Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
mpg2004

can a cooktop fit in a standard depth counter?

mpg2004
10 years ago

Hi,

The thread about a cracked granite rail in front of a cooktop got me thinking... can a cooktop be installed in a standard depth countertop? Our cooktop is 21.5" deep and requires a cutout of just under 20". If we center the cutout on standard 25.5" deep counters, that would give granite rails of 2.75" in front and behind the cooktop. Is that wide enough for the granite, or would that be susceptible to cracking? I know most pictures of cooktops I see have them placed in a bumped out section of countertop, but I'm wondering if that is necessary.

thanks,
Michelle

Comments (10)

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    My cooktops both in my last house and this one were/are on standard depth counters, without a problem. The first was a Viking 36" gas, and the current is a 30" Bosch induction.

  • jellytoast
    10 years ago

    Michelle, did you look at the installation requirements for that model to see what was suggested?

  • athomesewing
    10 years ago

    Probably will fit, but a lot depends on the specifics of your installation.

    When planning, be sure to think about the interior size of your base cabinet. A 36â x 24â base, made with 3/4 material would have a 34.5â x 22.5â interior. Only a little larger if 1/2â material is used.

    My 36â cooktop specified a cutout of 34-3/8â wide. My cabinet boxes are being made with 3/4â material. I noticed how impossible that would have been in a standard 36â base, and ordered the cooktop cabinet 38â wide (36.5â interior).

    As long as your cabinet has enough width, rather than centering the cutout front to back on the cabinet, consider how far from the leading edge you can place the cutout comfortably, and push it back a bit. Don't forget the backsplash takes up space as well.

    According to the MIA* the cooktop, sink, and any other large cutouts should be rodded by the granite fabricator. I would hope that would help prevent those narrow areas from cracking. I've linked to the MIA publication on fabrication standards. About 10 or 11 pages in, there are illustrations showlng where rodding should be placed.

    (*The MIA, Marble Institue of America, is considered to be the standard in professional stone fabrication.)

    Here is a link that might be useful: MIA Specificagtions & Standards for Stone Countertops

  • mpg2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks everyone! I started wondering when I read in that earlier post how her fabricators wanted to have the cooktop placed 4" in from the edge of the countertop. The installation specs for my cooktop have a minimum of 2" between the cutout and the back wall and 2 1/4" between the cutout and the front of the counter. The cutout is 20" deep, so that gives 24 1/4" which should fit fine in a 25.5" deep counter. Thanks for the link to the MIA standards document, that was very informative!

    Michelle

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    10 years ago

    mpg2004:

    The 2" clearance specification on the back/side wall(s) of your cutout is most important. As in you could set your house on fire. All other problems are relatively easily solved. And no, installing a tile backsplash does not make your back/side wall(s) noncombustible.

  • kksmama
    10 years ago

    I was glad I learned here that I could set my regular depth cabinets 4" off the wall and gain the countertop real estate around my sink (avoiding a seam there). I think I would do that for a cooktop, too.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    10 years ago

    mpg2004:

    There are specific manufacturer requirements for the construction details for solid surface and estone cooktop cutouts. Failure to follow them to the letter will result in voiding the warranty.

  • mpg2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks all! This would be so much simpler if I had unlimited $ and space, but I don't. It's tight to move our cooktop onto our perimeter counter, but we think it's worth it to get it moved off the island. Spacewise, it would be best if the cooktop would fit in a standard depth counter. I will ask our cabinet maker about pulling that run of cabinets away from the wall an inch or two, but space is tight there. I certainly don't want to create a fire hazard! Trebuchet, was your point that I have somewhat less than 25.5" to work with, since I need to account for the thickness of the backsplash tile? That's good to know, thanks!

    So, what's the narrowest granite "rail" that can be used to support a cooktop? (Our counter is currently only 1.25" wide along the front edge of the cooktop, but it's a tile counter, so the support structure is different than solid granite will be.)

    thanks,
    Michelle

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    The installation instructions provided by the cooktop manufacturer will tell you exactly what clearances you need. For my Bosch 30" induction cooktop, the requirements are 2" minimum behind the cooktop, and 2-1/4" in front. The cooktop itself is 20", so that's a total of 24-1/4" (out of 25-1/2", less the depth of the backsplash tile, available)

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    10 years ago

    "So, what's the narrowest granite "rail" that can be used to support a cooktop?"

    The closest your cooktop can get is to the back of the front of the cabinets. This is usually 3/4", plus the thickness of the doors/drawer fronts which is usually 7/8". So if you want your counter edge flush with the doors/ drawer fronts, the narrowest the "rail" can be is 3/4" + 7/8" = 1 5/8". Add any overhang to this number.