Engineered wood floor & Kitchen Appliance

[MattyV5]

Hello,

I am considering a 20mm engineered oiled oak floor in the kitchen which will be floated on timbermate excel undrlay after the kitchen has been fitted.

Now I have read with appliances like Dishwashers and washing machines, to use plywood under these appliances in case they leak, but also because they stop the floor from expanding and contracting, is this true? if so, I have an american fridge freezer also, can this sit on the wood or would I need to put ply under this too?

The only issue is, the feet are very close to the front and if I have to leave an expansion gap between the ply and the oak also, I am pretty sure you'll b able to see the gap in front of the frige??

Any help or tips appreciated. ('just tile it' could be a valid answer!)

Thanks

Matt

 

[WoodYouLike]

It's either a choice of risking cupping of the whole floor of showing a bit of plywood underneath you fridge.
If I was you I would not risk it and use plywood

 

[MattyV5]

Thanks woodyoulike. So really, floating wood floors can't be fitted in the household anywhere, with the likes of Sofa's, beds, wardrobes ect that would need to be sat on plywood?

I take it these issues are only with floated floors? a glued down floor would be ok?

 

[WoodYouLike]

Nope, just utilities which are "blocked" by walls. All the other items are: A) not that heavy and B) are not blocked by a wall.
Same applies for other installation methods

 

[MattyV5]

Sorry, what do you mean by 'blocked by walls'?

My sofa is extremely heavy (MDF sofa from Nabru) and is up against the wall?

I'm not trying to be difficult, just interested.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Well, I don't think there's a risk of your sofa spilling moist - as a fridge can do.
A sofa stands "free-standing" on a floor, a fridge and most other utilities are either firmly against a wall or in between kitchen units, restricting them moving along with the movement of the floor and therefore blocking the movement of this floor

 

[MattyV5]

Ah ok, thanks for your help.