Help with fitting a freestanding oven into new kitchen?

[SteveM46]

Hi there

We are having a new kitchen fitted (into our new extension); it is about half complete. On one wall, we are having a free-standing cast iron range cooker, which requires a 10mm gap either side between the range and the cupboard units/worktops. At the 11th hour, my wife has raised a concern about the possibility of mess (food, liquids etc) falling down the 10mm gap, which will be impossible to get to for cleaning, once the range is in place.

Any ideas? Is this a 'real' issue in practice? Should we leave a bigger gap so that it's accessible for cleaning? We will have a gap of 45mm either side of the range if the fitters don't fill it, and my wife's current suggestion is that we go with the bigger gap; however, I think it will look really poorly finished if the range sits there with such a big gap either side.

Any suggestions please?

[Blakeatron]

We always inset the cabinets by about 12mm and then have the worktops finish practically flush to the oven. Not had any problems although we have only done it with made wooden tops and stone.

[singlecoil]

This is always a problem with free-standing cookers. There is really two issues, one is the gap between cooker sides and cabinets, and the other is the gap between cooker top and worktop, and as Blaketron points out, the gaps do not need to be the same. In most cases, leaving a narrow gap between cabinet and cooker of say 10mm, and running the worktops to almost touching the cooker is the best answer. If the tops are granite or similar, some thought needs to be given as to whether the cooker can be extracted from a tight worktop installation should the need arise, as it may be that the worktops cannot be moved without risk of cracking/breaking.

The gaps to the cabinets can be whatever they need to be if you are working with units that come in standard sizes, just make a couple of filler strips that are held in place with screws from inside the cabinet, so that they can be removed should the need arise.

[SteveM46]

singlecoil said:

This is always a problem with free-standing cookers. There is really two issues, one is the gap between cooker sides and cabinets, and the other is the gap between cooker top and worktop, and as Blaketron points out, the gaps do not need to be the same. In most cases, leaving a narrow gap between cabinet and cooker of say 10mm, and running the worktops to almost touching the cooker is the best answer. If the tops are granite or similar, some thought needs to be given as to whether the cooker can be extracted from a tight worktop installation should the need arise, as it may be that the worktops cannot be moved without risk of cracking/breaking.

The gaps to the cabinets can be whatever they need to be if you are working with units that come in standard sizes, just make a couple of filler strips that are held in place with screws from inside the cabinet, so that they can be removed should the need arise.

That's helpful, thanks. The manufacturer's instructions (Everhot) say there should be a 5mm gap to the worktop, or 10mm if the worktop is of wood, and ours is oak. The range itself apparently slides in and out (I presume not very easily, but it can be done).

I think the filler strips is a good idea, since at least once a year my wife can take them off to clean behind! But the appearance is then as flush as possible.