How close can cabinets be installed to my cooktop or range?

Cabinets installed near your cooktop or range are exposed to some relatively harsh conditions.  Steam and grease may immediately come to mind.  These two alone could potentially lead to some discoloration without being properly cleaned.

However, the most important consideration when answering this question is related to the overall safety of the install.  Anytime there’s an open flame in the same vicinity of a potential fuel source such as a wood cabinet, we should think about providing extra space in that area.

You’ll want to provide extra space to prevent that cabinet from being exposed to the higher temps and the potential to come in contact with a flame.  You may also want to consider the possibility of a grease fire or similar hazard.  Of course we don’t plan on grease fires, but they happen a lot more often than you would expect.

Many installers may recommend a distance of 3-6 inches of space being the minimum.  However, we always recommend increasing that to around nine inches of open space.  The key here is to make this decision with the safety of the occupants in mind.  Additionally, we highly recommend a quick review of the code requirements for your applicable municipality to insure your install meet or exceed the safety specifications.

And since we’re talking safety, ALWAYS keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.  We hope it will never be needed, but always like to remind customers and installers alike of how important it could be.