How to Hide the Air Conditioner

You can build a frame to mask an unsightly air conditioner.

If you live in an old house or apartment building, your home may not have central air conditioning. Instead, you may have an air conditioning wall unit installed beneath a window. While these appliances can be quite effective at cooling your home during hot and humid summer months, they tend to be clunky, industrial-looking objects that can be quite an eyesore in your home. Luckily, there is a simple way to conceal an air conditioning unit.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Pieces of wood
• 100-grit sandpaper
• Oil-based primer
• 3-inch nylon brush
• Oil-based paint
• Fabric
• Staple gun
• Nail
• Hammer

Instructions

1. Measure the width and depth of your air conditioner against the wall and write down these measurements. Go to a hardware store or lumber yard and purchase two 2-by-1/2-inch strips of wood cut to be 1 inch longer than width of your air conditioner. Purchase another two strips cut to be 1 inch longer than the depth of the air conditioner.

2. Sand each piece of wood carefully with 100-grit sandpaper. Dust them off with tack cloth when finished. Position the pieces of wood together so they make a frame that will fit around the front of your air conditioner. Nail the pieces together neatly at each corner.

3. Apply a coat of oil-based primer. Once the primer has dried, apply two coats of paint, allowing the paint to dry between coats.

4. Cut a piece of mesh or lace fabric that is 1 inch longer and 1 inch wider than the length and width of your air conditioner dimensions. Staple gun the fabric to the inner portion of the frame, inserting a staple every 3 inches or so, creating a 1/2-inch hem on the inner side of the frame.

5. Place the frame over the air conditioner to check the fit. Remove it. Make a mark with a pencil by the top right and left corners of the air conditioner. Nail a 2-inch nail with a hammer at each pencil marking. Hang the frame on the nails.

References

• NY Mag: Hide This Ugly Thing
• "Clutter Cutters: Store It with Style"; Vicki Ingham; 2004