Awkward Laminate Floor Job in Kitchen – Please Help!

[Tunbridge]

I am about to install a new kitchen and laminate flooring. I appreciate that the conventional way of doing it would be to install the kitchen, then the floor and hide the expansion gap behind the plinth.
The problem I have is that the kitchen I’ve bought has loads of vertical breaks in the plinth similar to what I have circled in the below picture.

Therefore if I install the kitchen, then the floor I’ll have to cut round all of these and leaving an expansion gap is going to look rubbish.
So plan B is to lay the floor and then install the kitchen on top, the question is:

Is this the right way/easiest way or am barking up the wrong tree.

The main problem I can see is that I won’t be able to replace the floor easily in the future but I’m not too bother about that, I just want to make a nice neat job i.e. no visible expansion gaps or trim.

Any advice greatly received.

 

[joe-90]

You can tile it for the same price and add value to your house. Laminate will detract from the value.

Tile the whole floor first and then sit the kitchen on it.

 

[Tunbridge]

I was a bit put off by tiles as

a) I'm not very good at it

b) They can be cold underfoot

plus I thought tiles where more expensive than laminate?

 

[joe-90]

Laminate is hopeless for a kitchen If I bought your house I would make an offer based on the fact that laminate is not suitable and will need replacing - and is way out of fashion anyway.

 

[Tunbridge]

When I say laminate I mean the laminaire that looks like tiles. The point is it is much easier to lay than 'proper' tiles.

 

[gcol]

Joe is dead right mate. Tile it and forget about it. Laminate isn't especially warm on the feet either you know. You want something hardwearing for a kitchen - tiles are spot on.

 

[Tunbridge]

OK then, say I do tile it.

Should I be tiling the room first and then building the kitchen on top or should I be cutting the tiles around the kitchen?

 

[gcol]

You tile the floor first.

 

[Tunbridge]

Cheers for all the advice.

Looks like I'm going looking at tiles tomorrow.....

 

[gcol]

Good man, you won't regret it. Just ask if you want any advice about tiling it - that's what we're here for and we'll see you right.

 

[breezer]

isnt it also true that if you drop something and it lands on its corner it will dent the laminate?

 

[gcol]

isnt it also true that if you drop something and it lands on its corner it will dent the laminate?

Most definitly.

 

[2scoops0406]

Yep, I've never seen a tile dented by a glass! Then again I've never seen a glass dented by a tile either. Obliterated, yes, dented, no.

 

[Tunbridge]

Good man, you won't regret it. Just ask if you want any advice about tiling it - that's what we're here for and we'll see you right.

Right then first question.....

The floor I will be tiling onto is a chipboard suspended floor. Is this alright or do I need to be putting a layer of plywood over the top of it?
The only problem if I do that is that the floor level won't match the adjacent rooms.

 

[masona]

The floor I will be tiling onto is a chipboard suspended floor. Is this alright or do I need to be putting a layer of plywood over the top of it?
The only problem if I do that is that the floor level won't match the adjacent rooms.

Best to rip it out and replace it with WBP/exterior plywood and put in extra noggins for the joints etc, Check the wiring/plumbing while you're at it and add more if need be and have a look at the joists condition as well.