fitting new range between counter tops

August 13, 2016 12:22 PM

We are looking to buy a new oven/stove that is 30" wide, but the spot that it will go is going to be 34" wide, which leaves a 2" gap on each side, in the middle of a longer counter. Is there a way to do this such that it will not look too weird, without redoing all of our counter tops and lower cabinets? It would have to be more cosmetic than structural, as that width is pretty much a given.
posted by SpacemanStix to Home & Garden (9 answers total)

Best answer: These are typically called "stove top extenders" or stove top gap fillers.
posted by Karaage at 12:38 PM on August 13, 2016

Best answer: I'd go for a big gap on one side rather than two gaps. Use the space for storing sheet pans, and maybe cutting boards. It might be handy to have 4" of butcher block right next to the stove. A carpenter familiar with kitchens could do the easily enough.
posted by SemiSalt at 12:42 PM on August 13, 2016 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Shift oven left or right to create a 4" gap, and insert some version of a vertical pull-out spice rack or create a tray/platter storage niche? Make the top some heat-proof, trivet-type station.
posted by Iris Gambol at 12:44 PM on August 13, 2016 [2 favorites]

Best answer: You can also get filler pieces for the cabinets, if you know the make, species, and finish of your existing cabinets. If you bought your cabinets (as opposed to them coming with the house) just talk to whoever you bought them from about getting a couple of 2" fillers. If you want them to look perfect, have them professionally installed; cabinetry is tricky and getting the seams to line up juuuuuust right can be a pain. You could install them yourselves though if you're willing to settle for less than perfect.

If all you care about is that it looks "good enough" then you don't even need to do that much. You can just get a piece of oak or maple, cut it to size, and screw it into the frame of the cabinets on either side (pre-drill and use a quality trim screw). Then stain/varnish/paint it with something close to what your existing cabinets look like. If you're handy (or know someone who is) this isn't that big a deal and it will probably look OK.

Honestly though, it's going to be easier to just get a correctly-sized stove. Unless you're on a real tight budget and are buying a used stove or something and this is the one you're going to have and you need to make it work, I'd just get a stove that fits.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 12:45 PM on August 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The counter is going to be harder. Karaage is probably on the right track there. Easier to extend the stovetop with a generic black/white/whatever extender piece than to try to bring the countertop in. I don't know of any way to do the latter without getting a new counter, which definitely would not be cost-effective.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 12:47 PM on August 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Can you expand over the gap on each side to have a nice place to put hot pans off to the side of the stove, or is counter space at a premium?
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:20 PM on August 13, 2016

Response by poster: Thanks all, these are really helpful suggestions. I think we're going to end up going with a larger gap on one side for storage. We are looking at a wider range option, which would more easily solve the problem, but the one we really like is 30". Also, any extra storage opportunity that works well is going to be a plus.
posted by SpacemanStix at 6:12 PM on August 13, 2016

Best answer: This happened to us during a kitchen remodel, but the gap was @3". The installer screwed/glued equal pieces of acrylic to each edge of the laminate counterIn a color that matched the stove. It sort of framed the stove & looked fine..
posted by pgoes at 8:02 PM on August 13, 2016

I'd go for something deliberately different, rather than trying to match but it looking a bit off.

I would look into glass or stainless steel to cover the gaps, make a feature of it!
posted by chrispy108 at 7:39 AM on August 14, 2016