Do you put flooring under kitchen cabinets? Remodelers advise
For the layman, the question of whether or not to install flooring under kitchen cabinets may be a simple one. Will it help to make everything more level? Will you save money on flooring if you don’t?
However, it’s a little more complicated than that. The advice you get may vary depending on the flooring supplier or contractor, but there are some rules of thumb that the professionals we spoke to generally stick to, and certain approaches they always avoid.
The answer is yes, generally you should, but your decision will depend on the type of kitchen floor you want to install – because you may not want to build cabinets into the floor that need to be able to “move” with the house. The type of cabinets and your long-term goals for the space also need to be considered.
To help you understand it a little better, we asked professional remodelers to explain the standard advice in more detail.
Should you install a floating floor under kitchen cabinets?
(Image credit: Greg Natale Design)
Problems when installing flooring under kitchen cabinets can arise with “floating floors”. This type of flooring is not attached to the subfloor with glue or nails, but rather the planks are attached to each other and therefore “float” above the subfloor.
“If you’re installing a floating flooring system — such as click-fit wood, vinyl or laminate — it’s usually not recommended to put cabinets on top,” explains Joseph Patrick, principal of Portland-based Lamont Bros. Design and Construction, a professional remodeling company with 15 years of kitchen experience. “It can void the manufacturer’s warranty.”
This is due to the nature of floating floors. “Floating floors, like laminates, are designed to expand and contract over time due to seasonal fluctuations in humidity and temperature,” explains Brandon Walker, construction manager at ASAP Restoration LLC with 20 years of remodeling experience. This generally means that it’s not a good idea to install floating floors under cabinets if you’re attaching them to the floor. However, if the cabinets are only attached to the walls and you’re using leg levelers under the cabinets, it shouldn’t be a problem.
There are other approaches if you still prefer to install floating vinyl or wood flooring under the kitchen cabinets. “If you decide to install the flooring under the cabinets, you can drill large holes where the cabinet fasteners will be so the floor can be moved as needed,” advises Joseph. Other remodelers suggest attaching the floating floor with nails or glue only around the perimeter of the space where the cabinets will be.
When should you install flooring under kitchen cabinets?
(Photo credit: Haris Kenjar. Design: Hoedemaker Pfeiffer)
If possible, it may be better to install flooring under the cabinets. “It makes the room and the cabinets look more level, and then if you ever need to replace a cabinet or move something, the flooring is already in place,” explains Jeff Eakley, a senior kitchen designer at Bilotta Design.
“When it comes to more permanent flooring, such as tile, the decision to install it under the cabinets depends on the style and durability of both the flooring and the cabinets,” advises Joseph of Lamont Bros. Design and Construction. “If you’re going for a timeless tile design and quality cabinets that will last as long as the house, installing the tile first may be the best option. If you have a continuous wood floor on the main floor and are installing a shorter-life kitchen, such as an IKEA kitchen, installing the cabinets on top of the flooring may be the best course of action. That way, if you decide to update the kitchen layout in the future, you won’t have issues with mismatched flooring.”
When would you not install flooring under kitchen cabinets?
(Photo credit: Stacy Zarin Goldberg. Design: Storie Collective, Unique Kitchens and Baths and Tanya Smith Shiflett)
If remodelers generally prefer to install flooring under cabinets, is there any reason why you shouldn’t?
“It would make sense to deviate from this if a home is replacing flooring but not the cabinets,” explains Brandon. “This means the new flooring will be right up against the cabinets and hidden by baseboards, rather than completely hiding it underneath.”
“Another scenario where you’ll want to deviate from this is if the floor height impacts functionality,” adds Brandon. “For example, dishwashers and most kitchen appliances are manufactured to fit on finished floors, so the height of the unit will match the standard height of kitchen countertops. If the flooring you’re installing will cause a height conflict with existing countertops, either the flooring will need to be changed or the subfloor beneath the countertops will need to be changed. Usually the latter is much easier.”
FAQ
Will kitchen cabinets or flooring be installed first?
“When building or remodeling a home from scratch, it’s usually standard to do the floors first and then the kitchen cabinets,” explains Brandon of ASAP Restoration LLC. “This is done to maximize efficiency and avoid potential damage that could occur from further construction.”
“In addition, installing the floors first can make planning the rest of the project much easier, as all floors in an area will be the same height, reducing the need to calculate additional materials. Cabinet bases are usually installed after the floors and cabinets are completed, so they can be installed seamlessly and contoured to fit the space precisely,” adds Brandon.
When should kitchen floors be finished?
As you determine the timeline for your flooring and cabinets, you may also be wondering when is the best time to complete a new hardwood floor during a kitchen renovation.
“For engineered wood floors that are finished on site, the order may vary,” says Joseph. “Fitters typically prefer to come after the cabinets are installed so they avoid the risk of damaging a freshly finished floor during cabinet assembly. However, this approach also means you may have to wait to install baseboards and quarter-rounds until the floor is finished.”
Should you install flooring under a kitchen island?
Many of the same rules apply to kitchen islands as to wall units when it comes to installing flooring underneath. However, while wall units can be attached to the wall and supported at the base by leg heights, a kitchen island (which isn’t movable anyway) needs to be attached to the floor. This, in turn, creates floating floor issues unless you use the cut-out flooring trick around the fixings.
