same faceplate dimensions. Standard floor registers and grilles will an even-whole number (measurement)- for example 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 etc. There are some registers out there that can work for 3″ opening sizes- but choices are limited. If you have let’s say a 2″ x 11″ opening- you may want to try to extend the hole size by 1″ so you can get the standard size 2 x 12 register. Otherwise you may have to get something custom-made for your opening.

**Register listing on our website- Order by hole dimensions, but the faceplate dimensions will be listed for your reference.

Installation of Floor Registers and Grilles

Once you purchase a register or grille that is a match for your opening size, you may now install it. Hopefully you have left the previous (old) floor register in place (so nothing or no one could fall down in the duct work). Installing floor registers and grilles is a breeze compared to wall or ceiling registers – no drilling or screwing in anything. Simply take out your existing floor register, and drop in (damper first) your new register. The damper should keep the register in place. If you purchased a register, you’ll be able to control the airflow using the damper control.

Haven’t ordered a floor register/grille yet and need help on different styles and finishes available? Check back for an informative blog walking you through the different styles, finishes, and types of floor registers available on Installerstore.com, as well as custom-made grilles!

Now that you know the size you need….

Check out our NEW browse by size page on Installerstore.com and FloorRegisters-n-Vents.com (larger inventory).  You can easily browse ALL of the registers and grilles available in the particular size you need! For example, need a 4×10 floor register? Simply click on the 4×10 text or image to see ALL floor registers and returns available for purchase.

Installerstore.com Browse by Size

FloorRegisters-n-Vents.com Browse by Size

***The 10% off sale has ended, but you can still call for special pricing on all Zoroufy Stair Rods and Wall Hangers!!***

Save 10% off All Zoroufy Products during the month of April.Orders must be placed by phone- 866-258-1554

If you have an antique fragile rug or tapestry that you would like showcase, Zoroufy makes beautiful tapestry wall hangers that can make that happen. It can be intimidating to browse all of their collections- so many lengths, finishes, and finials OH MY! But have no fear, Installerstore Blog is here!  I will try to cover the basic information you’ll need to know before browsing and helpful walk through on all of the Zoroufy Tapestry / Rug Wall Hangers, so you can find exactly what you are looking for in your price range. Don’t forget about our April Zoroufy Sale! Call your order and save 10%!

What Does a Rug Wall Hanger Do?

A tapestry wall hanger usually consists of a rod cut/adjusted to the width or so of your tapestry (explained below), decorative finials for the end of the rod, a various amount of wall brackets and/or clips- all in your very own chosen finish (color). This enables you to showcase your favorite family heirloom tapestries or antique Persian rugs. The most important information you can have before browsing tapestry wall hangers….

• • Width of your Rug/Tapestry
  • Estimated weight of your Rug/Tapestry
  • Does your Tapestry have a sleeve for mounting (See Below)

To find the correct rod length you’ll need, take the width of your tapestry and add 1 1/2″. For example, if your tapestry is 36″, you would want your wall hanger to be 37 1/2″.  Most stair rod collections come with base sets and add-on sets, the collections will not come in exact sizes you need. You can have them custom cut to the size you need for no additional cost (they do become non-returnable) or cut them yourself with a hand saw. If you don’t want to take the chance with cutting, order the Zoroufy Legacy Collection, which has an adjustable rod so you can adjust the rod to the exact length of your tapestry. If you are worried about the weight of your rug, don’t be. Zoroufy tapestry rods and wall brackets are very sturdy and can hold about 10 pounds of rug weight per foot.

All collections but the Grand Regency come with the standard clamp clip design (see photo below). None of the Zoroufy clamp designs will harm tapestries, but if you have a very fragile rug or the thought of clips on your tapestry makes you worry, you may want to go with the Grand Regency collection, which has a rotating disc with a gentle design (see photo below).

So many choices!! Where to begin…

Zoroufy offers 4 diverse collections of tapestry wall hangers. Each collection differs in rod diameter, lengths available, finishes, finals, and clip styles. With bigger rod diameters and different clip styles, collections will differ in prices. The brilliant but basic Classic line will be less expensive than say the Grand Regency line, which has a larger rod diameter and safer clip design. It may be daunting to view all the collections at once, so below is a chart of the different Zoroufy collections, and what each has to offer.

Think you’ve found your dream Tapestry Hanger? Click the photo of your favorite collection below, to view pricing on our site. Don’t forget to call your order in with the Installerstore Coupon Code to receive 10% Off!!!

Looking for solid cast floor registers or decorative stair rods? Or how about a beautiful wood baseboard register? The Zoroufy quality carries over into these products as well. Revamp your house – save 10% in the process.

There is nothing like the start of the baseball season! For us Wisconsinites (and anyone else dealing with the never-ending winter) this is the first sign of warm weather to come!

We make many company outings to Brewer baseball games, and win or lose, we still have a great time!

***The 10% off sale has ended, but you can still call for special pricing on all Zoroufy Stair Rods and Wall Hangers!!***

Save 10% on all Zoroufy products on Installerstore.com with coupon code “zor10deal”. Orders must be placed by phone. Office Hours M-F 8am-5pm CST.

