# Forum Home Renovation Kitchens  Cooktop Hole Too Big

## Dave_KB

Planning to replace our aging gas cooktop but the existing hole is 950mm wide. 
There are only a handful of models on the market that will fit. 
One option might be to fill the gap on either (or one) side with some sort of infill, as this would then give many more options in terms of cooktops that will fit...ie pretty much any "900mm" model on the market. 
This might actually be useful as it would give a place to put hot things on.  Current benchtops are laminate and don't really want to replace them at this stage. 
If I went for a stainless fill-in bit on the side how would that actually work?  Would it just sit on top of the existing bench?  I thought if that were the case the 'surface' that the benchtop sits on would then be uneven...but if the stainless was thin enough, would that matter? 
Or would you router the surface so the stainless sits flush (or below) the existing benchtop. 
Another option would be to get a frame to go right around the hole (rather like a picture frame)...presume this would be easier to install. 
Who would I get to make this sort of thing?

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## lbg

the lip the stainless creates shouldn't be that bad. what I'd be more worried about is how you keep it flat at the ends and therefore avoid dirt/water/etc getting under it. 
Also - when you say 900mm tops, are you referring to the "cut out" size, or the cook top size. I think they usually label them say "900", but you'll find the cutout size is smaller again.

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## Dave_KB

> the lip the stainless creates shouldn't be that bad. what I'd be more worried about is how you keep it flat at the ends and therefore avoid dirt/water/etc getting under it. 
> Also - when you say 900mm tops, are you referring to the "cut out" size, or the cook top size. I think they usually label them say "900", but you'll find the cutout size is smaller again.

  
With 900mm I was refering to what they are generically known as...the cutout size is usually a lot smaller...hence the reason to try and cover the gap.

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## Master Splinter

I tend to think that unless you were doing it yourself, you'd be spending just as much money (or more) getting a nice patch job done with some stainless as getting a new sheet of laminate put on would cost.

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## Bedford

Would you be able to cut the draing board off an old sink and incorporate that to cover. It would have a finnished edge on three sides plus mounting clips to secure it from underneath. :Smilie:

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## Billym

replaced range with gas and had same problem. I put ceramic tiles around the opening to the corredt size and set gas top  on the edge of the tiles.did this four or five years ago and no problem so far...

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## GraemeCook

Hi Dave 
When you say you benchtop is laminate do you mean it is formica or laminex over MDF, or do you mean it is a timber laminate? 
If the former, then you could plug the hole with a new piece of MDF, then lay new formica over the entire benchtop, and put the new hole exactly where you want it. 
Cheers 
Graeme

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