Guidelines recommend 15” of space on either one or both sides of an oven, or if the oven is in a tall cabinet and this is not possible, to have 15” of landing space no more than 48” in front of the oven as long as it does not open into the main walkway. Below is an application of this guideline in a wall oven space.
So how much clearance does a wall oven need? The answer to this question is concise and sweet. As a rule of thumb, a wall oven requires around 3 inches of room in between your cabinet walls. This gap will enable you to install virtually any standard oven housing unit.
Without a backguard, a stove or range should typically be installed at least 6 inches away from a combustible back wall surface, like drywall. With a backguard, the range can usually be installed with zero wall clearance.
An open wall oven door will add about 20 to 24 inches in depth. Plan for a 42 to 48 inch door clearance in front of your wall oven in order to comfortably maneuver around the space while cooking.
MEASURE FOR STANDARD WALL OVEN CAPACITY
Expect around 2 to 3.5 cubic feet of interior space for a 24-inch-wide single wall oven and around 4 to 5 cubic feet for a 27 or 30-inch-wide single wall oven.
At least 5mm of space on either side. 35mm of space should be provided at the back of the unit. If the top of the oven is flush with the worktop, this is fine. There may be up to 20mm of ventilation space provided here, but generally, your built in oven is okay to be completely flush at the top.
Guidelines recommend 15” of space on either one or both sides of an oven, or if the oven is in a tall cabinet and this is not possible, to have 15” of landing space no more than 48” in front of the oven as long as it does not open into the main walkway. Below is an application of this guideline in a wall oven space.
The following are general minimum clearances for ranges: 1 ½ inches to nearest adjacent sidewall above the cooktop on both sides. 30 inches between the cooktop and a cabinet. 0 inches for sides below the cooktop.
A refrigerator may be installed next to a range or wall oven as long as air clearances for both appliances are met. The clearances are located in the installation instructions included with the appliance. Failure to adhere to the recommended clearances can void the warranty.
The capacity differs slightly from a range to a wall oven—the capacity of a range is around 5 cubic feet while a standard wall oven tends to be slightly smaller —around 3 cubic feet. If you have a smaller household and you typically cook for just one or two, then an oven of 3 cubic feet will more than suffice.
600mm of vertical clearance to a combustible surface, and 200mm of horizontal distance to a vertical surface. If these measurements can't be met, the surface in question must be protected with a fire resistant material in accordance with AG/601. 600mm to a rangehood. 750mm to an exhaust fan.
Fortunately, the outer part of the oven generates heat from about 190 to 200 Fahrenheit, which is quite low compared to the inside of the oven. However, when planning the installation of a wall oven, you have to make sure that the wall coverings, counters, and cabinets around the oven can withstand this temperature.
Stoves can be placed as close as 12 inches from the brick facing if you provide an air space behind the brick. An inexpensive and temporary way to protect a wall if you already have a stove installed closer than 36 inches to an unprotected wall is to provide a baffle.
Household cooking appliances shall have a vertical clearance above the cooking top of not less than 30 inches (760 mm) to combustible material and metal cabinets.
Cooking surface landing area: 12 inches to 15 inches on each side for hot items and ingredients used for cooking. Oven landing area: 15 inches adjacent to one side, both sides, or on the counter above the oven for hot items and ingredients used for cooking.
A minimum clearance of 36 inches from the top of the stove to the ceiling or any combustible materials above it. Hearth Requirements: The hearth should extend at least 18 inches in front of the loading door and 8 inches on each side of the stove.
An open door will add about 24 inches to the overall depth. You'll also want to have about 42-48 inches of clearance in front of your wall oven to comfortably load and unload dishes. This is especially important if you have a galley kitchen or an island across from your wall oven.
Ensuring there is a buffer zone between the two appliances not only helps with efficiency but also minimises the risk of heat damage or fire hazards. As a rule of thumb, keeping your fridge and oven at least 15-30 cm apart is advisable unless specific appliance guidelines suggest otherwise.
Beyond code requirements, you should consider ease of movement around the stove and whether other appliances obstruct your cooking area. Generally, it's advised to maintain at least 12 inches of clearance between fridges and gas stoves and 9 inches between fridges and electric stoves for optimal safety and convenience.
Wood frame walls covered with dry wall are considered combustible. If no wall protection is used, the common radiant-type stove or heater must be spaced out at least 36 inches from the wall. This distance may be reduced considerably if asbestos millboard and/or 28 gage sheet metal is used for wall protection.
A minimum clearance 'work zone' of 40” (102 cm) should be provided in front of a kitchen stove, with a larger 48”-60” (122-152 cm) clearance provided between other kitchen appliances.
You need a backsplash behind the stove to protect from grease and cooking splatter that could damage the surface behind the stove. The backsplash should be made of durable, nonabsorbent, and easy to clean material that will not discolor easily.
Your oven will require ventilation space around it to allow heat to escape.
Stove dimensions can vary between the stove size itself and the cutout measurements. For example, a 30-inch stove may actually measure at 29⅞ inches wide, but it will require a 30-inch cutout for installation. It's important to check the exact specifications of each stove to make sure it will fit your available space.
Many installers may recommend a distance of 3-6 inches of space being the minimum. However, we always recommend increasing that to around nine inches of open space. The key here is to make this decision with the safety of the occupants in mind.