Does The Floating Floor Or The Cabinet Go In First

Typically cabinets come before flooring.

Does the floating floor or the cabinet go in first.

But if you have to install the flooring first here s a method that will avoid some of the problems i just described. It s a popular reason for installing wood floors after putting in the cabinets. However when installing a wood flooring nail down or glue down there are more factors to consider. The result the floor comes apart.

For installations that go over existing flooring in kitchens where cabinets are already installed i leave a 1 4 gap for expansion and trim out around the cabinets with matching quarter round from the flooring supplier. Install the cabinets first because heavy cabinetry cannot sit on top of a floating floor or it will restrict movement and increase the chances of flooring separation. In most cases given standard flooring heights you will install the cabinets before the floor covering. I have been installing laminate flooring since the product first became popular.

Put all the base cabinets in place then mark a line on the subfloor corresponding to the front edge of the toekick. But if you do decide to install your cabinets first fear not. It seems it s recommended to install cabinet first before installing the hardwood floor. A new flooring can still be installed it just becomes a little trickier because the new flooring will essentially have to not.

Also of note like the last example floating floors are prohibitive because cabinets are entirely too heavy and will surely prevent the floor from being able to expand and contract naturally. Those are all good reasons to lay a kitchen floor after the cabinets are in. I have an existing kitchen and want to redo the floor to be hardwood floor and replace the cabinets.