In almost every home, there are small gaps between the stove and adjacent cabinet. These gaps are a natural consequence of the design of most kitchens. The refrigerator, an adjoining wall, or built-in shelving all leave only so much space between the stove and adjacent cabinet. Even in homes with floor-to-ceiling cabinets, these gaps are common. Depending on their size and shape, these gaps can be unsightly and awkward to deal with. They may also pose safety concerns if they expose electrical wires or pipes that run behind cabinets. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to hide and protect these spaces while also making them look attractive. The solutions below will help you tackle any gaps between your stove and the nearby cabinet.
How To Fill Gap Between Stove And Cabinet?
1. Install a pull-out drawer.
Most kitchen cabinets have pull-out drawers installed in the space between the stove and adjacent cabinet. These drawers are designed to make it easy for you to access ingredients and utensils stored on lower shelves, but they also leave gaps between the stove and adjacent cabinets. A simple solution is to install an adjustable drawer at the top of your countertop that extends into these gaps so you can hide them.
2. Install a cabinet door divider.
Another option is installing a cabinet door divider under your stove so it covers these gaps and hides them from view. This is easily done by simply attaching two pieces of wood or metal that are 1/4″ thick on both ends and 2″ wide on their other sides. Attach them across the gap with screws or nails, making sure that they are flush with each other at their tops and bottoms as well as their sides. Install a cover plate over the top of the gap.
3. Use filler strips behind your stovetop unit
Filler strips are available in many colors and styles; they have adhesive backing that sticks to your countertop when you apply them. They can be used behind any appliance, including your range hood fan, which will hide the gap between it and your wall or adjoining cabinets: Simply apply one strip to the wall or surrounding cabinet, and another to the stovetop.
4. Mount a cabinet shelf
If you don’t want to install a drawer or door divider in your existing cabinet space, you can simply mount a shelf on the wall behind your stove. This will leave you with an open-air space between your cabinets and your range hood fan or exhaust hood, but it will prevent any gaps that might cause safety hazards.
5. Mount a magnetic strip under the stovetop unit.
This is another simple solution that will hide any gaps between your stove and adjacent cabinet. There are a variety of magnetic strips available with different features, but all of them work the same way: You simply place them under the stovetop unit and place a magnet on the back of it. The strip will adhere to the magnet, and when you open or close your range hood fan, it will automatically adjust to keep it in place.
6. Mount a bracket on your range hood fan
Another simple solution is to install a bracket underneath your range hood so that it attaches to the wall or cabinets behind your stove. This will prevent any gaps in between your range hood and adjacent cabinet, but it can also interfere with adjustments when you turn on/off or adjust your range hood fan. If this is not an issue for you, then this may be an easy solution for you as well.
7. Install a magnet strip under the range hood unit
This method is similar to mounting a magnetic strip under your stovetop unit; however, instead of using magnets mounted on the back of these units, magnets are mounted inside these units themselves so that they can be adjusted without interference from other cabinets or appliances: Simply mount one inside each side of the unit (this can be done if installing above-the-counter). This method is also very simple and easy to install.
Install Molding To Hide Gaps
- Install molding on the wall where the gap is located. The molding can be as simple as ½” x ¾” at the bottom of a wall and as sophisticated as 1½” x 3½” in a large living room. The goal is to make the gap look seamless when it’s viewed from above.
- Install baseboard molding along the bottom edge of cabinets and around doors and windows to fill gaps between cabinets and floor, walls, or other surfaces.
- Use paneling to fill gaps between cabinets or shelves and walls or floors beneath them. You can use ¼”-thick panels for small gaps and ½”-thick panels for larger ones. For small gaps, you may want to use paneling that matches your other cabinetry; for larger gaps, consider using contrasting wood grain patterns so they don’t look like mismatched pieces of furniture that were hastily assembled by an inexperienced carpenter.
- Use recessed lights over doorways or windows facing a cabinet gap to conceal additional space when necessary, such as when installing a dishwasher or range hood in a kitchen with no adjacent wall space above cabinets.
Add Baseboard Molding
- To add baseboard molding to the walls of the gap between the stove and adjacent cabinet, it’s best to take a measurement of the width of the gap. You can then buy molding that’s slightly wider than this width. If your cabinet or wall is made from wood, choose molding that’s made from wood. If you have a high-gloss finish on your cabinets and wall, go for a satin-finish molding. If the gap measures more than 1/2 inch (1 1/8 cm), you should install baseboard or crown molding over it.
- Once you’ve selected your baseboard, measure the height of the gap above your stovetop and below your cabinets to determine how much extra height you need to cut off each piece of molding before installing them on either side of the gap.
- Measure out each piece of baseboard with a tape measure, making sure that it’s even with both edges of your stovetop and is at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) longer than needed so that there will be some room to trim it down later when you install it against each wall in between your stove and cabinets. Leave enough extra space at each end so that you can cut off one end with scissors after installing it into place on either side of the gap between the stove and adjacent cabinet.
- Cut each piece of baseboard with a pair of scissors. The pieces should be slightly longer at each end so that you can trim them down later.
- Install the baseboard molding over the gap between the stove and the adjacent cabinet. Use all four corners of the molding to cut it to fit and trim it in the corners with a utility knife or other sharp blade.
- Once you’ve installed all four walls of your baseboard, measure the width of your gap and cut another piece of baseboard that’s as wide as this measurement plus 1/2 inch (1 1/8 cm).
Add A Small Cabinet
- If you have a small gap between your stove and cabinet, it may be possible to fill it with an inexpensive, wooden cabinet. This type of cabinet is easy to install and can be purchased at any home improvement store.
- To make the cabinet fit properly, measure the space between your stove and an adjacent wall or built-in storage. Then buy a set of replacement cabinets for the same size as your current cabinets. Measure the gap between these cabinets and use them as a guide to cut the new set of cabinets to fit in place.
- Install the new cabinets by following all manufacturer’s instructions. While it may take some time to install this type of cabinet, it’s well worth the effort because it provides you with more space in which to work while also making a nice addition to your kitchen décor.
Conclusion
The gaps between the stove and adjacent cabinet are unavoidable. The best way to deal with them is to fill them with attractive and useful items. You can buy premade cabinets or build your own. Alternatively, you can install decorative molding or a small counter extension to fill these gaps.
