Protect Cabinets Around a Stove/Range: Heat, Steam, Venting

Cabinets around a stove/range get damaged in three ways: heat, steam/grease, and self-clean “overtemp” exposure. The non-obvious part is that many “heat” failures are actually steam + grease + weak ventilation, and the cabinet material (thermofoil/laminate) is often the real limiting factor—not the range.

The stuff people don’t say (but matters most)

1. Self-clean can discolor or stain adjacent cabinet finishes (especially laminate). Some range installation instructions explicitly warn that certain cabinet finishes may not survive the temperatures allowed by safety standards, and that this is most noticeable with laminated cabinets—particularly with self-cleaning ovens. (Bosch Home)
2. A “working” hood can still be functionally useless if capture is wrong. Many installation guides reduce burn/fire risk by requiring/urging a hood (or microwave-hood) that projects at least 5" beyond the cabinet face—because capture matters as much as airflow. (KitchenAid)
3. The cabinet above the cooktop is a design risk by default. Multiple installation docs and guidelines warn that storage above a cooking surface should be avoided, and if you insist on it, you need correct hood projection and depth limits. (KitchenAid)
4. Thermofoil and many laminates are heat/steam-sensitive—period. Cabinet industry sources describe thermofoil delamination/peeling/blistering from heat and steam exposure, and some cabinet manufacturers sell shields specifically because these door styles are more vulnerable. (deslaurier.com)

What to do (highest ROI first)

1) Fix the “above the range” geometry (where most cabinet damage starts)

• Maintain proper vertical clearance above the cooking surface. A common design guideline is 24" to a protected noncombustible surface and 30" to an unprotected/combustible surface above the cooktop. (ivocabinets.com)
• Avoid cabinet storage directly above the cooking surface whenever possible; if it exists, reduce risk with a hood that projects beyond the cabinet face. (KitchenAid)
• Respect cabinet depth limits above the range (many installation instructions set a maximum cabinet depth above the cooktop area). Example: Bosch installation guidance commonly calls out shallow upper cabinets (often around 13") and hood projection. (Retail Specs)

Hidden failure mode: shallow uppers + correct hood projection is often what prevents the “greasy steam stripe” that later turns into peeling edges and swollen MDF.

2) Make your ventilation “actually capture,” not just “spin a fan”

• Run the hood whenever you create steam/grease (boiling, searing, wok cooking), not only when smoke appears.
• If you have an over-the-range microwave, do a simple draw test: GE describes a “tissue test” (tissue should hold under suction on HIGH) to check if the vent is pulling properly. (products.geappliances.com)
• Clean the hood filters. Grease-loaded filters cut performance; major appliance manufacturers explicitly advise cleaning hoods frequently so grease does not accumulate. (Whirlpool)

Hidden failure mode: cabinets warp/peel even with “a hood” because the hood is recirculating, undersized, or not capturing the plume. If your cabinet faces get tacky/greasy, you’re not exhausting/capturing effectively—regardless of rated CFM.

3) Protect the cabinet sides next to the range (especially tight installs)

• Give side clearance if you can. GE notes, for example, that gas ranges can require 6" minimum spacing to a side wall, and even where 0" is technically allowed for some configurations, additional spacing is often recommended to reduce exposure to heat/steam/grease. (products.geappliances.com)
• If clearance is tight, install a cabinet heat shield on the cabinet side panel or on the underside/face near heat exposure.
  • Cabinet manufacturers sell purpose-built shields (example: clear acrylic barriers marketed for use next to/above ranges, especially to protect thermofoil/laminate). (kraftmaid.com)
  • For “code-style” protection concepts, NFPA language describes protecting combustible material above cooking tops with insulating material plus sheet metal, and also highlights the role of air gaps for certain protectors/shields. (NFPA Doc Info Files)

Hidden failure mode: sticking a metal sheet directly to a cabinet side often underperforms; an air gap improves heat-shield effectiveness (it lets convection carry heat away). (Fireplace and Chimney Professionals)

4) Stop using self-clean if you already see cabinet stress

If you have laminate/thermofoil doors adjacent to the range and you’re seeing:

• yellowing/discoloration
• peeling at edges
• warping at the door closest to the oven

…treat self-clean as the accelerant. Installation instructions explicitly warn cabinet finishes may discolor/stain under the temperatures allowed by safety standards, especially with self-clean. (Bosch Home)
Switch to manual cleaning methods and focus on ventilation during high-heat cooking.

5) Material reality check (choose protection based on what you have)

• Thermofoil/laminate: assume sensitivity; use heat shields + strong ventilation. (deslaurier.com)
• Painted wood: better, but still vulnerable to repeated grease + moisture + heat cycling (paint softening and staining).
• Natural wood/veneer: can tolerate heat better but can still craze/crack from repeated steam/grease exposure.

Quick diagnostic: what your cabinet damage pattern means

• Damage only on the cabinet above: capture/clearance problem (hood geometry and vertical clearance). (ivocabinets.com)
• Damage only on one side panel next to the range: side clearance/heat shielding problem (especially tight installs). (products.geappliances.com)
• Damage spikes after self-clean: overtemp exposure (finish not tolerant). (Bosch Home)