Install Flooring Before Cabinets

If you have any more remodeling questions the design experts at cabinets to go are always happy to help.

Install flooring before cabinets.

The finish can be applied after the cabinet installation lessening concerns about marring the floors during the remodel. This assumes that the floating floor has a significant height. In most cases given standard flooring heights you will install the cabinets before the floor covering. No wasted tile and appliances can me moved for repairs without problems.

Floor covering or finish flooring is the surface that you see and walk on not the subfloor under the underlayment or underlayment between subfloor and finished layer. Now install the new flooring but keep it about a inch from the first filler strip. The flooring will be able to expand and contract beneath the toekick without revealing a gap. Rob in general the flooring should go under the cabinets assuming it s hardwood or tile and it s nailed or glued.

Typically cabinets come before flooring. Install tile under cabinets and floor based appliances with a 2 inset this allows you to move the pattern and grout lines where needed. Since your floor will be floating on the subfloor and connected solely by the locking system it needs space to expand and contract with temperature changes. With a floating floor you install after and cabinets should be raised by adding plywood underneath them before the cabinets are installed.

Finally install the cabinets on both strips and attach the toekicks. If you are installing click lock vinyl plank flooring you should not install under cabinets. Install plywood in remaining area to exact height of tile floor to finish cabinet install. If you foresee yourself craving layout change we advise you cover your kitchen in wall to wall flooring first.