]Cabinet Install: Before or After Tile?

kah22

I'm in the final stages of finishing my new kitchen: tiles, kitchen cabinets and furniture and I'm ready to go.

But should I tile BEFORE or AFTER . I'm putting down wood effect ceramic tiles

The arguments for tiling BEFORE would seem to run you have a more even floor. If there is any problems it is much easier to fix, the cabinets and other kitchen furniture will sit more evenly.

The AFTER argument would seem to be entered around cost. Why till from wall to wall when you'll not see the tile. With an expensive tile you could save a few hundred pounds.

My own preference would be wall to wall, especially as there will be an island in the kitchen centre and I can see difficulties fitting these tiles properly around an island. I can't see the floor been re-tiled for many, many years to come!

HOWEVER, as a Money Saver I'm thinking that by installing the kitchen first and then the tiles I might save the greater part of the tiler's wage!

I appreciate there is no right or wrong way to do this but I'd like to here personal opinions from those faced with the same decision and why they opted the way they did? If there was a next time would you do it differently. My own attitude is that it is do the best job you can now for it won't be done again in a hurry

Ruski

I'm just about to embark on exactly the same for a customer - and am tiling before the units are fitted.

Having a clean open expanse with nothing to manoeuvre around is a win win - less cuts, faster lay, less risk of damage to fittings, happier tiler

The arguments will now come in about doing it after the floor is laid, but I'll stick to what many years of experience has given me and say IMHO it's in your interest to do the floor first if you can afford the extra tiles.

HTH - and good luck with the install!

Russ

malc_b

Most kitchen cabinets these days stand on adjustable legs so you don't cut tiles, well maybe 1/2 if they are big tiles. Instead just take the tiles well past kickboard and then leave the rest bare underfloor. The exception would be built in dishwasher etc. which I would tile fully, and the back wall too (usually which cheapest white, you don't see it, it's just to make it cleanable).

There is no extra cutting and in fact there is less cutting because you don't need to cut to wall. You just stop short of the wall by say 470mm +0/-1tile (or +0/0.5tile), if 470mm is nicely behind your kickboard.

kah22

Thank you for your comments to date. My preference would be to run with tiling the whole floor. Here is an example of the tile I'm looking at, not the exact one but the price and style are the same.

http://www.armatile.com/productdetails/3520/fronda-arce-20x60cm.aspx?expandable=

I would expect to get a decent discount as my nephew is a small builder and has dealt with this firm in the past on a business basis

Here are the plans for my kitchen

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0NJtdOXmzcqhN

There does seem to be quite an area covered by the kitchen cabinets and the island and really that is my concern at the moment. I wonder if covering the extra floor is going to be worth the additional.

I would welcome comments
Kevin

Ruski

Easy enough 'not' to tile the area where your cabinets are, thus saving a couple of m2, but still do it before you fit the units IMHO

HTH

Russ