The height of a dual-fuel freestanding oven must be set a minimum of 10mm taller than the surrounding bench top to prevent heat transmission.
I know it looks better when they’re level with the benchtop, but the gas standards won’t allow it unless the benchtop material is deemed to be non-combustible.
A combustible surface, according to the gas standards is a material that is capable of being ignited or burned.
This rules out practically all bench top materials but natural stone.
Timber laminate clearly won’t pass that test and Caesarstone contains a flammable polyester resin. When exposed to enough heat Caesarstone can be burned.
It doesn’t burn particularly well, but well enough to prevent it from being deemed ‘non-combustible’ at least according to the Australian gas standard AS5601.
I’ve attached the relevant standards for your perusal.
Thank you.
Joshua Bell