To celebrate, we are offering 10% off all Zoroufy Stair Rods, Wall Hangers, Floor Registers and Baseboard Diffusers during the month of April. Browse our Zoroufy products here on our site. Once you’re ready to order, call our toll-free number 866-258-1554 and speak with one of qualified sales representatives. Mention the code “zor10deal” and receive 10% off all Zoroufy Products!

Want to see an example of how much you can save?

Let’s say you were in the market for a Rug/Tapestry Wall Hanger for your grandmother’s antique rug she left you. You decide on the Grand Regency Collection (because of its gentle clip design) in Polished Brass and the Pineapple Finials. You need just (1) of the 36″ Base set. Normal retail pricing is $198.50 per set. If you order by phone, you already get special pricing discounts, which drop the price down to $148.99 (savings of $50!). If you also mention the code of “zor10deal” you receive an additional 10% off, which drops the price down to $134.09. This gives you a total savings of $64.90!!!

Here is a link to view all of the Zoroufy Products on our site: http://www.installerstore.com/Stair-Rods.html

Making your home look like a million bucks doesn’t need to cost a million! But don’t forget- orders need to be placed by phone and the sale is for April only.

What is a Stair Rod? How Do I Go About Ordering One?

A “stair rod also commonly referred to as a carpet rod, is an ornamental decorative hardware item used with carpet runners (also known as [ stair runners]) on steps” (thank you Wikipedia). Stair Rods are for decorative use only, which means you’ll need to properly secure/install the carpet runner first. The first thing to think of when in the process of choosing a stair rod, is to know what length of rod you need. Measure the width of your carpet runner. Your stair rod must be at least 1.5″ longer than the width of your stair runner. For example, if your runner is 32″, you would need to order a stair rod that is 33.5″ long. Don’t be concerned if you don’t see that exact length listed, we can custom cut any stair rod for FREE (they will become non-returnable however).

Zoroufy has many different collections of stair rods to match any home decor. There are multiple styles, finishes, finial choices, rod diameter, rod style and lengths to choose from. All finishes will have a protective lacquer coating to resist tarnishing. Stair Rods are sold in sets. Each set has (1) rod, (2) brackets and (2) finials. All pieces will have matching finishes. Finials are decorative pieces that are screwed directly into the brackets. This gives the stair rod a more decorative, less industrial look. The overall length of the finial depends on the type, ie pineapple, round etc.

Prices of stair rods vary from collection to collection. Zoroufy Grand Regency stair rods are more expensive than say the Select Stair Rods because of the decorative brackets and larger rod diameter. It may be daunting to view all the collections at once, so below is a chart of the different collections Zoroufy offers, and what each has to offer.

Think you’ve found your dream stair rods? Click the photo of your favorite collection below, to view them on our site. Don’t forget to call your order in with the Installerstore Coupon Code to receive 10% Off!!!

Looking for a Tapestry/Rug Hanger as well as stair rods? Or how about heavy cast decorative floor registers? The Zoroufy quality carries over into these products as well. Revamp your house – save 10% in the process.

Check back for more informative blogs this month on Zoroufy’s products.

Squeaky floors can be an annoyance to everyone in a household. I grew up in a very old home, and it was impossible to sneak in past curfew. It didn’t matter if I tiptoed on the carpeted hallway or the upstairs hardwood floors. If I only knew about the squeeek no more products back then!

To use these products, you don’t need advanced knowledge in carpentry or flooring, you just need to know how to use a power drill. Easy enough, right? These products work on hardwood, linoleum, vinyl and carpet floors and stairways. There is a main Sqeeek No More Kit that is used on top of the flooring and a Squeak Ender II which eliminates squeaks caused when the subfloor becomes separated from the joist.

The traditional Squeeek No More Kit requires the use of a power drill but comes with everything else needed to stop your squeaky floors. Each kit includes a driver bit, joist finder, alignment and depth control fixture and 50 specially scored waxed screws. Below are the instructions for the main Squeek No More Kit (which can be used on carpet, vinyl/linoleum and stairs) to show you how simply the product line is to use.

Step 1: Located the floor joist, using the Joist finding screw provided. Then, push the Alignment and Depth Control Fixture firmly into the carpet.

Step 2: Place your weight around the fixture and drive the scored screw down as far as the fixture will allow it to go.

Step 3: Place the screw gripper, on the alignment fixture over the screw head, then rock the fixture left to right snapping the head off. The screw breaks at the weak spot that is consistently just below the surface of the floor.

*the screw stops the movement and squeaks with no damage to the carpet

For use with mainly hardwood floors, try also purchasing the Hardwood Floor Adapter.  This works great for hardwood floor areas where you cannot access floor joists or if you have engineered floor joists.

Think of this blog as a “sign” to fix those pesky squeaky floors. Or if you are an over-protective father who wants to ensure his daughter is home for curfew (like mine), leave the squeaks be. We do not sell squeak enhancer products :).

Plastic carpet protection with adhesive is mainly used to shield synthetic carpet during home remodeling and construction. It can also be used for parties, pet visits and other events, but what people don’t realize is the full versatility of the 3mil carpet protection. In this blog, I will provide basic info and give examples of how our customers have used this handy product in non-traditional ways.

This product goes by many “street names” such as carpet protection, shield and film. The adhesive is meant for synthetic carpets only, you do not want to use this on any natural fibers such as wool. If you do use this on natural carpet, your carpet will have the dreadful “pilling”, or when fluffy particles appear on carpet surfaces. Most carpet protection films have an adhesive on one side that allows it to stay in place once it is laid down. Some films will have a glue-based adhesive and others (like ours) have a water-based adhesive. The water-based adhesive means that if a bit of residue is left once the protection is pulled up, it can easily be removed with water.

The carpet protection is meant for temporary use only, and can usually be used up to 45 days before having to be removed. This timeline will vary when the film is exposed to factors such as heat, heavy foot traffic and direct sunlight. Please read this PDF for important information regarding the period of time the carpet protection can be left down in various situations.

A very important thing to check for when ordering carpet protection is whether it is reverse wound or regular wound. This will make a difference in how you roll out the film (which side is sticky).  Reverse wound is where the adhesive side is on the outside of the roll, so when you unroll the film, it will stick right to the carpet (adhesive side down). Regular wound is when the adhesive side of the film faces in. Regular wound carpet protection works great for use on carpeted stairs.

Over the years we’ve heard stories from our crafty customers about their non-traditional use of our carpet protection. The film is intended just to use to protect against spills and foot traffic on synthetic carpeted surfaces, but if you do intend to try any of the uses below, please test out on a small inconspicuous area first (and remember the 45 day maximum)!

1) Use in a Recreational Vehicle:
With RV use, there is not much space between the inside and outside world. Try using the carpet protection on your RV’s carpeted walkway or an entire room. Protect your home away from home from unwanted tracked in dirt and mud.

2) Use on Carpeted Car Mats:
This may seem silly, that is the car mats job right? Take a minute to think about how much mud and rain you leave on your mats during just one storm. The carpet protection comes in convenient 24″ x 50′ rolls for easily application on small areas. To remove carpet protection, simply peel back corner.

3) Use to Remove Glass Shards from Carpeting
Last year someone smashed my back window and broke into my car. There wasn’t much to steal, but they did leave a mess. There were glass shards everywhere on my back seat. I took it to the auto body shop to have a new window installed, and inquired about how they remove all of the glass. The technician told me that some pieces are vacuumed up with a Shop Vac and the others are picked up with carpet film. EUREKA! I tested this theory at my home when I broke a glass vase on my carpeted floors. Instead of trying to pick up the large pieces and vacuum up the small (which is very time-consuming and I always cut myself) I unrolled carpet protection in the area. I flattened the carpet protection down with my feet (please wear shoes!) and peeled back the film. To my amazement, almost all of the glass that been picked up. Some large pieces you will have to pick up by hand (wear gloves!). You may want to do this twice to make sure you get all of the glass, and still run a vacuum over to be safe! Below are photos illustrating this concept (I didn’t have any broken glass lying around, so pretend the paperclips, pennies and earing are glass!)
                                    

Carpet Protection can be found here on our website in roll sizes 24″ x 50′, 24″ x 200, 36″ x 200′, 36″ x 500′ and 48″ x 500′.

The film is also sold for hardsurfaces such as tile, vinyl, VCT, laminate, marble, granite and factory-finished hardwood floors. YOU CANNOT USE CARPET PROTECTION ON HARDSURFACES OR VISE VERSA!

UPDATE 5/10/12:
We have a new product that does not have adhesive, making it safe for use on low pile wool carpets and many different surfaces. The product is named Kling Tite and comes in 100′ rolls in 24″ and 36″ widths.

Snow, Snow everywhere… Where to put it!!!

Wisconsin experienced wind gusts up to 60 mph and over a foot of snow. We woke up to buried cars and over 120 closed schools, businesses, government offices and some highways. But lucky for Installerstore employees, our boss has a big truck with 4-Wheel Drive (thanks Dave!) and we were able to make it in for work today!

Below are photos from outside of our offices, and the massive amounts of snow we received. While we’d rather be outside making a snow fort out of the giant pile of snow outside our door, but we love our customers and want to ensure orders are shipped on time.

After all of the celebrating on Monday morning died down (not to mention the gloating to Cowboys fan Scott in the warehouse) we have decided to share our excitement with you!

             
Now through the Super Bowl, we are offering 10% off your entire purchase on Installerstore.com! You can order online and enter in any of the coupon codes listed below, or call your order in and let us know which team you think is going to win! You will NOT be charged double if your pick the Steelers! 🙂

If ordering online, pick which team you think is going to win it all(don’t like football??? choose neither!) and enter that code in the checkout page. This will take 10% off of the product(s) total!

February 6 cheer for your favorite (GREEN BAY!!) and save with Installerstore.com!