Just had our wall oven replaced. The space in which it sat is 8 inches too tall, the install guys are building a platform on which it will rest. I was surprised that covering that 8 inch gap is my responsibility. How and where should I get a piece of Aluminum to match the oven and cover the gap. Eventually I hope to hire someone to take some left over cabinet wood and make a matching cover. I just have no idea where to go to find this stuff.
if you are are going to hire someone to have some left over cabinet wood attached to the platform then just do something temporary with wood. any bit or paneling or wall covering will do. you can get small pieces or a scrap somewhere. a building supply store might give you a scrap or sell and cut one for you for a dollar or two.
I just checked Home Depot’s website, and they have some sheets that might be cut to fit, although I have no idea what your oven looks like or if these sheets will match. (And regarding this “I was surprised that covering that 8 inch gap is my responsibility.” Of course it’s your responsibility, unless you ordered new cabinets and provided the supplier with the installation diagram of the new oven.)
But an eight-inch high space could be useful; maybe you could store sheet pans and other bakeware there (although I imagine the space is hard to reach).
That makes sense, but I would like it to look nice while I am finding someone to do just that. Hence the Aluminium question.
Actually it is on the bottom. But when I was buying this I explained that because of the gap we would need something to cover it and they said no problem. All this was anticipated and I thought taken care of. Sorry I did not make that clear.
If it’s on the bottom, it’s easier to reach. Perhaps the space can be useful (although it might get warm, so I wouldn’t store food or anything plastic there).
There was and is a slender drawer under the oven. While this gap could have been made into a second drawer it is now built up with a solid box.
If your cabinets are fairly new, you should be able to get a “filler” piece to match.
I’m assuming the oven is actually stainless steel - aluminum just doesn’t have the same designer cachet. For a permanently temporary filler, you can get sheet aluminum at home centers, or a stainless steel door kick plate.
What I’d do is cut a piece of particle board or plywood to fill the space, then “skin” it with the metal so it’s solid. You should be able to glue backer cleats in the empty space, and glue the new filler panel to them.
I was hoping this thread would be about starting a movement to persuade people to hide the gap between the bottoms of their shirts and the tops of their bottoms (butt crack) in the back. Likewise to hide the front gap that exposes bare midriffs that never should see the light of day.
I’d be on board with that.
Carry on.
I install kitchens and build the occasional cabinet as part of my work. Usually openings for wall ovens are cut to size by the kitchen installer so it is not really the appliance suppliers concern. They are not carpenters.
If you want it to look like new the best thing is to get a new panel made up and replace the whole thing - potentially expensive. Depending on the kitchen style you may be able to simply install a false drawer front over the hole. The other option is to install backing, filler panel and trim the hole. If you can identify the cabinet manufacturer you can probably order new panel and/or drawer front. If it is custom it is possible to get it replicated (we custom mill and stain match all the time for this sort of thing) .
I think your idea of a stainless panel would be the simplest permanent solution. Measure it to match the the oven trim and have a local sheet metal shop fabricate it for you. They can fold the edges and make it look very nice. Fix it in place with silicone /mirror adhesive and you are good.
One: Why match the appliance instead of matching the cabinet?
Two: 8" height would make a nice- sized drawer for tools and utensils - and the drawer front would cover any irregularities in the shape of the hole.
Three: metals used on the exterior of appliances have unusual, non-stock finishes. If you want a piece to match, find a sheet-metal fabrication shop. Call first:
- Open to public?
- Explain this is a one-off to match specific finish.
- Do they still want to talk with you?
The part about this likely being quite expensive is assumed to be understood.
I haven’t had any stainless steel appliances that had any sort of coating other than dog nose prints and fingerprints. Certainly nothing non-stick.
There have been some attempts to make “mark-resistant” appliance finishes that resemble stainless steel, but they haven’t really succeeded at that yet. It’s pretty obvious from ten feet away that it’s a plastic finish.
Going to a fab shop will be crazy expensive. The door kick panels I mentioned yesterday cost about $25.
Putting in drawers would probably fall into the world of custom carpentry, which will make the metal shop look cheap.
a drawer or pan storage is a possibility if the appliance base was made to accommodate that. it is likely the installers made a simple base that would block those options.
This. They make stainless steel panels for decorative use. Here’s one 16 x 24 example. You should be able to buy panels from a kitchen appliance dealer for dishwashers. I would not just try to match the stove but also make sure the panels don’t rust. Apparently the word “stainless steel” has no meaning anymore. If nobody will guarantee their panels to be rust free then consider putting a clear coat of paint on it since it will be near the floor and exposed to mopping.
Thank you for all the information. I think I will purchase trim from microtrim.com. I can order it in stainless steel in the exact distentions I need. A drawer would be most useful and functional, but for me, more trouble than it is worth.