Whether you’re remodeling your kitchen or installing a new one, one of the most common questions homeowners have is whether to install the flooring or cabinets first. The order you choose can have implications on your workflow, budget, and the final aesthetic. There are pros and cons to both approaches, so it’s important to weigh all the factors before deciding what’s right for your project. This comprehensive guide examines the key considerations, steps, and best practices for determining if you should lay kitchen flooring before or after cabinet installation.
Overview of Laying Flooring Before or After Cabinets
When embarking on a kitchen remodel or new construction project, the sequence of installing the flooring and cabinets can impact cost, ease of installation, and how seamless the finished look is. Here is a quick rundown of the two main approaches:
Installing Floor First
- Pros: Easier to achieve level cabinets, flooring flows underneath for seamless look, can replace damaged flooring before cabinet installation, no need to modify cabinet bases for floor height
- Cons: Floors more susceptible to damage during cabinet installation, potential need to undercut jambs on cabinet doors and drawers for floor clearance
Installing Cabinets First
- Pros: Protects floors during cabinet installation, easier to modify cabinet bases and toe kicks for varying floor heights, can achieve consistent cabinet heights more easily
- Cons: Harder to get level cabinets on uneven floors, flooring interrupted at toe kicks, may need filler strips or cover plates for gaps between flooring and cabinets
Generally, installing flooring before cabinets makes for a more seamless finished look. However, either approach can work well if planned for properly. The best option depends on your specific kitchen layout, flooring type, cabinet style, and installation requirements.
Factors to Consider
When deciding whether to install kitchen flooring or cabinets first, here are some important factors to take into account:
Type of Flooring
The flooring material you choose can influence the best order for installation. For example:
- Tile, stone, and poured floors work very well installed before cabinets. Seamless under cabinet installation is straightforward.
- Hardwood and laminate flooring are more susceptible to damage if installed before cabinets. Planks may get dinged or scratched during cabinet installation.
- Resilient vinyl and cork flooring can be ideal if installing cabinets first since they can be cut around cabinets for tight seams.
Evaluate the durability and format of your flooring to determine the ideal order.
Planned Cabinet Style
- Full overlay or inset cabinet styles can make achieving a tight flooring joint more difficult if flooring goes in first. There is little cabinet face to run flooring behind for a seamless look.
- Standard overlay, slab, or shaker cabinet styles provide enough face framing to install flooring underneath while still looking continuous.
- Toe kick specifications also factor in – detachable toe kicks make for easier flooring installation under cabinets. Attached toe kicks can make running flooring under cabinets more challenging.
Choose a cabinet style suited for going over top of continuous flooring if opting to lay flooring first.
Ease of Leveling and Alignment
Installing cabinets on top of finished flooring enables you to adjust cabinet bases and shims to account for any unevenness in the floor. This can make leveling and aligning upper cabinets easier.
Conversely, installing flooring after cabinet installation requires leveling and aligning the cabinets over subflooring. Any imperfections in the subfloor will transfer to the cabinet installation, making leveling cabinets more difficult.
Consider how the sequence impacts the effort to level and align the finished installation.
Access to Plumbing and Electrical
If plumbing, electrical, or other underfloor systems need installation or repair, it is usually preferable to install flooring last for easy access. First installing flooring can make accessing these systems much more labor intensive.
Laying flooring at the end is advantageous if you anticipate needing access under the floor during or after the remodel.
Noise Concerns
For second story or upper level kitchens, acoustics may factor into your decision. Installation over a bare subfloor vs. over finished flooring can dampen cabinet installation noise for rooms below the kitchen space.
If sound transmission to lower levels is a concern, laying flooring last may be preferable.
Budget
There are cost considerations for both approaches:
- Installing flooring first means you may need to repair damaged areas before cabinet installation. The flooring itself can also get dirtier over the course of the remodel when uncovered.
- Installing cabinets first often means adjusting cabinet bases and toe kicks to account for the flooring thickness.
