Elementary question on tiling a kitchen floor.

[BSAKing]

we have pulled up the old floor, screwed down a robust new subfloor out of plywood and are almost ready to tile.

I did some tiling years ago but not a kitchen.

One thing that puzzles me, but is probably a really dumb question is:

- do you tile the whole floor, or only up to where the cupboards are going to be?

I have seen on the web where you only do up to the cupboard base, but does that not make it a bear to get the dishwasher in and out because of the lip between tile height and sub-floor?

Obviously it would be cheaper that way, and that means you would put the floor in AFTER the cupboards as opposed to before as we were intending to do?

Help please!? We need to figure out the sequence here soon.....!

[Jeff]

Will you be using build in cook top oven and Fridge? If not you will want to tile under the areas that the stove and Fridge will go anyway, so why not do under the dishwasher also? Otherwise use plywood to bring the floor hight up to the tile level in the dishwasher alcove after the cabnets are in.

[valvejob]

If you have already done the subfloor then your question is moot.

[BSAKing]

mmmmm - not really. The question becomes one of timing. Do we have time to do the floor before the kitchen arrives? On the basis of what I have seen so far and what my gut feel is - we are better off to just tile the whoole thing. BUT if we do not have time, then we can simply do (as suggested) under the cupboards and dishwasher with suitable thickness plywood and do the tile later. It is good to have options being an amateur.....

Thanks all!

[Heathcliff]

Oh by all means, if the cabinets and appliances are already removed, just tile the whole floor, then you don't have to worry about height or installation issues or changing your mind about the arrangement someday. I would say the opportunity to "do it right" is worth hustling to get the tile in before the cabinets arrive. -- H

[Manster]

If you are talking about ceramic tile, I have to ask; why are you installing the tile over plywood in the first place? It's not recommended for the most part. Use a backerboard of some sort over the plywood, such as Hardibacker or Wonderboard. May I ask how thick is your sub-floor is right now?

The times I installed floor tile the cabinets were already installed but I did tile into the dishwasher and free-standing range openings. I've also used a 1/4" Hardiboard over a 3/4" plywood sub-floor in one instance and have never had any cracks or problems - knock on wood :-)