If the height is met, vinyl and laminate flooring can either come after the cabinets, and be installed right up to the base, or run underneath both the cabinets and the appliances, due to its thin structure.
When installing laminate flooring in kitchens and bathrooms, you cannot place cabinets or any hardware that is meant to be bolted permanently to the floor on the laminate. Installing these items on top of your new flooring will cause pressure and not let the flooring expand and contract to temperature changes.
Putting down the floor before the cabinets makes for clearer sailing now and into the future. Treat the floors under your cabinets like a permanent installation. They should receive the same treatment as the rest of your floor.
Sometimes, kitchen units can be very heavy (and often unbalanced) and put huge amounts of pressure on areas of your floor. Over time this could cause the floor to buckle and break. By laying your floor last, it means that there's no chance of it being scratched or dented by workmen or the units.
Vinyl: Vinyl can be installed after the cabinets if the subfloor, underlayment, and cabinet height together achieve the standard height of 34 inches to 36 inches. Laminate: Laminate flooring can be treated exactly like vinyl flooring and installed after the cabinets if standard height measurements are met.
And this is generally the case with most flooring, however, there are some floor types out there that don't give you so much of an option. For example, laminate. Laminate is a flooring type that works best if installed after the cabinets.
A floating wood floor has to be free to expand and contract with seasonal changes in humidity, and it can't do that with heavy cabinets resting on top of it.
Don't install your laminate on any floor with a drain. Don't install laminate on any uneven subfloor or outdoors. Don't install your laminate over residential carpet. Don't install a second layer of laminate underlayment.
Like other types of floating floors, floating vinyl flooring and LVP should not be installed under cabinets.
In most cases, the cabinets are installed before the floor covering but after the subfloor and underlayment. The floor covering or finish is usually cut to fit and butted against the cabinets, with a small gap between the two that is covered by nailing a shoe molding or baseboard to the bottom of the base cabinets.
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.
Do you put flooring under kitchen cabinets? Yes, you can put flooring under kitchen cabinets. Installing flooring before cabinets gives the kitchen a much cleaner look. You don't have to spend time cutting around the cabinetry and you can be flexible with the layout of your cabinets.
Kitchen Appliances can be put on laminate flooring as long as these appliances do not exert a weight of more than 500 pounds per square foot and the flooring is not in contact with walls and cabinets, allowing it still to be able to expand and contract.
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.
While other types of flooring may not work well under the dishwasher, the case is different with laminate flooring. Laminate floors feature floating flooring that does not attach to the subfloor. It is a suitable option in kitchens with no appliances and ideal under your dishwasher.
If your old floors are in bad shape, any new flooring will help. While solid hardwood flooring would add more value, laminate will give your home the look of hardwood at a much lower cost, will look good for years, and your return on investment should be solid.
Not moisture-proof
Being made of wood, laminate flooring is not impervious to the effects of moisture. Therefore, it's not suitable as a hard flooring for bathrooms and should be used with caution in kitchens or laundries. Light surface water for cleaning shouldn't cause issues, but saturation must be avoided.
Water-damaged planks or tiles must be removed and replaced entirely. Cannot be refinished: Due to its composite construction and wear layer, a laminate floor can never be refinished. Once it has been damaged or worn out, laminate flooring must be replaced.
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.
Since the kitchen is a high-traffic area, you need a durable flooring material that can withstand wear and tear. Consider materials like ceramic or porcelain tile, natural stone, or hardwood floors that are strong enough to handle foot traffic and heavy furniture.
Underlayment does two things that are critical to a successful laminate flooring installation:1. Underlayment takes out any minor deviations in the subfloor. 2. Underlayment delivers superior acoustical performance.
We recommend starting in the left corner of the longest wall in the room and to install the planks in the same direction as the main light source (e.g. the main window). Planks are always installed from left to right.
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.