Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
angier_2007

My slide-in stove is taller than the granite and other issues...

angier_2007
16 years ago

I need advice on how to handle this. I am becoming more disappointed with my new granite countertops and I am not sure what I can expect the kitchen co. to do to fix the problems. The most bothersome is the slide-in range that stands 1/2" taller even with the legs off. Next is how the undermount sink looks. I thought that the counter would over hang the sink by a fraction of an inch but it doesn't it looks as if the sink opening is bigger than the sink. The silicone used to seal it is very visible. I have one long piece with the sink that runs the length of the wall and it is scribed very well with the wall. The other piece that comes out to make a breakfast bar isn't so good. It starts out okay and gradually comes farther away from the wall leaving about 1/2" gap. (no backsplash) Since reading about the penny test here I've tried that on the seams and I can feel the penny catching in some spots.

I've called and asked for someone to come out and look at the top. They will send someone but ... "they are not responsible for the stove, they went off the sink specs, aren't you putting up a back splash? and walls are wavy."

I have no experience with this kind of thing and do not have a designer or contractor to call. I would appreciate any feedback on what would be right and fair.

Comments (114)

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    7 years ago

    Picture a plastic mushroom with a screw as the stem. That's the range foot. The mushroom cap usually goes to the floor. Unscrew the foot, and reinstall it so the "stem" touches the floor. The "cap" may have to be ground with a belt sander to fit between the frame. I've done this several times to solve this problem. It's not approved by any manufacturer, but it works.

  • dan1888
    7 years ago

    In that case you can use regular new bolts. Take a foot bolt to the hardware store to match pitch with a nut and then get the new bolt that fits that nut.

  • mayhemingway
    7 years ago

    I just discovered that this is going to be a problem for us. Our new range has a minimum height of 36". Our cabinets are 35.25" including the standard 3cm counters we're considering. I think the best option for us is to raise the cabinets by resting them on 3/4 plywood and then adding a new kick. It's going to suck, and I'm dreading telling my husband that I've made more work for us. But it's better than having a cooktop 3/4" higher than the countertop, right?


    Or we could change plans and do a 1.75" tall counter but that would still leave us with 0.25" to make up.


    I can't believe range manufacturer's don't account for this. If standard height is 34.5" + 1.25" counters, ranges are always going to be 1/4" too tall if standard range minimum height is 36".

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    7 years ago

    softpunk:


    It sounds to me like you may have installed cabinets with an existing floor that butts up to them? If so, you'd be smart to shim them all flush with the floor because your slide-in range isn't the only appliance you'll have problems with. You don't want to "tile in" a dishwasher or not be able to fit it between the tile and countertop.

  • mayhemingway
    7 years ago

    Our kitchen is new to us but it's a facelift of a facelift. The tile we inherited was installed around the cabinets, and we removed it before installing our hardwood. We also removed the appliances including the dishwasher before running the wood floors. But even if you measure the cabinet height from the subfloor, the cabinets still would have been too short to accommodate a standard 36" tall range. Our hardwood floors are ever so slightly taller than the time we replaced so it is possible the dishwasher won't work at this point since the cabinets seem to be too short.


    I think we'll need to remove the cabinets, add 3/4" of plywood under them, and then trim them out with a new taller kick. That's not going to be a fun weekend.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    7 years ago

    softpunk:


    What style and finish are the cabinets? Maybe you could just build up the top 3/4" and finish to match or block it up and trim that with molding.

  • mayhemingway
    7 years ago

    No, that won't work for us. We have full overlay shakers and it would look pretty terrible to add 3/4" to the top.

  • virginia lynn
    7 years ago

    Ok just a thought. Could you take out bottom of the stove trace around the feet and cut holes in the floor where they are then place stove?

  • mayhemingway
    7 years ago

    Rather gutting to cut holes in very expensive and newly installed floors. Also the drawer wouldn't open the. But most importantly, even if the stove was installed on the subfloor, the cooktop would still be 1/4-3/8" taller than the counter.

