Solid Oak flooring in the Kitchen - under units?

[Noopy]

Hi, I am replacing my kitchen shortly and want to lay a solid Oak floor (plank size 120x18mm), total area of kitchen is 7.5m sq, however only 3m sq will be seen the rest of the flooring is under the floor units.

I am thinking of laying the whole floor before placing the units on top, so that they are all have solid base to sit on, however as more than 50% will be unseen under the units I am aware I would be wasting money buying this flooring which will not all be seen.

Should kitchen units be placed on top of this flooring or should units be installed before flooring between them?

 

[mattysupra]

units first then the flooring. Imagine fitting your kitchen and damaging the floor a week later!

 

[Symptoms]

Noopy - what's the oak going onto, joists, existing floorboards, concrete?

As you will see only 50% of the floor area it makes no economic sense to clad the whole thing in oak, so use matching thickness (18mm?) exterior grade ply (WBP) below the units so that all flooring will be level.

We would always fit the floor first so long as you protect the oak during installation, say with a sheet of cheapo hardboard ... don't be tempted to use the cardboard packaging the units came in 'cos it won't protect the floor against bruising from fallen tools. IMO it is more difficult to fit the flooring after the units are in, 'cos of lack of space, etc. and there's always a chance of damaging a cuboard door or part of the carcase when weilding flooring tools.

 

[Noopy]

The Oak flooring is going onto existing floorboards, not sure if I need some underlay, the floorboards are fairly level.

The reason I was thinking of flooring before units was to make the edge look nice as I would not then have to shape the edges where it met with the unit plinths.

I like the idea of the same thickness exterior ply under the units to ensure flooring is level, and understand that I would have to protect the Oak floor to prevent it being damaged.

 

[WoodYouLike]

The reason I was thinking of flooring before units was to make the edge look nice as I would not then have to shape the edges where it met with the unit plinths.

Lay your Oak floor one row underneath the units and cut the kickboards to new height, problem solved.
(Although I wouldn't go for solid Oak in areas where there is more moist, wood-engineered is much more stable)