Chimney hood in kitchen - against units or gap

vegasvisitor

I drew out our kitchen plan and took it to Howdens. I had it as 1000mm base units either side of a 600mm oven housing, and then the 600mm chimney hood above and 1000mm wall units above, ie with the wall units touching the chimney hood at the bottom edge of the chimney.

They guy in Howdens said to leave a gap, and switched my units for 500mm plus 400mm on either side, so 10cm gap. This also interferes with my tiling though, if you imagine if I am tiling up to that gap it might look odd, as if it should continue to the top of the units. If the hood was against the units it would be a straighforward tile up to the hood.

I've looked at various pictures online, and clearly many kitchens have the hood touching the units either side. On several it also doesn't touch, but tends to be over larger hobs etc. Ours is just a standard 4 ring burner.

Any thoughts on whether I can have the 1000mm wall units or if I have to go with what the guy in Howdens said? Can't check with the joiner, he's on holiday.

Thanks!

majjie

It's not the joiner you need to talk to - it's the gas fitter.

Gas regulations recommend leaving at least a 50mm gap either side of a gas hob - before fitting any wall units - although not all gas fitters will insist on it.

You can understand why most kitchen designers will leave a gap, though can't you? We'd have no come back if the gas man refused to fit the wall units that close to the hob.

Majjie

Meepster

Majjee is spot on.

The last ammendment to the Gas Safe "recommended" regulations (take from that what you will) stated there needed to be a 50mm gap, horizontally from any combustable material at a hight of 650mm or less...

vegasvisitor

Ok, I see what you mean, but then that means out current one is not compliant either, and we have an under unit extractor under a 600mm half height wall cabinet, and there's a normal wall unit directly above it. The gas hob is over a 600mm oven housing. Looking at our current one, I can't see why that would matter?

Here's the kitchen plan (one side of kitchen only) showing the gap that they put in. It just seems easier to me to close that gap and make the wall units match the base units either side. The little worktop extension and end panel is wrong by the way - the guy added that in to my plan, think he misunderstood, I just wanted to leave a space for the bin and because it's right at the door.

Doozergirl

The cost of 2x500mm and 2x400mm cupboards will be nearly double the cost of 2x1000mm units. There's not much difference in the price of basic units. That's pretty frustrating!

On the other hand, I've seen plenty sides of units which have really yellowed and sometimes warped with the heat and grease as a result of completely sandwiching a cooker hood, so maybe it's sensible for the longevity of the kitchen if not safety regs.

Maybe 2x800mm wall units to save money and put in a wider extractor or one of those with a glass canopy to keep it looking pretty?

vegasvisitor

Thanks for the replies so far.

We've already bought the cooker hood etc, so no changes can be made there. I realise the cabinets is increasing the cost a little, but it's not really a major issue. Of course being a MSE I'd rather have the cheaper option, but not at the risk of it being the wrong thing to do! I'd rather not drop down to 2 800mm units just to save, because they will be the only wall units, so I don't want to reduce that any further. It might even be better to have them separate, ie one for glasses, one for plates, one for food etc. I'm also considering changing the other wall - we have already changed the right hand 800mm drawer base and 1000mm base to 600 drawer pack and 2 x 600mm plain base units. I'm thinking of taking the right hand 600mm away and changing it to a larder unit right on the right hand side. This will save me a worktop as it will take it down to about 2900 instead of 3500 for the worktop. That's quite annoying, having a join to get another 50cm! Any thoughts on that?

madget_2

Regulations aside, I actually think a bit of a gap either side looks better, plus it makes the adjacent wall unit sides much easier to clean. We have a bigger gap than you on either side, and although I was dubious about the idea at first, I really like it now it's finished.

sharkie

Doozergirl wrote: »

The cost of 2x500mm and 2x400mm cupboards will be nearly double the cost of 2x1000mm units. There's not much difference in the price of basic units. That's pretty frustrating!

On the other hand, I've seen plenty sides of units which have really yellowed and sometimes warped with the heat and grease as a result of completely sandwiching a cooker hood, so maybe it's sensible for the longevity of the kitchen if not safety regs.

Maybe 2x800mm wall units to save money and put in a wider extractor or one of those with a glass canopy to keep it looking pretty?

second Doozergirl's comment. I bought a wide extractor. at least with a gap you can clean the edges, stainless steel one in my case, as glass gets so dirty quickly.

From personal experience of the place I bought if the cupboard is in line (or close to the edge of the gas stove) then the film coating on the cupboard will come loose, revealing pressed-board below it, one of the door corners was charred black not yellow.

The ikea planner which marries up small hoods and then places cupboards next to them scares me!

lizbethr

I know this isnt maybe the right place for this comment but thought seen as this was about cooker hoods someone might be able to help. We are fitting our cooker hood without wall cabinets, does the switch have to be on show ie just above the counter or can it be inside a cupboard? Or is this just a really stupid question? Have the switch for the oven just above the worktop just thought it might look neater with the switch for the hood elsewhere.

Meepster

lizbethr wrote: »

I know this isnt maybe the right place for this comment but thought seen as this was about cooker hoods someone might be able to help. We are fitting our cooker hood without wall cabinets, does the switch have to be on show ie just above the counter or can it be inside a cupboard? Or is this just a really stupid question? Have the switch for the oven just above the worktop just thought it might look neater with the switch for the hood elsewhere.

The best place for a switch/socket for your cooker hood is, well, just above the cooker hood, or if it's a chimney style, behind the chimney section...

blackshirtuk

Hi
Agree with gap! purely because of damage from heat steam etc