AGA and Everhot Floor Supports
An AGA is made primarily of cast-iron so can weigh a considerable amount and an Everhot is made of a combination of cast-iron and steel so weighs almost as much.
If the floor in your kitchen is a solid construction then that's usually fine to carry either cooker. (Most well-constructed 'suspended floors' are fine for an Everhot or AGA 3 Series too.)
If it's a different construction then you can still have an AGA or Everhot, it's just that some strengthening or a support might be needed to ensure the floor is capable of carrying the cooker.
We can advise on what's best to do once we know what type of floor you have (or after we've carried out a home survey if you or we think that's best), however there are some guidance notes below.
For a definitive answer a Structural Engineer's view might be needed but it can often be quicker and cheaper to install a simple support anyway.
Floor support or Plinth?
First of all we'd best explain which is which!
Floor Support
By 'Floor Support' we're referring to a construction that goes under the floor to add strength and enable it to carry the weight of the cooker.
You wouldn't normally see the floor support - it's below the foor finish.
Plinth
A plinth is installed on top of the floor to raise the cooker so it sits at a higher level, to allow for higher than normal worktops for example.
A plinth is NOT Needed for the following models (which are all designed to be fitted up to standard worktops):
- All Everhot Cookers
- AGA 60
- AGA 3 Series
- AGA 7 Series
- AGA ERA
- Previous generation AGA Dual Control and AGA Total Control
- Freestanding Module
Plinths ARE often needed for:
Old Traditional AGA models (solid fuel, oil, gas, Economy 7 Electric and 13amp Electric) which were designed before standard worktop heights. The plinth is to raise the AGA (which is a non-standard height of 851mm) so the radius edge on the cooker's top plate is 10mm-15mm above the adjacent worktops, so usually a finished height of 915-925mm.
Solid Floors
(Support not normally needed)
If the floor under the cooker is a solid concrete, screed, stone flag or similar construction it should be fine to carry the cooker's weight.
Suspended Timber Floor
Constructed of floorboards nailed or screwed to timber joists.
Well-constructed suspended floors are normally fine for AGA 60, AGA 3 series and Everhots. AGA 7 Series and old 'Traditional' models may be ok, however it's worth checking and installing something if needed.
Usually there's a gap (often 250mm-750mm) between the bottom of the joists to the floor beneath (which is normally either dirt, or 'oversite' concrete in more modern builds). In this case an extra 'Sleeper Wall' in the area beneath the cooker is recommended. If the gap is deeper then an 'Acrow Prop' could be fitted instead; this is easier, quicker and cheaper but just as good.
Sleeper Wall Support
It's usually easiest to build an extra 'sleeper wall' to support the joists in the area where the AGA will be fitted (don't forget to put a damp proof course 'DPC' to stop moisture rising up and rotting the wood joists).
If the joists run parallel to the wall behind the AGA (side to side as you stand looking at the cooker) then for a two or three oven AGA one support central to the cooker should be fine. For a four or five oven AGA, or one with an Integrated Module then it's best to put two supports in, spaced approximately one third of the distance in from each edge.
If the joists run perpendicular to the wall behind the AGA (front to back as you stand looking at the cooker) then an extra sleeper wall about 600mm out from the wall at the back, running the width of the cooker is best.
If the area beneath the AGA is deeper rather than building a wall it's easier to use builder's acrow props instead.
Sleeper Wall when joists run parallel to the wall behind the AGA
Sleeper Wall when joists run perpendicular to the wall behind the AGA
Acrow Prop Support
Floating Floors
Quite often used in modern buildings.
Usually constructed of a solid concrete sub-floor with a layer (50-100mm) of insulation (which sometimes incorporates underfloor heating pipes) with an interlocking chipboard / fibreboard floor which 'floats' on the insulation. The floor finish (laminate, engineered boards or something similar) is then laid over the top.
These generally aren't suitable to carry the weight of an AGA - it's recommended to cut out the area beneath the cooker and make it solid using either a poured/cast concrete pad, or a combination of pre-cast concrete flags of the correct size to bring the solid part up to the height of the finished floor.
For an Everhot, it might be fine but you could find the cooker wobbles slightly so we'd recommend strengthening the area beneath the cooker's support 'skids' to prevent movement and provide a solid base.
Tiles / Floor Covering
Tiles first, then the Cooker
We recommend the floor covering is laid before the Everhot or AGA is installed.
For all Everhots, AGA 7 Series models, AGA 3 Series, AGA Total Control, AGA Dual Control and AGA 60s the floor covering should extend the whole area beneath the cooker.
For 'Traditional' AGAs it's still best to install the floor finish first and is best laid under the whole area of the cooker. However it is acceptable for it to extend about 100mm under the 'footprint' of the cooker when you need to save some floor tiles or are using an expensive finish.
Asphalt Layer / Coating
Very rarely seen nowadays, it used to be laid as an insulating / damp reducing / levelling coating on old dirt floors (and sometimes over concrete or stone-flagged floors). Generally 25-40mm thick it's often black or red in appearance.
Since asphalt can be relatively soft we'd also recommend that the area beneath any AGA is removed and screeded/concreted so the cooker doesn't 'sink in' over time.
Asphalt floors are not at all suitable for oil fired AGAs - if there is a spillage or leak of oil on to the asphalt it will (chemically) 'melt' and damage it. The asphalt needs to be cut away in the area beneath the cooker and screeded or concreted back to the original height.
Everhots and AGAs on Wooden Floors
Everhots and New Generation AGAs
All Everhots, AGA 7 Series, AGA 3 Series, AGA Total Control, AGA Dual Control, and AGA 60 are fine to sit on a wood floor - the lower section incorporates a void which means no special precautions are necessary to allow for potential heat build-up (there won't be any).
Traditional Heat Storage AGAs
A traditional AGA needs to be set on a floor that is "non-combustible for a minimum thickness of 12mm".
Since traditional AGAs are usually set on a plinth to raise them to match (or be slightly above) the worktop level 'non-combustible' applies to the plinth (which the AGA sits on) - both our metal or concrete plinths meet this requirement, so it's fine for the AGA to be on a wood floor, providing it's on a plinth.