Flooring under kitchen units-good idea?

hotcookie101

We are getting engineered wood flooring laid in the kitchen, dining and living room, and were planning on getting it laid wall to wall-so it went right up to the edges.

I had Howdens designer round today, and she said that that is NOT a good idea, as the wood can move slightly (which I know-hence the need for expansion gap) and therefore you should only lay it to the base of the cabinets, and sit the plinths on top. It makes sense, but I was hoping to put it to the edges-to make it easier to get the appliances out (we will have a freestanding cooker, dishwasher and freezer, and possibly WM also) However, we are also going to have granite tops, so I REALLY don't want to risk them cracking.

SO-are we better off having the floor fitted after the kitchen? and maybe get them to lay it into the gaps left between cupboards for the freestanding appliance? Or would that be very awkward to do?

Thanks, and I do apologise for all the questions recently

phill99

I run a maintenance company and do a lot of kitchens. It is absolutely pointless putting your flooring under the cabinets. Firstly its a waste of money as, in an average 4m x 4m kitchen, there is probably 3 square metres of flooring which is laaid for no reason. Secondly, it can easily get damaged during the fitting process so its best not to have it down. Thirdly, if you need to change the floor for any rerason in the future, you have to remove your kitchen cabinets which is a pain. Fourthly - look at it like this: if you were having lino or carpet in the kitchen would you have that laid under the cabinets? The answer is no, you wouldn't.

You just need to get the floor fitter to lay the flooring in the gaps left for the free standing appliance, and for a fitter this is very easy to do.

hotcookie101

Thanks, I don't know why we wanted it laid to the edges, just thought it would be easier, but it makes sense not to

cddc

Personally would not put engineered wood flooring in a kitchen. Full stop. What happens if you accidently drop a saucepan of boiling water on it? Better than solid wood for sure, but not much. And like you say if you do not put wall to wall, how do you get your freestanding apps. out.

I have engineered wood floor throughout my house except in my kitchen and bathrooms. It's great! But I find myself in the rare position of agreeing with a Howden's designer. It is a bad idea full stop in a kitchen.

phill99

cddc wrote: »

And like you say if you do not put wall to wall, how do you get your freestanding apps. out.

Because you put it in to the spaces between the cabinets that have been left for the free standing appliances. You don't have to put it under the units to do that do you?

hotcookie101

cddc wrote: »

Personally would not put engineered wood flooring in a kitchen. Full stop. What happens if you accidently drop a saucepan of boiling water on it? Better than solid wood for sure, but not much. And like you say if you do not put wall to wall, how do you get your freestanding apps. out.

I have engineered wood floor throughout my house except in my kitchen and bathrooms. It's great! But I find myself in the rare position of agreeing with a Howden's designer. It is a bad idea full stop in a kitchen.

We have thought long and hard re the wood floor in the kitchen. But its a kitchen diner, and also an unheated kitchen (rad in dining room, but nothing in kitchen) and the thought of cold tiles doesn't appeal (I know we could get underfloor heating, but it is too expensive ) Amtico or karndean would be ideal, but again-too much money!

The Howden's designer didn't say wood was bad idea BTW-just that it shouldn't go UNDER the built in units.

If we are getting an integrated washing machine-should the flooring go in that space? Or would that be fitted at same time as the rest of built in kitchen?

McKneff

My dishwasher and other freestanding things come out easily, I buy those little cups that go under each 'wheel' and they slide easily in and out. Only aout £1 for 4

Peartree

Whether you put flooring under the units is up to you but make absolutely sure that the integrated applicances are level with whatever flooring you put down and can be slid out easily. When I moved into my house they had levelled then tiled the floor up to the kickboard. The integrated appliances were therefore set more than half an inch lower than that tile. Getting the washer out and replacing it when it broke was an absolute nightmare. It didn't do the tiled floor any favours and would have destroyed a wooden floor. You can lower the levellers at the front of the appliance but it is a job and a half getting at the ones at the back, as an amateur!

In fact, when I refurbed my kitchen it was very near the top of the list to ensure that I wasn't in that situation again. Think about what you would do if one of your appliances leak and it is wedged fast between the worktop and a lip on the floor. A service engineer cannot be expected to spend an hour or so levering out a washing machine before they get started.

If you are going for wooden flooring, you should store a few metres extra because you'll be very lucky indeed if you don't end up with water damage somewhere or other. Oh, and person above, please share with me the details of the 'little cups' that can lift a hefty appliance up half an inch of tile or wood!

McKneff

Hello there, sold in many hardware shops, pound shops, markets, they are just like little plastic 'bowls with flat bottoms' lol.
But they really are good sliders. And they come in different sizes too. The appliance wheels just sit in them.

I even have them under a leather chair wheels because my oh moves this chair to watch the TV every night. My last wooden floor (without the cups)
was scratched badly with him doing this, I got a new floor about 3 months now and not a mark.

mvteng

Interesting, our experience is as follows :

1/ Engineered wood fitted in the kitchen - No problems whatsoever, pots dropped on it, etc, its been absolutely fine.

2/ Joiner insisted on fitting it underneath the units & appliances right up to the wall with 10mm gap around. We have a fairly narrow kitchen & he considered the float would be too much if we'd left it out from underneath the units & would only lead to problems i.e if he hadnt laid underneath the nits there would be float of 500mm on each side.

3/ I'm not a joiner, but it made sense to me.

sooz

if you are having the kitchen fitten first, & flooring only put in the appliance gaps after, do ensure that the kitchen fitter has allowed for the flooring height when leaving gaps for the appliances.

You don't want him to leave the perfect space for appliances, then find that the flooring and underlay makes it a very tight fit, or indeed that the appliances then don't fit!