Factor these potential added costs into your decision. Your installer can advise on the most economical sequence for your specific kitchen.
By weighing all these factors against the layout and scope of your kitchen project, you can determine the best order for smooth installation and ideal aesthetics.
Laying Flooring Before Cabinet Installation
Installing wood, tile, vinyl or other flooring prior to cabinet installation is a popular technique to achieve a built-in, seamless look. Here are the key steps if you choose to lay kitchen flooring first:
1. Prepare the Subfloor
Remove existing floor coverings and prepare the plywood or concrete subfloor as needed:
- Inspect the subfloor and address any issues with levelness, moisture, or structural integrity per flooring manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Grind down any high spots. Fill low spots with floor leveler compound.
- Test moisture levels – excessive moisture may require sealing concrete or laying polyethylene sheeting before new flooring installation.
Addressing subfloor issues beforehand ensures the flooring has a smooth, stable, and dry surface to adhere to.
2. Lay Flooring
With the subfloor prepped, install your selected sheet vinyl, tile, hardwood, or other flooring material throughout the kitchen area.
Be sure to:
- Include flooring under expected cabinet locations.
- Remove baseboards and go under walls 2-3″ to allow flooring to slip under cabinet toe kicks and other areas.
- Follow manufacturer’s directions for installation procedures, adhesive application, seam sealing, and proper joint spacing.
3. Undercut Door Jambs
If new flooring is thicker than old, undercut all door jambs leading into the kitchen 1/16″ above the new floor height. This enables the flooring to slip under jambs for a seamless transition between rooms.
4. Install Cabinets and Trim
With the flooring fully laid, you can install and attach cabinets without disruptions for floor seams.
- Anchor the cabinets by nailing or screwing into studs through the cabinet backers. Shim as needed until cabinets are plumb and level.
- Scribe and cut cabinet bases to match floor contours, maintaining consistent toe kick reveals.
- Reinstall baseboards, quarter round, or other trim pieces to cover any small gaps at flooring edges and finish the built-in look.
The result is a kitchen floor that flows seamlessly under cabinets for a refined, custom aesthetic.
Laying Cabinets Before Flooring
Installing cabinets prior to laying flooring in a kitchen remodel provides a clean surface for floor installation while protecting floors during construction. Follow these tips when laying cabinets first:
1. Install Cabinets
With the old kitchen flooring demolished down to the subfloor, lay out and mount new kitchen cabinets right over the plywood or concrete:
- Mark stud locations for backing cabinet nailers into framing.
- Lay cabinets out according to design plan. Level, shim, and secure in place with nails through backers or screws into studs.
- Attach adjacent cabinets together through face frames.
- Install filler strips if needed between cabinet runs and walls.
Installed securely on the subfloor, the cabinets now serve as an anchored base for finishing floor layers.
2. Install Toe Kicks
Toe kicks can be installed now over the subfloor or attached later over finished flooring:
- For attached toe kicks, cut boards to size, prime and paint before attaching to cabinet bases.
- For detachable toe kicks, skip installation until after flooring is laid.
Attached toe kicks may require additional flooring cuts around them. Detachable versions allow uninterrupted flooring under cabinets.
3. Lay Flooring
With cabinets in place, lay selected sheet vinyl, VCT, hardwood, or other flooring out from the rooms into the kitchen space:
- Cut flooring around detached toe kicks or up to attached ones across cabinet runs.
- Use filler strips and transition moldings to bridge any gaps between flooring edges and walls or cabinets.
- Follow manufacturer’s directions for proper installation, adhesive use, and expansion spacing at seams and edges.
Cabinet bases serve as a stop point to install flooring right up to. No need to slip flooring under toe kicks or cabinets.
4. Install Toe Kicks and Trim
If detached toe kicks were skipped earlier, now is time to install them over the finished flooring:
- Cut toe kick boards to height so they align evenly with flooring thickness.
