How to secure oven to cabinets?

MaxB

Purchased a new apartment and could feel oven moves when opening and closing the door. Today removed oven door to clean and noticed the two screws that hold the oven are not screwed in and oven can be pulled out.
The left screw hole seems fine but when try tightening the screw turns and won't tighten. On the right side only half a screw hole is present.

 

Appears cabinets were not built to right specs for space for screws on both sides

 

What can I do to fix this so oven is properly secured?

Thanks for any assistance.

 

MitchellMc

Hi @MaxB,

You're correct in your thoughts that the opening in the cabinets is slightly too wide for the mounting holes. The left side hole is likely stripped out due to overtightening to try and compensate for the right screw missing the timber altogether.

Apart from considering having the oven professionally removed and adding a small section of timber to the edge of the cabinets to reduce the width and capture the screws or drilling new holes in the over frame to relocate the screws slightly further apart, you might like to try upping the gauge of the screws to something thicker. That would probably solve the issue with the left-hand screw, but it wouldn't necessarily help with the right. The thicker gauge could grab the edge of the cabinet better, though.

I think your best bet is to enlist the services of a handyperson to see if they are able to make some adjustments to the cabinets by attaching small filler blocks of timber to screw into.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell