Install Base Cabinets Before Flooring

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.

Install base cabinets 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. Put all the base cabinets in place then mark a line on the subfloor corresponding to the front edge of the toekick. However when installing a wood flooring nail down or glue down there are more factors to consider. Flooring guy installs the hardwood but no sanding.

Wait to add drawers doors and hardware until after the countertop is attached. I then hang doors case base and set cabinets. In most cases given standard flooring heights you will install the cabinets before the floor covering. It s usually wise to install kitchen flooring before the base cabinets.

I come back after him for base shoe and toe kick for cabinets. Otherwise the cabinet toe kicks and countertop will be short. A floating floor should be installed after the cabinetry but the cabinetry must be raised to a height just above the flooring. The finish can be applied after the cabinet installation lessening concerns about marring the floors during the remodel.

Remove all cabinet doors drawers and hardware before installing base cabinets in a kitchen. If you re installing a new floor this is the best time to do so since you can run it under the cabinetry unless you re installing a floating floor. Doing so before can help prevent damaging the wall or the back of the cabinet. The flooring contractor will not have to work around existing cabinetry so the work can go that much faster.

Those are all good reasons to lay a kitchen floor after the cabinets are in. Trips back for flooring and me but general pays it and we schedule for it. Shim up base cabinets keeping in mind the underlayment and flooring thickness the base cabinets should be raised up to accommodate the thickness after installation of the floor. If your wall bows out a lot shim it before you hang the cabinet.

No wasted tile and appliances can me moved for repairs without problems. But if you have to install the flooring first here s a method that will avoid some of the problems i just described. Otherwise you ll have trouble installing appliances later. There are a couple quality items to consider when installing the cabinets before flooring.

For one thing working in this sequence means you don t have to modify the floor material to achieve a seamless look. Install plywood in remaining area to exact height of tile floor to finish cabinet install. Installing the floors before the cabinets has some advantages.