Trick of the Trade: Hand-Scraped Vent ... or Not?

A flat wood vent in the middle of a hand-scraped floor just doesn't look right, but the vents are hard to scrape. One solution from wood flooring contractor Wrenzo Thompson is to use a handheld belt sander. The sander can be used to put three "dips" from the belt in the vent. Thompson then spray-coated the "distressed" vent multiple times, buffing between coats.

Thanks to Wrenzo Thompson, owner at Louisville, Tenn.-based Hardwood Refinishers and Installations, for his tip. Do you have a Trick of the Trade? Send it to [email protected].