Slide-In Range Countertop Considerations is a great way to get a stove into an existing space. You don’t have to worry about tearing up your kitchen, and you don’t have to worry about moving plumbing or electrical. They’re easy to install, and they’re fairly inexpensive too.
But there’s one thing that comes up often with slide-ins, and that’s the countertop behind them. Do you need one? Should you have one? Usually, when people ask this question, they’re worried that they’ll need something between their stovetop and the wall to protect it from damage caused by heat.
Table of Contents
Does a Slide in Range Need Countertop Behind It?
The answer is no, but it depends. A slide-in range does not need a countertop behind it. However, if you want to install it in your kitchen and you have a wall behind the range, you need to take into account the thickness of the wall material and the distance between the wall and the range top.
Slide-In Range Countertop Considerations fact, most slide-in ranges come with integrated backsplashes, which are actually pretty cool looking. The back side of your range will look like it’s floating on top of your cabinets because there will be no gap between the two surfaces.
So do you need a countertop behind your new range? The answer is no — but if that doesn’t stop you from worrying about protecting your investment from damage, then maybe consider getting an additional protection plan for your appliance from home insurance providers.
How Much Space Should There Be Between The Range and The Wall?
Slide-In Range Countertop Considerations important to make sure that there’s enough space between the back of the range and the wall behind it. This is because if there isn’t enough space, then the exhaust system won’t be able to vent properly. If this happens, then you could start to smell gas or have other problems with your range.
You might be surprised to learn that there is no set standard for how much space should be between the range and the wall. While some professionals may specify a minimum clearance of 18 inches or more, others say 12 inches is sufficient.
A couple of inches off the back of your range will help prevent heat from building up inside your cabinets, which can cause damage to the surrounding cabinetry and lead to hot spots around the range. This also allows for easier cleaning under and behind the cooktop.
Now, if your appliance has a backsplash or backsplash (or both) that covers at least half of its width, then you can safely place it closer to the wall than usual without fear of damaging its finish.
Why Do You Need A Countertop For Your Range?
While many homeowners are aware of the purpose of a countertop, they may not know why you need one for your range.
More than just a place to set cups and plates, a countertop provides support for your range. This is especially important if you have an older range with no back panel or if your current range is not level.
The main reason for putting a countertop behind your slide-in range is to protect your wall from the heat that comes off of the stovetop burners.
But there are other reasons too:
- Easier clean-up. It’s easier to clean up spills when they happen on top of the counter than on your wall behind it.
- More storage space – A backsplash can double as storage space for pots and pans, allowing you more room for other things on your countertop in front of the stove.
- Aesthetics – A backsplash adds visual interest and depth to any kitchen by creating contrast between materials such as tile vs steel or granite vs stainless steel (or whatever materials make sense in your specific kitchen).
- You can install a soap dispenser directly above one of the burners if you want an easy way to wash your hands while cooking or cleaning up after dinner.
What To Consider To See If Slide-In Range Needs A Countertop Behind It?
Location of the Range In The Kitchen:
If you want to install your slide-in range in a corner or on a wall, you should consider getting a 36″ or 42″ countertop that will fit behind the range. However, if you plan on installing your slide-in range along an island, then you don’t need to add countertop space behind it.
Ventilation:
Another thing to consider is whether your slide-in range requires ventilation at the back of it or not. If it does, then having a solid surface behind it will create problems with airflow and heat retention inside the cabinet.
Size Of Your Appliance:
The size of your appliance is also very important because this will determine how much space you have between your range and other cabinets or appliances such as dishwashers or refrigerators. You do not want to get something that does not fit well or blocks too much space from other appliances in your kitchen. Also, if there is not enough space between your countertop and cabinets above it, then there may be problems because moisture can accumulate on top of them, creating mold problems that are not good for your health and safety.
Counter Height
The height of your countertop will also affect whether or not your range needs to be installed with a backsplash or not. When installing a range that has an open back with no backsplash, the height of your counters will determine how much distance there is between the front burners and the bottom edge of your cabinets. If there is too much space between these two elements (more than 2 inches), then additional cabinetry may need to be added to fill this gap up and create more usable kitchen space.
Final Thoughts
As you likely know, a standard slide-in range is designed to sit flush with the top of the counter. When installed this way, the controls are lower–which makes them easier for people to reach. However, for some people, this is not a good idea, and there are ways to modify it to make it safer.
The good news is that you won’t need to worry much about the countertop in most cases, but there are some situations where it’s better to have a backsplash behind your range.
