How to plug the Marinara Trench?
June 8, 2022 11:36 AM Subscribe
I just got a new (induction, completely flat) range. There's a small gap to the left and right between the range and the counter which crumbs and such can fall into.
There appear to be ready-made products ("range gap fillers") to solve this very problem, except for one conundrum. With the levelers fully retracted, the range top is 36 inches high. My counters are only 35.25" high. All the range gap fillers I can find online seem to assume the counter is level with the range.
Does there exist a product that will help me?
Searching for "weather stripping" on your favorite home improvement website might give you some options, since weather stripping includes all kinds of products made for filling gaps.
Jamming something like this in the gap would be a simple but inelegant solution. Depending on the shape and size of the gap I see some plastic weather stripping options that might work.
posted by mekily at 11:57 AM on June 8, 2022
Jamming something like this in the gap would be a simple but inelegant solution. Depending on the shape and size of the gap I see some plastic weather stripping options that might work.
posted by mekily at 11:57 AM on June 8, 2022
To be clearer: I believe the gap filler I linked to could handle that height difference.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 12:09 PM on June 8, 2022
posted by Winnie the Proust at 12:09 PM on June 8, 2022
If I’m understanding the layout (3/4" drop, oof!) you need caulk in a tube. Get one that mentions kitchens.
Every couple of years you will want to peel it off and recaulk, just as people do with middling-old tubs. There are handy little plastic doodahs that help.
posted by clew at 1:46 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Every couple of years you will want to peel it off and recaulk, just as people do with middling-old tubs. There are handy little plastic doodahs that help.
posted by clew at 1:46 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have the same gap fillers that Winnie the Proust linked to, and I too have a largish mismatch in height -- they work totally fine. I picked ones that are same color as our stovetop and you really stop seeing them almost instantly, so it's a very good solution.
posted by BlahLaLa at 2:08 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by BlahLaLa at 2:08 PM on June 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Sometimes you can get less height by unscrewing the legs completely.
posted by Mitheral at 2:13 PM on June 8, 2022
posted by Mitheral at 2:13 PM on June 8, 2022
The silicone gap filler linked by Winnie the Proust will work perfectly. I have one just like it. (And I lurv it.)
posted by nosila at 3:46 PM on June 8, 2022
posted by nosila at 3:46 PM on June 8, 2022
I would caulk it, run a bead and use a finger or a tool to push it in and put a nice little 1/4" curve in it. Has the bonus of being waterproof. The gap filler is going to need peeling up and cleaning under. Caulk will pretty much just seal it off for a good long while of just wipe it down with a sponge or rag.
posted by zengargoyle at 8:30 PM on June 8, 2022
posted by zengargoyle at 8:30 PM on June 8, 2022
(It's a range, not a cooktop. You can't caulk around it.)
posted by oneirodynia at 10:49 PM on June 8, 2022
posted by oneirodynia at 10:49 PM on June 8, 2022
IME there’s a caulk for anything, though sometimes you shouldn’t. What’s the argument here?
posted by clew at 9:40 AM on June 9, 2022
posted by clew at 9:40 AM on June 9, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by gregr at 11:52 AM on June 8, 2022