Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Can I put a combination microwave oven above a floor standing elictric cooker?

130 views
Skip to first unread message

Mick.

unread,
Sep 21, 2010, 5:45:22 AM9/21/10
to
Hi all,
After having new kitchen units fitted, I cannot put my microwave
oven on top of the base units becouse the wall units are bigger and do not
leave enough room.
I have an electric oven with induction hobs.
There is plenty of free wall space above it could I fit the combination oven
on wall brackets above it please?
It could be fitted around 20" above the oven?
Thanks for any suggestions,
Mick.


Ronald Raygun

unread,
Sep 21, 2010, 6:04:50 AM9/21/10
to
Mick. wrote:

> After having new kitchen units fitted, I cannot put my microwave
> oven on top of the base units becouse the wall units are bigger and do not
> leave enough room.

Goodness. You must either have a huge microwave oven or else the wall
units were not mounted high enough. Surely if the new units are bigger
than the old ones, then the new ones ought to have been mounted higher up,
thereby keeping the gap the same.

If the gap is too small to accommodate a microwave, it's probably too small
for a lot of other things as well. You'd have plenty of "worktop" area with
insufficient working height to do any actual work on.

> I have an electric oven with induction hobs.
> There is plenty of free wall space above it could I fit the combination
> oven on wall brackets above it please?
> It could be fitted around 20" above the oven?

I wouldn't recommend it. The hob will be generating lots of steam and
you don't really want that to condense on the bottom of your microwave,
or worse, get sucked into its innards if it takes its ventilation air
in through holes in the base.

This is a problem which ought to have been foreseen at the design stage.

Mick.

unread,
Sep 21, 2010, 6:44:38 AM9/21/10
to
Hi Ronald,
Thanks for your help.
The space from the worktop to the bottom of the wall units is 12 1/2" and
the microwave is 14" high.
I had no say in the planning except choosing the colour as it is a Housing
Ass flat.

There might be just enough room to put the microwave on wall brackets on
anouther wall away from the oven.
Thanks,
Mick.
"Ronald Raygun" <no....@localhost.localdomain> wrote in message
news:XM%lo.43742$5e2....@newsfe19.ams2...

Man at B&Q

unread,
Sep 21, 2010, 7:05:57 AM9/21/10
to
On Sep 21, 11:04 am, Ronald Raygun <no.s...@localhost.localdomain>
wrote:

> Mick. wrote:
> >          After having new kitchen units fitted, I cannot put my microwave
> > oven on top of the base units becouse the wall units are bigger and do not
> > leave enough room.
>
> Goodness.  You must either have a huge microwave oven or else the wall
> units were not mounted high enough.

SWMBO dictated how high ours were mounted, so that she could at least
reach into the bottom shelf, if not actually see all the way to the
back. Still room for a fairly large combi m/wave, however.

MBQ

Ronald Raygun

unread,
Sep 21, 2010, 7:17:38 AM9/21/10
to
Mick. wrote:

> The space from the worktop to the bottom of the wall units is 12 1/2" and
> the microwave is 14" high.
> I had no say in the planning except choosing the colour as it is a Housing
> Ass flat.

I think 12.5" is completely unacceptable. Does the kitchen have low
ceilings and are the tops of the units flush with them? At a guess, the
Housing Association will have given the contract to Trotters Independent
Traders International Ltd who had a job lot of extra-tall units to shift,
complete with louvre doors, I shouldn't wonder. I'd complain.

If there is spare room between tops of units and ceiling, could you not
(this is DIY after all) move them higher yourself?

Or just take a few of the units down and throw them away. That'll give
you at least some worktop area with clear working height all the way to
the ceiling.

Another possible course of action might be to put the microwave actually
*into* one of the wall units. You'd need to make a base (sheet of ply,
chipboard, etc) to stand it on because the oven will be much deeper than
the units, and you'll need to keep the doors open permanently, or take them
off. Use the rest of the unit as open shelving, e.g. for cookery books.
Make sure the units will take the weight - perhaps make up a pair of props.

Peter Taylor

unread,
Sep 21, 2010, 11:07:12 AM9/21/10
to

"Ronald Raygun" <no....@localhost.localdomain> wrote in message
news:aR0mo.83461$45....@newsfe29.ams2...

> Mick. wrote:
>
>> The space from the worktop to the bottom of the wall units is 12 1/2" and
>> the microwave is 14" high.
>> I had no say in the planning except choosing the colour as it is a
>> Housing
>> Ass flat.
>
> I think 12.5" is completely unacceptable.

So do I. 450mm (18") is the normal minimum (three 6" tiles). If the
ceiling is low the normal way round it is to use shorter cupboards, not
reduce the working space underneath.

Housing Associations usually have a Design Standards Handbook or similar
which details kitchen dimensions like this and in my experience they are
very strict about making contractors stick to them. I think it would be
worth telling them the problem and ask them what their standards say.


js.b1

unread,
Sep 21, 2010, 11:40:32 AM9/21/10
to
Generally one uses circa 585mm height cupboards if the ceiling slopes,
sounds like someone has used circa 720mm or such like. Shallow depth
cupboards are required if you go much lower than 18" if you do not
have an "Ikea 0.72m football field depth worktop".

Anything above a hob has to comply with clearance requirements, which
would render a microwave unusable never mind unsafe (tip hot dish all
over yourself). Additionally they are not designed to be mounted over
a heat source, some in the USA are - but they are built into units
often with dedicated ventilation kits (and forced ventilation kits).

Likewise you need a certain clearance above toasters (heat) and
kettles (steam).

Quite a few people would like to see a cupboard-free area for
toasters, because a stuck toaster can cause heat damage or worse to
cupboards situated directly above.

Mick.

unread,
Sep 21, 2010, 1:19:00 PM9/21/10
to
Hi all,
The space from the top of the wall mounted units to the celing is
15inches, I have taken the top units off and am raising them by 4inches
This will give me enough room for the microwave underneath, hopefull where
the top units are only 12 inches deep there will be enough air flow.

A fitter told me they put them at the original height so people could reach
the top shelf!
Thanks for all your help.


Mick.
"Ronald Raygun" <no....@localhost.localdomain> wrote in message

news:aR0mo.83461$45....@newsfe29.ams2...

0 new messages