I'm redoing kitchen. Trying to decide if its best to put new hardwood floor under where the new cabinets will go, or do I install after cabinets are up? Bamboo is also an option. Seems to me that floor should go under cabinets, but am getting conflicting stories. It feels like if I do it after and butt them up to new cabinets, it just doesn't feel permanent! Any advise?

 

Floor first and then cabinets is the accepted procedure. Some DIYers do the cabinets and then butt the flooring to the cabinets but that can cause problems years later.

 

As Furd said, floor first. What if you decide later to either add or modify your cabinetry? You don't have the right profile cut out on your flooring to allow for that. Nail down 5/8" bamboo is a good choice, although I don't particularly like wood in a kitchen, what with the water damage potential.

 

If you put in the floor afterward, you have to put something under the cabinets to match the height of the wood or the cabinets will be lower. Less work to just put the flooring in first.

 

After thinking about it,being in the kitchen, I think I'm going to go with a floating laminate instead. Thanks for the input

 

What!!? Frying pan to the fire, IMO. Laminate is the WORST floor covering for a kitchen. The slightest moisture will cause it to buckle and look terrible, permanently. I would have no real general objection to nail down bamboo, but laminate??

 

I'm with Larry, I would not install laminate in a kitchen. Should you choose to do so anyway, you don't put cabinets on top of it.

 

OK, now I'm REALLY confused! I finally reached a point in life where I can spend a couple extra bucks to get the home and garden house that the wife wants. What do you think is the best alternative? I would prefer a "wood grain" type floor. I did look at LVT (luxury vynyl tile?) which is also a floating floor. HELP!!

 

Solid wood is always better than laminate. Working with a smaller budget, I put parquet down in my kitchen and dining rm. To better protect it, I applied a coat of poly after installation. That was close to 15 yrs ago and the floor still looks good although there has never been a water leak or major spill.

 

Wood is not my preferred choice in an environment where it can get wet but laminate isn't even wood, it's picture of wood on an MDF substrate and it does not handle water well at all.

 

I've never seen a kitchen floor have a moisture problem from properly installed tile. I have seen problems with a cracked slab slowly heaving over time and the tile came loose and had to be re-set, but that's about it.

Obviously dropping pans or other heavy kitchen implements could cause problems for tile, but they'd probably dent wood or bamboo too.

 

Well whatever you do don't use vinyl sheet goods under the cabinets if it ever gets damaged then you have a great deal more work to do. I know that isn't a wood floor but I thought I should mention it as you can get it to look like wood grain. I didn't get wood grain but did get a white floor for my rental and after so many years it looks bad. Bamboo isn't bad though and I definitely would put it down first and then the cabinets. Some wood floors last longer if they have several coatings applied in the factory. Be sure to check the wear warranty to see what it covers.

 

As a kitchen remodeler, we did it both ways. So it may not come as a total surprise, but there are plusses and minuses of each way. Typically kitchens are remodeled every 10 to 30 years...and when they are, the flooring is usually replaced. Not always...but I wouldn't be too concerned about the rough flooring under the cabinets.

Euro style cabinets have adjustable legs, and typically they are laid down on finished floor. Amercan style cabinets have a separate base which is laid down and leveled before the cabinets and flooring go in.

Over the years I gravitated away from the pure euro style and used the traditional kick base. Put the base down first. Then lay in the flooring and then the cabinets. That's one way. Easier for the flooring people to work around the base before the cabinets with the overhang. But as said before, there is no one perfect way. They all work fine.

I would stay away from laminate. Have put in bamboo flooring in kitchens, and its a great water-hardy wood. As to other flooring options, depends how neat you are. If your're slopping buckets of water on the floor, intentionally or otherwise, don't put in solid wood or laminate. If neat and relatively dry, wood is fine.

Tile, of course, is totally water tight and lasts forwever. However, its hard on the feets and ankles and joints. I hate tiled floors for that reason, personally. For my own home I chose linoleum. Which I highly recommend. High quality linoleum, properly installed will last 10-20 years, but if you don't like it, its easily replaced.

 

Thanks guys for all the help! After a lot of "research" I've decided that I'm going with bamboo (stranded?) I got a couple samples from HD and abused it more than would be possible in any home, including but not limited to putting a hammer to it with an intentional full swing! Although I'm getting it from a bamboo factory/farm who grows it here in the states. They claim they put 10 coats of finish and other sales pitches. This stuff is as close to being bulletproof as I can find.

 

I too questioned which flooring to put in my kitchen and decided to go with utility grade red oak, after buying nails, renting the sander and doing 5 coats of water based poly the flooring cost me roughly $1.75/sqft for approximately 300sq.ft. Picture is after final coat of semi-gloss (still had yet to dry). Cabinets go back in this week.

Good luck and show us photos!

 

Wow! Thats really stunning! My cabinets are due in july. I have a lot of electrical upgrades to do along with plumbing and hopefully not to much unseen things, although I pretty much expect that. Trying to do as much as I can without disrupting life

 

I put solid hardwood in my kitchen. Water gets dripped (and left) on it all the time and I have no problems. However, this is Brazilian Koa, which can be used for outdoor decking.