Installing engineered timber floors under your cabinets effectively compromise there expansion and could cause them to buckle and cup due to environmental changes in the weather, this will result in serious damage to your timber floors.
Ultimately, hardwood flooring allows you to have the option of installing underneath cabinets. This is because hardwood flooring is secured to the subfloor and does not float like newer vinyl or laminates. Since it is secured to the subfloor, you don't have to worry about having heavy cabinets on top of the flooring.
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. However, when installing a wood flooring nail down or glue down, there are more factors to consider.
TIP: We recommend fitting a new kitchen before a new wood floor. Fitting a kitchen on top of wood flooring could prevent natural movement in the wood and potentially damage your wood floor.
The classic and most common approach involves hardwood flooring being nailed or glued down before the cabinets are installed. In case the wooden floor is not a prefinished one, it can also be sanded and finished as the last step of the whole project.
As we mentioned before, kitchen floors need to be able to expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity, so if they were glued or nailed down, it would impede this necessary movement and cause damage to the cabinets.
To protect them from damages it is important to keep them dry, seal the wood so water can not access the wood directly, and use kitchen mats to protect the floor in areas of the kitchen that have frequent traffic or are most likely to have spills.
If your floor will be more than two inches high, it is recommended that you install it before putting in the appliances and cabinets. This will ensure that the height of the work surface of the countertops, cabinets, and appliances is at the right level - 36 inches.
Saves Time and Money. Installing flooring under your cabinets can save you time and money in the long run. If you ever need to replace your flooring, having it installed under your cabinets means you won't have to remove your cabinets or appliances to do so.
If your gorgeous, brand new flooring can't hold up against the frequent footfalls of an entryway or spills of a kitchen, you might quickly grow to regret your choice. This is why many homeowners ask themselves an important question: can you use engineered wood flooring in a bathroom? The short answer is yes!
As a rule, install permanent cabinets first, then install vinyl flooring. If you install the flooring first, use only specific types of flooring under certain conditions. Let's go over those specific types of flooring.
In general, it is recommended to wait at least 24 hours before placing heavy furniture on new engineered hardwood floors to allow the adhesive to fully cure.
The most common way to lay hardwood flooring is by aligning the planks parallel to the longest wall. Apart from a few exceptions like sagging joists, this is the preferred direction to lay wood floors because it aesthetically provides the best result.
In most cases, installing cabinets come first before the flooring. Know that floor covering is the surface you see and walk on, where it is usually cut to size and butt up against the cabinets.
By installing flooring underneath your appliances, you'll avoid any gaps or transitions that can be visually unappealing. Protection: Another benefit of installing flooring under appliances is that it provides protection for your subfloor. Over time, appliances can leak or spill, causing damage to the subfloor.
Here are the main advantages of laying flooring first: Installation is easier: When you start with your flooring, you usually fit it to the entire kitchen area. This means it doesn't need to be cut around your cabinetry and should be quicker and easier to install. This, in turn, could save you on installation costs.
Yes, you should always put flooring under your dishwasher. Since dishwashers are designed to fit snugly under your countertop, this will make it much easier to remove without the need to lift it over a lip of flooring.
Engineered wood flooring is one of the best available wood flooring materials installed as floating floors. Layers of wood veneer glued to layers of plywood are very stable and look like solid flooring. Historically, we would attach the floor to the subfloors.
Generally, flooring contractors prefer that the cabinets go in first so that there is less possibility of the floor getting scratched. Cabinet installers like the floor to be in place so that the cutting and dust from the floor installation will not damage the vanity.
This will damage your new floor. For this reason, some experts recommend installing wood floors after you finish your cabinets. Also, floating floors can't be installed under cabinets because the cabinets will be too heavy and restrict the floor from expanding and contracting. This could cause the floor to come apart.
When it comes to kitchen remodels, many homeowners wonder if it's better to install the cabinets or the hardwood floors first. Generally, it is much better to install the hardwood floors BEFORE the kitchen cabinets.
While cabinets are the clear winner, some elements are next in line, too. Other expensive aspects of a kitchen remodel include appliances like the refrigerator, microwave, oven, and dishwasher that cost $7000 – $12,000 on average. Next are kitchen countertops for $6000 (including installation).
The Swiffer® WetJet Wood™ system features a unique dual-nozzle sprayer that will coat your Hearthwood engineered hardwood floor evenly with an ultra-fine mist. This will loosen dirt so that you can maneuver the flexible swivel head and microfiber-like pads to absorb and lift dirt, grime, and germs off of your floor.
Avoid using cleaning products that include vinegar, soap-based cleaners or wax on engineered hardwood flooring. These could erode or damage the veneer surface on the upper layer of hardwood.