Kitchen Flooring under New Kitchen units?

[SirGalahad]

So having new kitchen units fitted - do I put new flooring in and then units on top or put the kitchen units in and then new flooring?

The kitchen floor is wooden and so is lino a good fit?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Lino (or anything else solid) you'll get away with putting the floor down first & then the units on top. Anything else (cushioned vinyl, laminate especially) don't. If you've been sensible your units will have legs on the bottom (so you can adjust to level) and a trim panel to clip onto the legs (which will hide the end of your posh floor very nicely)

 

[JohnD]

opinions differ

If it's your house, and you are the one who will have to deal with spilt milk and sugary drinks getting under the jigsaw of cuts, and the ants, you may think that an unbroken expanse of flooring is a benefit.

If you are a builder who will walk away and never give it a moments thought, snip away.

 

[SirGalahad]

Lino (or anything else solid) you'll get away with putting the floor down first & then the units on top. Anything else (cushioned vinyl, laminate especially) don't. If you've been sensible your units will have legs on the bottom (so you can adjust to level) and a trim panel to clip onto the legs (which will hide the end of your posh floor very nicely)

https://www.burts.co.uk/vinyl/kitchen

Something like that?

The kitchen units have legs and a trim panel on the bottom.

Do I need specialists to fit it or can it be done by a competent tradesman. The reason I ask is that I want the lino in before the units are put in and I dont want to be told by the carpet company they cant do it in time. If its just a case of cutting it and laying it down - then I will just get one of the guys to add it to his job list.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Interesting you've picked one of my local suppliers. Aye that'll work. Fitting- all in the preparation, unless it's a massive room I'd be tempted to get them to fit it (at least get a price). Fitting it yourself can be tedious if you've got an awkward shaped room, any warranty claims for anything will probably get bounced back if you fit it yourself. Totally doable though, sharp knife and a straight edge and off you go

 

[SirGalahad]

Interesting you've picked one of my local suppliers. Aye that'll work. Fitting- all in the preparation, unless it's a massive room I'd be tempted to get them to fit it (at least get a price). Fitting it yourself can be tedious if you've got an awkward shaped room, any warranty claims for anything will probably get bounced back if you fit it yourself. Totally doable though, sharp knife and a straight edge and off you go

Its a small square kichen 2.8m x 2.3m

 

[oldbutnotdead]

So for them to fit it (assuming they can do it in your timeframe) £30 probably for 7 sq m. Completely doable yourself, they'll do it much much faster.

 

[terryplumb]

something's for you to consider if planning to put lino down before kitchen is fitted,..all workmen are going back and forth , washing machines /ovens /fridges / dishwashers / wall and base units / worktops etc . if I were you I would lay flooring last of all.

 

[SirGalahad]

So for them to fit it (assuming they can do it in your timeframe) £30 probably for 7 sq m. Completely doable yourself, they'll do it much much faster.

I am not doing it myself!

something's for you to consider if planning to put lino down before kitchen is fitted,..all workmen are going back and forth , washing machines /ovens /fridges / dishwashers / wall and base units / worktops etc . if I were you I would lay flooring last of all.

I thought about that - thats why I was unsure and whether it would be better to leave it to the end but then that would mean exposed timber beneath my kitchen units.

 

[terryplumb]

so you have timber floorboards ,best to cover them in sheet material before putting lino down , and if the lino is going to have a washing machine on top of it ,it'd be difficult to get it in and out of position without tearing the lino. the floor covering can go right under the plinth ,up to cabinet legs, and will look fine. so the area under cabinets will have no lino ,does that matter ?? a few years down the line ,if you get fed up with floor covering and want a change ,you surely wouldn't strip out all the kitchen so new flooring goes wall to wall .

 

[SirGalahad]

so you have timber floorboards ,best to cover them in sheet material before putting lino down , and if the lino is going to have a washing machine on top of it ,it'd be difficult to get it in and out of position without tearing the lino. the floor covering can go right under the plinth ,up to cabinet legs, and will look fine. so the area under cabinets will have no lino ,does that matter ?? a few years down the line ,if you get fed up with floor covering and want a change ,you surely wouldn't strip out all the kitchen so new flooring goes wall to wall .

How will the vinyl adhere to the sheet material? Is vinyl glued into place?

I just dont like exposed floorboards under the units - if there is a leak isnt it better to have vinyl that can be easily mopped up?

 

[terryplumb]

hard to do when water gets under the lino. and adhering lino makes a better job .

 

[oldbutnotdead]

You shouldn't have that much water sloshing around in your kitchen. Trouble with the thinner vinyl (2mm is thin) is after a while it'll start showing the joins in your tongue and groove floorboards. Even if it is glued down.

Sheet material would be 6mm or 4mm ply if your floor is in good nick- spiked or screwed to the timber floor, gives a nice smooth surface for the vinyl (just done the same in my bathroom).

There are pros and cons to doing the whole floor. Big pro is if you decide to change the kitchen layout you don't have to worry about the floor. Con is cost (and risk of tearing the lino with the washing machine).

EDIT And tongue and groove floorboards are fairly tolerant of the occasional spillage. Persistent wetness= you have a problem in your kitchen

 

[SirGalahad]

I am more confused than before now. I have just checked 0 my bathroom just has a thick lino over the wooden floorboards and has been fine. So for a kicthen the requirements are different?

The floor is tongue and groove wooden floor- there were a few loose floorboards that were replaced. The floor is in good shape now.

So if I get a heavy vinly lino over 2mm thick then I can just lay that down and jobs done? Ie a pro cutting it and sealing it off etc.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

How thick is your thick bathroom lino? Plus bathroom floor doesn't get the same amount of traffic that a kitchen floor does. If you're planning on really thick lino (like the stuff the Navy used to use on ships, about 5 or 6mm thick with a canvas backing) then you'll be fine. The thinner the vinyl the more it'll show the gaps in your floorboards.