Is the air circulation at the top sides of Ikea kitchens affected?

Hello everyone,

we ordered an Ikea Metod kitchen and the employee in the store diligently ordered end panels as well. If I understand correctly, such an end panel also covers the gap between the mounting rail and the cabinet. Does this then restrict air circulation a bit? We are moving into a new building where there is still residual moisture in the walls, that's why I'm asking.

No, the top panel maintains the same distance as the cabinet. You just have to be careful not to get too close to the wall, otherwise it will also be missing at the front!

Thank you for the answer! Does that mean that most people simply do not cover the gap between the wall and the cabinet? And one more question, I’m uploading a picture from the Ikea kitchen planner. It’s not entirely clear to me what the Ikea employee did with the side panels there. On the left is a "wall stub" and due to an extended countertop, the base cabinet protrudes beyond the wall stub. But the wall cabinet does not. Is that why they didn’t put a side panel on top? We didn’t want cover strips; the space should remain open. And what exactly does "side panel doubled" mean for the base cabinets? What function does it have?

Unfortunately, I can't see the picture in Tapatalk. You really have to be careful with the panels and question the planner. For example, how to connect a wall cabinet to a base cabinet row. Ikea often suggests building a panel on the wall cabinet that goes the full height. But I think that doesn't look good because the panel then disturbs the base cabinet symmetry "at the bottom." If you don't pay attention to that, the countertop will not be wide enough and will end too early. You can send me a PM, then I can send pictures of my solution.

Oh yes, the panel is not deep enough to close the gap between the wall and the cabinet when using the spacers. But that is also the advantage, that everything is ventilated behind.

I would install four <-- 60cm--> cabinets each, that doesn't look as cramped as with the large 80cm ones. The space where the kitchen is supposed to go measures 2.51m according to the plan, so 4x60cm fit, plus an 11cm filler panel.

And on top, only two 60cm high cabinets on the outside, in the middle two cabinets 60cm wide and 40cm high, with horizontal doors. Because with a room height of 2.51m, you need a ladder — or very long arms — to reach the top shelves with such tall wall cabinets as shown on the plan!

If the entire kitchen row is recessed, no end panels are needed, that’s nonsense. End panels are only necessary if the last cabinet is freestanding so that the decor of the kitchen matches that of the fronts. The filler strips and panels needed for the remaining 11cm can be ordered, for example, at Küchenfront24 to the required dimensions (and design), and you’ll have an aesthetic, smooth kitchen front. With consistently even gap widths. On the plan it looks like it was intended but not well done.

Regarding air circulation — I assume this refers to the oven — I would install a ventilated toe kick panel.