I've seen designs where there is a small amount of stainless steel counter right next to the stove and then the wood or whatever. It doesn't look silly because the stainless is the same material as the stove so it just seems like a kind of extension. Is the rangetop on the actual peninsula or is it on the wall right next to the peninsula?

Our rangetop is in a butcher block counter. No code issues out here at least and it tolerates heat well, up to point (take a searing hot skillet and put it on and you'll scorch it).

I have teak countertops all around my Miele deep fat fryer and my 36" gas cooktop. There are no code issues at all. I would never set hop pots on the wood. It will ruin it . I always use a rack or hot pad etc. Clinresga is right it will scorch it as well as ruin the Waterlox finish. Good luck..here is a pic:

(OT to trailrunner: very nice!)

A hot pan on a wooden counter that has finish applied will almost certainly damage the finish.

You can get steel rods or dots to inlay into a countertop for a hot-pan-drop-zone. Link below of a pic... (no implied endorsement of these people)

Here is a link that might be useful: Stainless steel rods on counter pic

clinsrega and trailrunner, are either of you in California? I'm not sure if this is my town (which has insanely tight codes) or California's codes that are being invoked but I am going to ask and look it up myself. I can't imagine that the wood is close enough to the flame to heat up!

Victoriajane, a SS trim may be the way to go...not sure where to go to get that but I'm sure there's a way and if I can't figure it out, I know there must be a GW'er here who will steer me right! :-) The peninsula is 4 x 6 feet but on one end, there is sort of a 2 x 3.5 "handle" which is where the rangetop goes and that "handle" sort of deadends in the double wall ovens.

I guess I hadn't thought about the waterlox finish getting ruined...I pull my broiler pan out of the oven all the time and put it on my chopping block and it has never scorched it or burned it in any way. But I suppose the difference is that it is really not a finished wood. That's ok; most of the time I don't put my pans down on the counter anyway and always whip out a towel before I put them down on tile (current counters) because I worried about the hot-cold clash...so I guess that really won't be that different. Justnigel, those hot rods are an interesing concept, I have to think about them as they have a bit of an industrial feel to me but maybe it would be handy right by the stove.

I just hope I can solve this code question. Or find a ss trim for the rangetop....thanks, everyone!

You could have a metal fabricator use a sheet metal brake to make a sort of stainless steel "slipcover" that could rest over the butcher block next to the range top. For symmetry's sake, I think I would also do the other side of the range top as well, or else make the "slipcover" be a real decorative accent in it's own right.

No I am in a small town in Alabama . Thank you justnigel. I have the top down on the fryer so use it as a landing zone. I also have the island behind me so I turn and set things or slide them to another burner. Ovens are on other side of kitchen and I have soapstone so no worry with heat.

I sure hope you can get a great resolution to this. GOOD LUCK c

Thanks for the suggestion, live wire oak. I am thinking this is probably what I'm going to need to do. The only thing is I"m not sure it can be done as a slipcover over the bb; my understanding is that the wood cannot be within 3 inches of the edge of the rangetop, at the top or at the bottom. But we'll see.

Thanks, trailrunner. Me too!

The stainless slipcover should be able to wrap around the end so there is no contact between wood and rangetop. We did that between our rangetop and the back wall, because of making the countertops deep on each side. Basically, it's a piece of countertop about 3 1/2" wide/deep, wrapped on all sides except the underside (facing the cabinet underneath), by stainless steel. I'll see if I can get a photo of it for you, if you'd like. It's installed, of course, so you'll only be able to see the exposed side. (We also did the same behind our hood vent so we could pull it out over the rangetop.)

I am doing this setup too but it did not occur to me, I have not thought about this issue..

I am using an induction cooktop, there is no open flame. The instruction of cooktop even instruct you to drill and jigsaw the cutout, beside using natrual stone, if that wasn't meant to be user installed in wood or laminate then what would it be?

Maybe my cooktop already have this tolerance built in. I have seen many pictures of intergrated top on non-stone material too. All cooktop instructions are very aware of fire, they will tell you about the wall cabinet heights minimum spacing, but never about the material of the counter top. So I have to say the range top must be self insulated.

I don't really believe this one, ask your KD to show you the code.. I am in CA too so I want to know.

As to damaging the wood, too hot and you could burn the wood. We always put a cork or silicone pad down.. it's so cheap.

It is true with open flame, if you have it near a wall and put a big pot down and it will deflect the fire and heat up the sides areas more, so be careful with that.

OK, here are photos.

Here is the one behind the rangetop. You can see how it butts up to the stainless counter on the side/end, and the long side/front butts up to the back of the rangetop so it fills the gap between rangetop and backsplash:

Here is the one behind the hood. You can see that it is a little longer than the hood on the left where it butts up to the side of the gray cabinet. It fills between the hood and the backsplash. (Wow, I really need to get the grout done!):

Thanks, rhome. It looks like I"m going to be printing those out and showing them to the GC to see about getting that done. I love your backsplash...very pretty.

Poorowner, I am going to ask to see the code...but this GC has been working here for a long time and has a good rep so my suspicion is that he's right. But it never hurts to ask. I suspect that it is based, as you say, on the fact that flame and heat can be deflected sideways on a gas stove. Good luck with your project though...not all towns have the same codes and in this case I suspect it is our town and not CA. But if I"m wrong, I'll let you know.

If you could, please ask them if this only applies for open flame (LP/ NG).

Do you have the instruction for your gas cooktop? What does it say?

I'll let you know what I find out and I'll ask if it's only for open flame.

I do have my instructions somewhere but as we're just in the process of digging out from our move out of the kitchen and family room into the living room and dining room where we'll be living for the next 4 months, I'm not really sure where those instructions are right now! I think I read them before and not much was said, but I'm not sure. If I find them and it addresses it, I'll let you know.

Probably faster to find it on-line...That's what I always had to do, because I'd always forget where I'd put the paperwork...You know, that place 'where I'll always know where it is.'