- Attach toe kicks to cabinet bases, securing into undersides or face frame sides.
- Install quarter round, base shoe, or baseboards to cover any visible gaps between flooring edges and cabinets or walls.
With the flooring laid only up to cabinets, you can easily replace damaged sections later on without needing to pull cabinets.
Best Practices
Here are some additional tips for a smooth kitchen floor and cabinet installation, regardless of which goes first:
- Acclimate flooring in the installation area for 24-48 hours before laying to prevent issues with shrinkage or expansion later on.
- Leave 1/4″ expansion gaps between flooring and walls, pipes, cabinets, and other fixed objects to accommodate material movement.
- Use shims liberally when mounting cabinets to account for any subfloor unevenness.
- Check cabinet fronts for level and plumb as you secure them. Make any adjustments needed to alignment before moving onto the next section.
- For tile flooring, use uncoupling membranes and flexible grout to prevent cracking between tiles and cabinets over time.
- Choose flooring finishes that can resist moisture and spills for kitchen resiliency.
- Use filler strips to cover any inevitable gaps, blending materials like quarter round for an integrated look.
By carefully planning the flooring and cabinet installation sequence and process, you can achieve a streamlined, built-in look for a kitchen that will last for years to come.
Flooring Before Cabinets: Pros and Cons
Installing kitchen flooring prior to cabinet installation has some distinct advantages in terms of the final integrated look it enables. But it also comes with some potential drawbacks to consider.
Pros
Seamless floor flow under cabinets: Flooring flows under toe kicks for a built-in, custom aesthetic.
No gaps or transitions between floors and cabinets: Flooring can expand and contract under cabinets over time without exposing edges.
Enables alignment of cabinet bases with floor contours: Any uneven spots get covered by cabinets anchored to flooring subfloor underneath.
Easier access to working areas: Flooring is installed early while entire kitchen space is open and unobstructed by cabinets.
Earlier protection of finished flooring: Cabinets are installed over completed flooring surfaces so no damage can occur in remaining construction.
Cons
Potential for damage during cabinet installation: Dropped tools or fasteners can scratch, dent or otherwise damage finished flooring.
Toe kicks may need custom fitting to floor contours: Scribing and cutting of cabinet toe kicks often required to match uneven floors.
Door jambs may need undercutting for floor clearance: If new flooring is thicker than old, jambs will need trimming so flooring slips under smoothly.
Added cost if floor repairs needed: Fixing dings, gouges or scratches in flooring prior to cabinet installation adds labor expense.
More difficult access to underfloor systems: Plumbing, wiring and ductwork under floor becomes harder to access after flooring is laid.
Weighing these pros and cons against your specific kitchen plans will help determine if installing flooring before cabinets is the right choice.
Cabinets Before Flooring: Pros and Cons
Alternatively, installing kitchen cabinets prior to laying flooring is an approach with its own set of advantages as well as drawbacks to think through.
Pros
Floors protected during cabinet installation: Cabinet bases prevent damage to finished floors from tools, construction debris and foot traffic.
Toe kicks installed over flooring: Custom scribing of toe kicks to match an uneven floor is avoided with post-cabinet installation.
Easy alignment of cabinets on uneven subfloors: Cabinets are shimmed and secured directly to subfloor rather than over finished flooring materials.
Simplified flooring installation: Flooring cuts neatly stop at base of cabinets rather than having to slip materials fully under cabinets.
Full access to underfloor systems: Plumbing, wiring and ducting can be easily installed, accessed and repaired before flooring goes in.
Cons
Gaps may appear between cabinets and floors over time: Flooring edges are exposed and may pull away from cabinets with natural material movement.
Toe kick dust and dirt collection: Flooring gaps under toe kicks attract more dust and debris buildup.
Uneven cabinet bases: Shims cannot fully compensate for subfloor contours once flooring layers are added over the top.
