Are Noodle Boards or Cooktop Covers Safe?

You see them all over Etsy. Noodle boards or stove top covers end up for sale all over on social media. Are they safe? Are they a good idea? The short answer is NO. 

Anytime you put something wood over the top of a cooking surface you end up violating fire and building code. There is a reason that cabinetry is not right over the top of a cooktop or range. It needs to have at least 30” before something combustible is mounted above it. Putting a wood cover over a cooktop that could get bumped on is dangerous. If you have an older gas stove with a pilot light it could be even worse. You could also trap natural gas or propane below it and cause even larger problems. Have you ever wondered why appliance companies have never tried to sell these as accessories? It is because it could get someone hurt or killed. 

Woodworkers! 

If you are a woodworker selling these items, you are exposing yourself to a massive amount of personal liability. If someone pops on your Etsy store and purchases one of these items and a child walk over and bumps up against the front knobs of a range this will most likely end in tragedy. If you are lucky you end up with the knowledge that a family lost everything using something you made for them. From there it could lead to injury or death. That exposes you to a massive amount of liability and a lifetime of compensation payments for your product. 

In short these should never be used in your home on a cooking surface. They are dangerous and if you have one I would remove it from use.