What To Do About The Gap Between The Gas Stove And The Wall

A minor gap between the stove and a wall behind it makes sense if it's a gas stove, but if the side of the stove is near a wall and there's a gap between them, this space can be a major annoyance and a virtual black hole for random food bits or utensils to fall into. In many cases, it's relatively easy to close that gap with either a purchased or homemade covering. If the space is large enough, it could offer room to install a pull-out pantry or spice rack.

A gap behind a stove isn't always an issue, and in the case of a gas stove, it's probably necessary, as the stove needs to connect to the household gas supply via a gas line. Even an electric stove may have a small gap behind it depending on the chunkiness of the end of the plug attached to the stove. In some cases, a small gap is also a good thing if you ever need to access an outlet behind the stove. A toaster, coffee maker, or microwave might need to be plugged into that outlet if it resides near the stove. If you simply don't want the gap back there anymore, covering the area above the stove solves the issue.

A shelf behind the stove that's slightly above the highest part of the stove display in the back helps prevent things from falling or crawling back there if you have cats or other curious pets that might explore areas of the kitchen above the floor. Measure the width of the stove as well as the width of the gap and then make or purchase a shelf that covers all of that space, leaving no gap for things to fall into from above.

Even a basic plank of wood attached to metal shelf brackets does the trick, as the brackets won't be visible if you install them within the gap. For best results, attach the brackets to wall studs or use wall anchors. This ensures that even heavy items, such as kitchen storage jars, set atop the shelf won't cause the shelf to fall. Adding a shelf also frees up some counter space if you move some smaller items off the counter and onto the shelf.

A specialty gap cover designed for the spaces between an oven and a counter or the stove and a wall works well for a space less than an inch wide. This T-shaped flexible silicone device comes in different widths depending on the supplier, so be sure to measure the gap to buy one that fits without falling in. It can be cut to size easily, so there's no concern about it being a tad too long.

If the wall sits next to the stove but there's a sizable gap, fill that space with a miniature pantry. A narrow, pull-out pantry similar to a bookcase fits snugly into the space and blends right in with the kitchen decor if you add a butcher block top to it or a top that matches the kitchen counters. Cover the room-facing side of the pantry with trim to match the kitchen cabinets. Depending on the pantry, either wheels or heavy-duty drawer slides ensure the mini pantry slides out with ease. For a space too narrow to store cans or even spice jars, pegboard surrounded by a pull-out frame provides space to hang kitchen utensils, which is perfect for grabbing that slotted spoon right when you need it.

If you opt to purchase such a pantry rather than making one yourself, there's a chance it won't fit perfectly in the space between the wall and the stove. In that case, simply add another board on top if it's too short or too narrow on top. If the front face is too narrow, add a board trimmed to size and outfitted to match the kitchen cabinet doors. If it's too tall or too deep, it probably won't look right in the space.