Transition strips needed between rooms: Flooring must be transitioned between rooms since it does not slip under cabinets or walls seamlessly.
Noisier cabinet installation: Hard surfaces transmit more noise through subfloor to lower levels below the kitchen space.
Again, the pros and cons point to which method may work best for your specific kitchen floors and cabinetry.
Flooring Transitions With Cabinets Installed First
When opting to install kitchen cabinets before laying flooring, there are some good techniques to create attractive transitions between flooring types or rooms:
Undercut Door Jambs
As with installing flooring first, you will need to undercut door jambs leading into the kitchen about 1/16” above the finished floor height. This enables the new flooring to slip under the jambs for a smooth transition between rooms.
Use Adapter Strips at Edges
Where flooring ends at a cabinet toe kick, use adapter strips or scribing fillers to transition up to the cabinet height:
- Cut strips from 1⁄4” plywood edged with veneer or PVC to match cabinet finish.
- Attach to side of cabinet bases or directly to the flooring edge for clean masked transitions.
Fill Gaps with Caulk or Sealant
For very small gaps between flooring edges and cabinet bases, you can fill the space with a flexible silicone caulk matching the flooring color. This creates a less noticeable transition up to cabinets.
Employ Transition Moldings
Where kitchen flooring meets different flooring or openings to other rooms, use transition moldings to bridge the change in height:
- T-moldings cover the joint between flooring types of similar heights.
- Reducer strips transition from one floor lower than another.
- End moldings and tracks provide a trim edge at flooring ends.
The moldings provide both aesthetic appeal and protect flooring edges.
Modifying Cabinets and Toe Kicks for Flooring
When kitchen cabinets get installed prior to flooring, some modifications enable the cabinets to integrate with the planned floor installation:
Adjust Cabinet Base Heights
Cabinet bases will need to be raised to align with the flooring surface:
- Remove base trim of cabinets and shim up bases to match flooring thickness.
- Check all cabinets are level across tops prior to reattaching trim.
Install Scribing Toe Kicks
Rather than standard toe kicks, use scribe-style which mount into cabinet bases:
- Cut scribe toe kicks oversized before flooring installation.
- After flooring, scribe kicks to exact floor contours and height for a tight custom fit.
Detach Toe Kicks
Using detachable toe kicks is preferable to attached versions:
- Enable installing flooring uninterrupted under cabinets.
- Fit toe kicks over finished flooring heights for accurate alignments.
Allowances like these enable cabinets and floors to still align attractively even when the cabinets get installed first.
Avoiding Floor Damage During Cabinet Installation
Installing kitchen flooring prior to cabinet installation runs the risk of scratches, dents, and other damage from tools or construction activity. Take these precautions to minimize harm to flooring:
Mask Flooring
Cover laid flooring in areas of cabinet installation with cardboard, construction paper, or plastic sheeting. Tape covering down at all edges and seams.
Hand Carry Cabinets
Avoid dragging or sliding cabinets over flooring. Have installers hand carry cabinets into position from dolly staging areas.
Use Knee Pads
Installers should wear knee pads to avoid denting or scratching flooring when working on cabinets and base alignments.
Fill Holes Immediately
If drilling or hammering over flooring, immediately fill any holes in flooring from fasteners with appropriate colored wood or composite filler.
Clean Up Spills Promptly
Don’t let spills of adhesive, paint or other materials dry on flooring. Clean up promptly and thoroughly to avoid residue stains or damage.
Inspect Upon Cabinet Completion
Do a careful walkthrough when cabinets are fully installed to identify any damage that may need repair before finalizing the kitchen.
Staying vigilant during construction is essential to limiting any harm to finished kitchen flooring materials.
Flooring Options With Pros and Cons
Numerous kitchen flooring options work well for installing either before or after cabinetry. Here is an overview of popular materials and how they fit into each approach:
Tile
Pros: Durable surface for installing before cabinets. Wide range of styles. Can be cut around cabinets if installed