  • J
    7 years ago

    Geez, I just had the Samsung Induction range delivered yesterday, and I'm SO GLAD the appliances were my first step in the kitchen remodel. I just discovered the same issue. It's a solid 3/4 inch higher than my countertops. I'm having Quartz installed by Home Depot - and FYI to anyone else reading this - they won't install the plywood or raise the cabinets for me. I called Lowe's just to check, and they won't do it either - have to hire my own contractor to handle it after HD rips out the existing counters. What a mess. But I'm glad to see all the other responses and ideas here as well - I was having a minor meltdown over what's really not a huge problem!

    Funny thing is though - the appliance delivery guy told me that 36" counters are the standard height and mine are just low. reading through here, it seems like not as rare as he made it sound.

  • Anon Username
    7 years ago

    Jen, does the Samsung range have little "feet" on the bottom that could be removed to lower the height below 36"? Or is 36" the absolute minimum height of the Samsung?

    Also, what is your solution? Removing countertops, raise with a piece of plywood-riser, and then use a laminated or mitered edge countertop to hide the plywood-riser?

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    7 years ago

    Feet can be reversed, but the appliance must bear on the feet/frame, not on the flange over the countertop. Just 'cause you can slide it in doesn't make it right.

  • pll080743
    7 years ago

    I am facing the same issue with the same Samsung stove. I have calculated that if Samsung would thread the food all the way down to the base we would be able to lower the stove to that fraction of an inch clearance just above the counter top. In trying to find a replacement that is completely threaded I found LG uses the same foot so I expect LG customers to have the same issue. I called J&J, the authorized parts dealer for Samsung, and got a very snotty man who refused to help in any way. I have taken pictures of the foot, next to a tape measure, and am emailing to various companies that sell levelers. I may also try to find a local company that can extend the thread on the foot.

  • mayhemingway
    7 years ago

    We wound up removing all the cabinets and installed 1" plywood underneath. It was a big job, but I'm so glad we did it before the countertops were installed. The added bonus is that the extra inch of toekick space makes it easier to get a vacuum in under the cabinets.

  • virginia lynn
    7 years ago

    Glad it worked out for you!

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    7 years ago

    pil:

    You don't need to extend the threads, you need to cut/grind the pad or the nut off the foot. Simple.

  • J
    7 years ago

    Yeah, we decided to have the new counters installed directly over the existing ones (which are a cheap laminate so weight isn't an issue). So this way we avoid the existing tearout and get the height raised where we need it.


    And no, the feet don't go any further, and I don't feel comfortable with the stove just resting on the floor without feet.

  • J
    7 years ago

    Yeah, we decided to have the new counters installed directly over the existing ones (which are a cheap laminate so weight isn't an issue). So this way we avoid the existing tearout and get the height raised where we need it.


    And no, the feet don't go any further, and I don't feel comfortable with the stove just resting on the floor without feet.

  • rob10k8
    7 years ago

    I have the same issue with my new cabinets / floor / slide-in. It's very frustrating.


    In my case, I company I worked with to re-do my kitchen said that they would be able to repair my 100 year old wood floors and had "no concerns", so I proceeded with doing that. The kitchen remodel went fine, the new cabinets and new counters were installed, and then they had the flooring people come out.


    The guys doing the floor said there was no way to keep the existing floor as it had been sanded so much over 100 years, the top layer was too thin and it would just continue to split and have nail pops. Therefore, I had put down new wood floors - here the problem was the floors in the old kitchen were actually the sub-floor (simple tongue and groove put right over the joists) so new the floor would have to go on top, raising the floor height by 3/4" or "lower" the counter to about 35".


    I'm going to try removing the feet from the range and seeing if that will help, but I am concerned whether the warming drawer will rub on the floor.


    Here are some pictures of my new kitchen in various stages of construction as well as the issue with the range.

  • mayhemingway
    7 years ago

    How could the company guarantee your floors could be redone with ought consulting a floor refinisher? That's just awful. I don't understand how they let it get so far (finished really) before finding out the floors weren't repairable. I can only imagine how that went down. Good luck.

  • rob10k8
    7 years ago

    Thanks. In a way it is my fault for not asking to have the flooring people brought in before work started.

  • jefoltz
    6 years ago

    rob10k8 what did you end up doing? I have the same exact problem. I wish we would have added plywood under the counter.

