Kitchen cabinet?

**mahinda28** · 06-30-2012, 12:42 AM

I am planning to change my kitchen cabinet. Do I do it on top of the floor or before I do the flooring???

**AndyD** · 07-01-2012, 05:05 PM

Wow...that's a great question! Surprised no one has chimed in on this. Oh well, at the risk of being criticized by more experienced kitchen remodelers, here are my thoughts about the situation.

Unless you have intentions of changing out these new cabinets sometime down the road, I'd install the cabinets first, then finish up the remodel with the new floor. I'm thinking there's no need to spend money on flooring material that no one will ever see (underneath the cabinets), and I also like the idea of doing all the dirty work of cabinet installation on a floor that will eventually be replaced. Does that make sense?

**Dal300** · 07-01-2012, 06:34 PM

At the risk of disagreeing with Andy, I would pull the old cabinets and install new plywood of the same thickness as the new flooring, bringing it out 1/4" farther than the toe kick.
This is just a personal preference, but I've run into remodel jobs to repair flooring, plumbing and subflooring and if the floor was built up to the level of the finished floor initially, the job was was a whole lot easier.

Again, it's just my preference.

**Wood Chuck** · 07-05-2012, 12:51 AM

I am in agreement with Dal300. Having remodled kitchens in the past I too would pull the old cabinets and install plywood of the same thickness as the new flooring under the cabinets with one exception. I would determin what the foot print of the new cabinets are and install the new flooring an inch or two under where the new cabinets will be installed. Installing the new flooring under the cabinets a bit will allow for any margin of error when installing the new cabinets. After installing the new flooring I would then place plywood of the same thickness between the new flooring and the wall. It is a poor choice to install a thickness of flooring without removing the cabinets, expecially if you will be installing a dishwasher. I have seen where the additional thickness of flooring will make it impossible or next to impossible to remove an already installed dishwasher or to install a new one as the height opening for the dishwasher is decreased.

**SawSucker** · 07-05-2012, 02:10 AM

I agree, floor first.

**FrankC** · 07-05-2012, 10:42 AM

If you are replacing sub flooring do it first, then it depends on what final floor covering you are using, if it is adhered to the sub floor it doesn't really matter, if it is a floating type floor then it has to be done after to allow it to move.

**AndyD** · 07-05-2012, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by mahinda28

...on top of the floor or before I do the flooring???

Everyone is assuming the OP is talking about replacing the subflooring as part of the project, but that's not entirely clear in the post. So let's say the project really only called for replacing the existing tile, carpet, whatever -- would this change your answer as to which comes first?

**GenerationW.W** · 07-09-2012, 06:05 PM

I would go ahead and use the plywood directly under the cabinets and butt the new floor to it( unless your putting an floating floor down, gap it, the toe kick will cover it) that way in the future, no mater what flooring you have, and will want to change to, can be replace easily by just removing the toe kicks.

**kevinbrown966** · 07-10-2012, 12:20 PM

according to me, u should go for the flooring first. it would be easier to do the cabinets later.. the flooring work under the cabinets would be troublesome, if done after fixing the cabinets. floor tiles are also a good option for flooring.