Thermal insulation above a hob

[Windmill]

I'd like to put something like a cupboard a little lower than is usual above a hob.

Maybe 400mm instead of 650mm (which I think might be the usual recommended minimum).

Seems to me that if I put a stainless steel sheet (which doesn't conduct heat as well as most other metals) on the underside of the cabinet, with a thin layer of some kind of insulation above it, that would protect the cupboard while also being easy to clean.

But what kind of insulation? I suppose it should be something which would tolerate at least 100C, maybe 200C if thinking about frying temperatures.

(Not asbestos, obviously!)

[Huge]

One of the cement boards, perhaps? HardieBacker® 12mm cement backerboard (previously named HardieBacker®500)?

[Jeremy Nicoll - news posts]

Is this a gas or electrical hob?

I'm not sure if that matters, since presumably there's a risk of flame in either case, either deliberately ig eg someone pours brandy onto their burger and ignites it, or by accident...

[harryagain]

You might have a problem with steam/condensation affecting your cupboards?

[Andrew Gabriel]

If it's a gas hob, you can only do this if the installation instructions allow. I fitted a cooker with eye-level grill which required 7" clearence to the side of the grill unless a metal shield fitted. I cut down a steel 19" rack shelf, and used it. It's spaced about 1/2" from the cupboard side and I was initially a bit worried, but it doesn't get even warm when the grill is in use, as it reflects the heat away. Yours may be different as it's also subject to convection heating.

[meow2222]

Ensure its a metal cupboard, not flammable chipboard

NT

[newshound]

Or something like Aquapanel.

Or how about just ceramic tiles, but held on with something "sticky" like no more nails, and then grouted.

[Windmill]

Well, the point is rather that cupboards usually are flammable wood or chipboard!

[Windmill]

Thanks; I'll check into that.

[Windmill]

Electrical. But I'm interested in the idea of burger flambe` -never considered such a thing :-)

[Windmill]

I think the stainless steel sheet would take care of that.

[Windmill]

No, I avoid gas like the plague. I'm the sort of person who is and has been (in Canada long ago) extremely cautious about obvious threats like leaking gas pipe joints, but I wouldn't want to risk someone in our Brave New British World claiming that I had got it wrong. OTOH as the years go bye, I'm increasingly likely to leave things turned on when I didn't intend to. So, no gas.

I fitted a cooker with eye-level grill which

Yes, I could imagine 100 C, maybe even more.

[Windmill]

How much heat eould 'No More Nails' or 'Gorilla Glue' withstand? I suppose a one-piece chunk of ceramic material would be good if it could be cut to size and fastened securely.

[Dave Liquorice]

So you can bash your head on it?

[sm_jamieson]

To stop him bashing his head on it ?

I'm always amazed how low some cooker hoods are fitted in order to ensure the required head bashing. Mind you I had a job deciding on the correct height of our cooker hood. I am approx 6ft, wife approx 5ft ! Simon.

[Jim K]

...er by concentrating the condensation so that it dislodges last weeks "bacon grease & fried fish odour" and drops back onto this week's delicately seasoned shittake omelette for e.g.? MMMM tasty... YAppetiteMV

Crap idea IMHO

Jim K

[Windmill]

If it's above a worktop, surely you're going to have to do something a little unusual to manage to bash your head on it?

[Windmill]

Your gourmet cooking is in a league far above my gourmand stuff :-)

I'm not sure how much of a problem condensation might be. Time perhaps to cobble up a test setup.

But my real question was about a thermal insulation sheet to go above the stainless steel sheet (which would also help to reduce condensation, though protecting the cupboard above was the main reason). I don't know what materials are available and appropriate.

I know that a melamine cupboard underside 600 or 700 mm AIR above a hob doesn't seem to overheat, nor get much condensation, but I suppose that with a smaller gap some testing is called for.

Someone else suggested ceramic tiling instead of stainless steel. Maybe a few large tiles glued on with high-temperature epoxy would be the better approach.