  • User
    6 years ago

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    6 years ago

    "... so new the floor would have to go on top, raising the floor height by 3/4" or "lower" the counter to about 35"."


    rob10k8:


    Was your dishwasher already in place when the floor was installed? If so, how will it be removed for service or replacement with a 3/4" thick floor blocking its exit? Remove the floor in front of the dishwasher? Remove the countertop? Sawzall the feet off the dishwasher?

  • Chessie
    6 years ago

    Well this is an interesting thread. Very glad I saw it. I will be getting new flooring in my kitchen soon, and there is no friggin' way I am having all my dang cabinets raised to allow for an increase in the height of my appliances! That would be a massive expense,and would also eff up the new backsplash that isn't even in place yet. Pretty much just made my decision for me. I currently have sheet vinyl. The replacement will also be sheet vinyl!

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    6 years ago

    The glass flange on the slide-in is about 1/4" too high and the feet are all the way down.

    I cut the pad off the foot.

    Then kiss it with a belt sander to round the bottom a bit.

    I always go corner-to-corner with my level in addition to front-to-back and side-to-side. In this case it shows the homeowner his choices. Since the top is not installed level and on plane, he can have the glass somewhat follow the top, making the gap the smallest, but his eggs may slide to one side of his frying pan, or he can have the glass top installed level and let the gap fall where it may.

    The 1/4" gap is gone, but the glass top isn't perfectly level. He's happy.

  • barnaclebob
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Chess, you just have to make sure your stove is adjustable for whatever flooring you get. Flooring doesn't need to go under the dishwasher but you need to also make sure there is clearance to remove it. But if you are looking for any excuse to get vinyl then there you go.

  • Chessie
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    LOL...no not looking for an excuse at all. I just got a new slide-in range and a new dishwasher, and neither one has flooring (sheet vinyl) under it (the original ones that they replaced, did not either). So they are already sitting low - right on the bare floor. When I pull up the 24 yr-old sheet vinyl to replace it, whatever I put down there will certainly be a bit thicker, I would imagine. But at least if I replace with sheet vinyl, it really won't be much of an issue. How much height would one expect to gain with new flooring?

  • rob10k8
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Joseph -

    For my dishwasher, there is enough space to get it over the wood flooring. It's a bit tricky but it can be pulled out.

    For my range, I tried to lower it as much as possible, but the lowest it would go is 36" and my counters were at about 35". I looked into removing the adjustable feet, however, there are some components that are just a little bit lower than where the adjustable feet screw into, so the range would not have sat level.

    I ended pulling out the flooring under the range and then I had to cut some small areas where the feet went (I could have pulled out one more floor piece, but it would have been noticeable that a floor board was missing).

    Below are the areas I cut out for the feet. You can't see it here, but all the flooring beneath the stove has been removed too.

    The warming drawer actually became too low and the bottom dragged, so I had to adjust the screws that attached the front of the warming drawer to raise is slightly. You can see it's not 100% straight, but this isn't noticeable when you're in the kitchen since there is an island just behind the camera (I didn't notice this until I looked at the picture, so I probably won't correct it).

    Overall, I happy with the solution.

  • Chessie
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I just texted my fabricator to see what his thoughts were on this. New countertops are due to be installed in a couple of weeks - they have not templated yet, so thought I would run this by him.

  • PRO
    Ashley Pitts
    6 years ago

    @Chess - interested to know what you found out from your fabricator? I am buying a bosch range that supposedly can adjust from 35.5" to 37" - allowing me flexibility to go with a 3cm slab, or a 2cm slab w/substrate and built-up 4cm edge. Problem is, if I go with a 3cm slab (puts top of counter at 35 11/16"), and I decide I hate the bosch and want to change it out in the future, I would be stuck with the same issues that other people are facing in this thread because the counter would be less than 36" in height. I can't believe there aren't more subs, fabricators and kitchen designers who are more savvy about this issue.

  • Chessie
    6 years ago

    Ashley Pitts, I had no height issues, but the top of my cabinets sit at 35 3/8 - which is higher than standard apparently. So with quartz, the new counters naturally turned out to sit higher, by nearly a half inch. (My quartz is 3cm and replaced laminate. ) The difference was taken care of by adjusting the legs on my range. Now it sits flush with the counter. My counters now sit at 36.5, but I am fine with that - I'm not short so a half inch really does not matter to me.

