Can I make a built-under oven into a built-in oven?

[yoyo42]

We had a new kitchen fitted a year or so ago. I wanted to DIY it but SWMBO didn't want to wait that long ;-)

We have a double oven fitted under the hob, but now we've been on holiday to a cottage that had a waist high built-in oven she wants it like that instead.

What's the difference between a built-under and built-in oven? If I swap an exsiting 600mm wide drawer unit in place of the oven then I could then use that space for a full height unit and mount the oven in that. However that brings up two more questions:

- that would mean there was a vertical wall of vinyl-wrapped MDF right next to the hob. Would that need a splashback or something similar to protect it from the heat?

- I've only really seen contiboard stuff for sale, can nicer rounded corner gloss white vinyl wrapped MDF be had for DIY or am I going to have to buy the official kitchen units? I'll need to get a new door from them anyway to finish off the full height unit...

[Andy Burns]

I would say none, you might need to put some support cross-pieces in the unit at a suitable height.

I believe you need a 50mm gap even for non-combustible materials

Unless you still have the installation instructions for the hob and it says different ...

[Fredxxx]

I would suggest look at oven housings. I'm a bit out of touch, but some can cope with different height ovens. They typically have a drawer under.

As Andy has said, there are horizontal clearances. There are also vertical ones. Best to look at the hob installation manual.

[spuorgelgoog]

Most kitchen ranges have 'decor panels' to match the doors, which can be bo ught separately (at a silly price, about £60 for a full height one fro m Wickes). If you can't get an exact match then try a contrasting colour.

Owain

[Bill Taylor]

If it'is fitted into a cabinet then it is a built in oven, there's no difference.

You might find it a bit awkward with a tall unit close to the hob, but I wouldn't have thought the MDF would get hot enough to be a problem with normal cooking. It would be a good idea to cover it with an easily cleaned material though.

[DerbyBorn]

A lot of heat can escape sideways with a gas hob. I would go for a metal splashback. The covered MDF won't last long.

[A.Lee]

Mostly, they can be swapped over. with a few adjustments. Built under are taller, and sometimes have feet, so either the feet have to come off (never tried it), or, you'll need to put a trim panel over the feet depth. Built-in are the typical slide in ovens, slightly shorter in height than built under, around 70mm shorter. The built in are made to slide into a 600 wide kitchen unit, which has internal width of around 560mm. Most built-unders slide into the 600mm gap, between adjacent units, they come with metal brackets that attach to the adjacent cabinet sides.

Possibly/probably. Tiles are an easy, cheap fix for that. Custom stainless splash backs can be bought, standard ones will be no good, as typically, at least one edge has screw holes, which are hidden under tiles, though if you can find one with square edge all around, then that'll fit when you get the angle grinder on it - beware your cabinets may be deeper than 600mm that splashback come in.

Magnet trade sell to the public. B+Q et al have a range in stock, but you'd be best finding where yours came from and buy the same.

[Syd Rumpo]

SIL had an under worktop oven which made the worktop above very hot. Reading the installation instructions, it was intended to be built in, and not under worktop. So it would seem, in this case at least, there is a difference.

Cheers

[Harry Bloomfield]

DerbyBorn a écrit :

It depepends upon how they vent. We have a double oven, one small with a larger one below it. Its sides and rear are very well insulated, it uses a fan to draw air in at the rear, which is vents out the front between the two doors. It runs very cool around the outside casing.

[charles]

You could always just dig a hole in front of the cooker so that it allowed her to have the cooker at waist level ;-) (nor my original idea)

[spuorgelgoog]

Or amputate at both knees, and build a step in front of the sink.

Owain

[Tim+]

See Andy Burns reply. 50mm gap needed.

Tim

[Tim+]

Hob man, hob!! Hobs don't have vents and need space each side.

Tim