Laminate flooring question

I'm doing an addition to my house and am on the verge of finishing my kitchen. Cabinets should be in in a week. I don't have flooring in yet but am thinking of laying laminate. My question, since I'm not that familiar with laminate, is would the laminate flooring go down before the kitchen cabinets or can it go down after. I can see how laminate is held down at the edges of a room by molding but how is it held down if you install to the edge of a cabinet?

TIA

Reply to
efdavila
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My choice would be cabinets first then bring flooring up to it. This way if the floor planks get damaged or you decide to change in the future, cabinets won't have to be ripped out.

The flooring gets held down the same way with moulding against the cabinets. You can always paint or stain to your desired effect.

As with all projects like this you might consider asking the manufacturer what they recommend. Check out their website and/or call a representative. There may be other factors regarding the product you/us are unaware of.

Reply to
badgolferman

My laminate flooring (in the kitchen) is held in place around the edges with molding (1/4 round) stained to a complementary color. Put the cabinets in first, then the floor

I highly suggest that you seal the whole thing after completion. I did and spilling water is just a exercise in cleaning up the floor. I do not have to worry about getting water under the floor.

I will also say that I doubt that I ever use wood in a kitchen again. The refrigerator leaves marks in the flooring (not bad mind ya) when ever it is moved. I am pretty sure the next kitchen will be some form of ceramic tile.

Reply to
SQLit

Cabinets go down first but I would recommend that you have enuf flooring to put under the dishwasher. It can be hard to get out if it is sitting in a hole with the counter on top.

Not sure if you mean laminate with a formica like surface or engineered wood. But in any case cabinets go in first.

Laminate warranties vary. Read them before picking one out. For example if you compare Mannington's and Pergo you will probably find Mannington much more consumer friendly. Some of the European's with the lifetime warranties are a joke. No one could ever collect. Also follow installation instructions about a vapor barrior and sealing the edges.

molding

Reply to
Art Begun

If you have kids or cook a lot you might consider other options in the kitchen instead of laminate. Water left sitting can cause problems wtih the floor.

Steve B.

Reply to
Joe

With the non-glue click together stuff, Manninigton guarantees it holds up to non-disaster water. In other words household spills do fine. Some warranties state that the water must be mopped up within 2 hours. Mannington's does not.

Also note that some floors once clicked can never be separated or can only be clicked up to 3 times. Mannington can be clicked and unclicked as much as you wants. We put it down in my parents townhome

3 months ago and so far it is terrific. Only thing I don't like about it is that I often walk around wearing socks (and other clothes) and the Mannington finish is more slippery than the factory finished oak floor in my home even though the latter is glossier.

molding

Reply to
Art Begun

Seal the floor never heard of that.

Tom.

Reply to
tflfb

The one really nice thing about laminate in a kitchen is how easily it comes up after a pipe bursts and floods the kitchen. Take it from me, I know from experience.

Reply to
Stoic

And what wouldn't get ruined by a burst pipe?

snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net

molding

Reply to
Art Begun

If the flooring goes down first isn't that a cleaner look? No 1/4 round is needed...

Reply to
Rod

Agree. Also, laminate is not wood. Maybe therein lies the confusion, eh?

Steve Johnson

Reply to
Steven Johnson

Alloc also. There is a glass of water permanently installed on a seam of Alloc in the dealer's showroom where we shopped, and none has ever got through. That was good enough for me. It snapped together a lot easier than Pergo, too.

Reply to
Steven Johnson

The laminates and even hardwood flooring is not supposed to be pinned down at the edges.... it needs to expand/contract and move with the season. The cabinets would pin it down.

molding

Reply to
Art Begun

I'd think that the floor would just gradually expand and slide under the cabinets... The base cabinets are anchored to the wall... not the floor...

I'm curious what others think because I had a "professional" install the flooring first THEN the cabinets...

Reply to
Rod

Yeah it would look cleaner but then the flooring would not float also the flooring has a pad below it much like carpet so you would have issues with compression over time. I don't think anyone would install carpet first then create thier built in bookcases for the same reason. The laminates have more in common with carpet in terms of instalation concerns than they do with a traditional hard surface flooring. IMHO

Reply to
JSin

I have installed flooring for 32+ years (hardwoods, VCT, sheet vinyl, carpet and laminate products).

Install the cabinets first, but leave the toe kick boards off. You will have to leave an expansion gap all around and at any vertical surface (pipes, partitions, etc.). Cover the gaps with baseboard, base shoe (quarter round) or the toe kick plate. I think base shoe on the toe kick looks tacky and it's harder to clean. You can use it or baseboard at the cabinet sides though.

Any click or snap together product should be glued together in wet areas -- in front of the sink, dishwasher, etc. You will also be better off with a cushion (if the flooring doesn't have an attached cushion) that has a moisture barrier - or add some 3 - 10 mil plastic, taped seams before the cushion goes down. A fully adhered, contiguous (no seams or sealed seams) sheet vinyl floor is adequate for moisture protection. Follow the manufacturer's instructions concerning acclimation and installation.

R'gards,

Grump aka Jim McClain, owner, JM Floor Covering

Reply to
Grump

I called Mannington on their click together floor regarding use in the kitchen and bath. They said the edges had to be siliconed but no need to worry about the clicked joints even in wet areas because they were already prepped at the factory to be moisture resistent more than glued together floors. They said that was why the clicked floors were a superior product. The glued floors relied upon the installer using sufficient glue in wet areas to keep the joints water resistent but the click floors had it built in.

Moisture barriers, silicone edging, and sticking with manufacturers instructions regarding minimum width and length allowed is all very important.

molding

vinyl,

plastic,

contiguous

moisture

Reply to
Art Begun

Ceramic tile over a mortar base. Even vinyl tiles would have held up better. The second the laminate planks got wet the edges curled and expanded. It took me two days to install and 15 minutes to rip up.

Reply to
Stoic

The grout could get stained by a flood and the subfloor damaged under the ceramic. Also the cost difference is very substantial and most kitchen floors cannot hold the weight unless designed to do so.

Reply to
Art Begun

Thanks everyone. I'm now trying to pick the specific brand of laminate flooring to buy. A local salesperson is recommending the Wilsonart product line. I'm leaning more towards the Quick-Step 8mm uniclic planks. Does anyone have experience with either of these brands? If you used another brand what sold you on the brand?

TIA

Reply to
Ed

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