    The bigger issue was that the counter on the left was not level, and it was very noticeable as the counters sat above the range after installation. They had to do some adjusting for that, and now they are very close. Once I raised the range, they look the same. Also I have a slide-in range that does NOT have the normal slide-in flange, so I was very particular about them getting the counters to fit very close. They didn't do a perfect job, but it's not bad.

    For the future, since I WILL be getting new flooring, I will have to lower the range back down if I have flooring installed under it (which of course I will have to do in order to be able to pull it out for service or cleaning). I agree - this is not something I ever thought about - you would think that these folks that work with this stuff all the time, would think about this issue, or at least mention it.

  • User
    6 years ago
    Check out what we did! We had a piece of 1/4” thick black acrylic cut to fill the gap and t worked really well!

    https://medium.com/between-6-and-7/our-micro-disasters-finally-find-resolutions-b4679cbd1972?source=linkShare-c6dda664e6dc-1511891100
  • jefoltz
    6 years ago

    Miranda that would work perfect. Where did you buy the acrylic?

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    6 years ago

    miranda_s4:


    For the record, your cabinet installers should have shimmed the cabinets up, not scribed them down, and covered the shims with shoe molding. Much less work too.


    You're lucky the cabinets and top are level which allowed your solution. I've seen tops at appliance openings that weren't. The choice is an uneven gap or having your eggs slide to one side of the pan.

  • User
    6 years ago
    Jefoltz: you can buy acrylic online or often hardware stores carry it in various thicknesses.
  • PRO
    Ashley Pitts
    6 years ago

    miranda_s4: Your solution looks great. Good job! I checked out your link, too. Those tile micro-fractures would have done me in!!

  • Timmy C
    6 years ago

    We just encountered this same problem with our new Bosch Electric Range. Countertops are too short since they were laid on the subfloor, not on top of the hardwoods. On the lowest setting with the adjustable feet, we were still about 1/4 to 1/2 inch too high. We just did some modifications and were able to drop it into place so it's perfectly flush with the countertops.

    Here's what we did: Note, be sure the power is turned off completely to the stove before you begin any work! Turn off the breaker for safety!

    1) Flip the oven on it's back side so you can access the bottom easily. If you're on your hardwoods, make sure you put down a blanket or something protective so you don't scratch the floor.

    2) Remove the plastic adjustable feet all together. Unscrew them all the way then use some muscle to pry them out. While you're down there, remove those screws too that hold the back of the warmer drawer in place towards the back of the unit on the bottom. Don't worry, you'll see after you remove them that they don't serve much of a purpose. It's really important you remove these screws otherwise you risk scratching your floor (we did that). This is also a good time to stick some really thin sticky velvet furniture slides on the bottom of the unit.

    3) Take the metal vertical "appearance slides" that run vertical on the front of the stove alongside the door. There's like 5 screws on each side you'll need to remove. Once you get those screws off, you'll need someone to help you hold the warming drawer open so you can finagle the two pieces out on each side. The reason why you're taking these off is that you'll see the bottom of these appears slides hang too low once you remove the plastic feet. You need to remove these to cut the bottoms for additional clearance. You're going to trim about 1/4 to 1/2" of the bottom of these off so they are perfectly flush with the bottom of the stove. Use a hacksaw to cut off the required amount, then use a file and sandpaper to smooth the edges. Leave them off for the time being.

    4) Remove the warming drawer all together. There are are two set screws that hold each part of the drawer slide in place. You'll need a helper for this. Unscrew the set screws and remove the oven.

    1. On the bottom of the stove, you'll notice there are 4 metal protruding marks that hit the floor. These are essentially your new feet that will be in contact with the floor. Take a drill with a small bit and drill holes in the center of each of these metal protruding marks. These are going to be your pilot holes for where you are going to drill some holes in your hardwood floor under your stove.

    6) Flip the stove back right side up then slide into place. Make sure the power cord is tucked neatly and the range is slid all the way back into place where you want it close to the wall. In our situation, I had to use a tool to cut the hardwood floor so the power chord could slide all the way to the back side of the floor near the wall.

    7) Once the range is in place, take a fine tip marker and/or a nail and make a mark in each of those pilot holes so that there's a mark in the floor underneath. This is where you're going to drill, so make the mark as visible as possible.

