Install Flooring Before Cabinets

If you are installing click lock vinyl plank flooring you should not install under cabinets.

Install flooring before cabinets.

Rob in general the flooring should go under the cabinets assuming it s hardwood or tile and it s nailed or glued. Installing the floors before the cabinets has some advantages. Typically cabinets come before flooring. With a floating floor you install after and cabinets should be raised by adding plywood underneath them before the cabinets are installed.

Install tile under cabinets and floor based appliances with a 2 inset this allows you to move the pattern and grout lines where needed. Cabinets and appliances without flooring underneath are much harder to move. This assumes that the floating floor has a significant height. 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.

If you foresee yourself craving layout change we advise you cover your kitchen in wall to wall flooring first. The flooring contractor will not have to work around existing cabinetry so the work can go that much faster. Install plywood in remaining area to exact height of tile floor to finish cabinet install. Finally install the cabinets on both strips and attach the toekicks.

Now install the new flooring but keep it about a inch from the first filler strip. 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. The flooring will be able to expand and contract beneath the toekick without revealing a gap. If you have any more remodeling questions the design experts at cabinets to go are always happy to help.