Built in cabinet advice

Hi,

I'm planning to build a couple of floor to ceiling cabinets for my family room. Right now the room is carpeted but we are pulling out the carpet and putting in a hardwood floor. We have plans to live here for about ten more years (if that comes into play). Building the cabinets is no problem as I have built furniture in the past. What I can't decide on is whether the cabinets should sit on the flooring material or not. My two thought are as follows:

  1. Pull up the carpeting and build the cabinets on the subfloor. Then install the hardwood floor up to the cabinet bases and trim it out as you would any wall. My concern is what if it's decided in the future to remove the cabinets, you now have spaces with no flooring.

  1. Pull up the carpet and install the floor. Build the cabinets on the hardwood floor. My concern here is what if it's decided in the future to replace the flooring material, do the cabinets have to removed or do they somehow cut around them.

I know from checking out some of your websites, that a number of people here are pros at this. I'm just curious as to what approach to take.

Thanks in advance, Jo

P.S. I'm also posting this (but not cross posting) to rec.woodworking

Reply to
John
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put the wood floor in first , then the floor is done right.

Reply to
mark Ransley

usually, but not always, cabinets are replaced more often than flooring.

you could always put the cabinets on the floor, and just save enough of the flooring to cover under the cabinets in your attic. you'll want to have a bunch left over anyway for future repairs.

Reply to
Charlie Spitzer

I would go with the cabinets on top of the hardwood floor. Chances are you wont be replacing the floor in 10 years and if you want to do away with the cabinets the floor would be right there and only require a refinish to make it match. As far as cutting the floor around it if you needed to it is possible but not easy. If you butt the floor to the cab just buy some extra flooring and store it someplace to do under the cabinet if at some point you wish to remove the cabinet. You'll never be able to get the same thing years down the road. I recently repaired an oak floor that was 20 years old and the new flooring was a little narrower then the old which made lining up the joints nearly impossible. If it were mine i would set the cabs on top of the flooring.

Reply to
Randd01

Funny thing I am doing just what you are plaingin to do. I put the floor in right, and then instead of putting the cabinet right on the floor, I put a footer and header in 3 inches up. I filled the gap with trim....turned out great, and easy enough to service either.

JT

Reply to
DES

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