    8) Slide the range out and see where your 4 marks are. Take a 1 &1/4" paddle bit and drill down about 1/4 of an inch into the hardwood in each of the marks. Be sure to vacuum up the mess. This is where you're going to get your additional depth needed to lower the unit.

    9) Slide the unit back in. Be sure those sticky velvet pieces haven't fallen off. Your unit should drop into those 4 holes. Note, this may take multiple attempts (at least it did for us). Our stickies kept clogging the hole.

    10) Once you have the fit solid, remove the unit and place the drawer back in place. Depending on the fit, you may need to raise the drawer by 1/8 or 1/4 of an inch. This is easy to do. Just drill new holes on top of where the old ones were and reattach the slides. Make sure you do a test fit with the drawer in this higher position to ensure the main over door can open smoothly.

    11) Reattach the side appearance slides

    12) Put the unit back into place and enjoy!

    I hope this helps someone. We were pretty discouraged when the unit arrived, but actually had fun solving this dilemma and making it fit!

  • Pyewacket
    6 years ago

    To all you people cutting the legs down or removing them, PAY ATTENTION TO FRED S. You are creating a fire hazard. To quote the text in his tiny jpg which I will bet a lot of people didn't bother to click on so they could read it:

    Ranges installed on combustible floors shall be set on their own bases or legs and shall be installed with clearances of NOT LESS THAN THAT SHOWN ON THE LABEL

    NOTE: A COMBUSTIBLE FLOOR WITH TILE ON TOP IS STILL A COMBUSTIBLE FLOOR

    Even if you have tile over concrete slab, there are still problems venting heat that could cause your stove to catch fire. DO NOT EVER reduce clearance under your stove to less than the manufacturer's specs. That includes leaving it untiled or unfinished under the stove - the clearance would still be needed INCLUDING the lip this sort of installation creates. The bottom of the stove has to be x inches HIGHER than that lip so not installing tile or whatnot under the stove still doesn't meet spec and your legs would actually have to be TALLER to make up for the the fact that the floor under the stove is not level with the visible floor.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    6 years ago

    Zensojourner:

    You make a good point, however, I can assure you that altering feet to gain a quarter inch isn’t going to set anyone’s house on fire.

  • Shirley Huberty
    5 years ago

    We had the same issue. We had a gap in the front and on the left and right. I called kitchen aid and they sent the stainless steel pieces for free and they fit great! You can't tell.

  • Nelida Mejia
    5 years ago
    I am encountering the same problem. I bought a new slide in range the standard size and I didn’t realize that the counters were not the same size as the range.
  • Nelida Mejia
    5 years ago
    Range and counters
  • Chessie
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Nelida Mejia, have you lowered the feet? Standard counter height is 36" and ranges generally are made to match that. There should be adjustable feet to move it up or down to better match small differences in height.

  • Nelida Mejia
    5 years ago
    I lowered the feet but the problem is that the range lowered to 36 inches and the counter is 35 inches tall.
  • Chessie
    5 years ago

    That is a low counter. Mine are nearly 36.5" , and my 1.5 year-old range is exactly the same height.

    Did you run new flooring under the range?

  • Nelida Mejia
    5 years ago
    No I did not run new flooring. It seems that when the house was built the lady of the house was short and so the counters were built with 35 in. height.
  • Chessie
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Oh dang. Well that sucks. Maybe you can return the range and find one that is the correct height.

  • Gregory Magoc
    2 years ago

    Put the legs back on your stove. That's not cool to do because you're re-engineering the stove. You have a flammable floor underneath the stove it needs to be adjusted to the right height for air to flow. I have the same problem at my house after doing a remodel. After looking around I found this to be the simplest solution. I went to internet and found a company that sells rubber. I bought a 10 ft long by 1 inch by a half inch thick. I measured the distance from the back of the stove to the front of the stove to get the correct cut. I had to make a few passes to get through the rubber but it worked and I was pleased with the outcome. I'm going to glue a piece of plastic to the front edge that I cut which is exposed to make it appears though it is a finished product.





  • Mary Terp
    5 months ago

    THANK YOU Houzz family and the commenters who explained how to cut the bottom off the plastic foot, turn it around and screw it in inverted. This WORKED and now our stove is level to our countertops. : )