Hardwood Flooring & Kitchen Cabinet Question

[gsmittle]

LOML wants hardwood flooring in the kitchen. Since we're not doing a full kitchen remodel, removing the kitchen cabinets & countertop is out of the question. My question is this: Do I just butt the flooring up against the side of the cabinet (there's only about a 24" side that's exposed)? Along the walls, of course, I'll leave a 1/2" expansion gap.

Also I assume I remove the toe kick facing and rip it to size after the flooring (3/4" oak) is installed?

Thanks, O Mighty BT Brain Trust...

g.

[atgcpaul]

If I wasn't taking out the cabinets, I'd butt the floor (within 1/4-1/2) up to
the cabinets. Cover the gap with some mo(u)lding. If you're adding on top
of an existing floor, watch out for the area in front of the dishwasher. You
don't want to trap the dishwasher behind the new floor. I came really close
to doing this when I tiled my old kitchen, but I knew to expect it.

Paul

[iceman61]

Ditto what Paul stated, but I would only leave about a 1/4" gap. The molding or moulding you need to use around the cabinets is called 1/4 round. You can do this around the wall also but it will look better if you take the baseboards off & then reinstall over the new flooring. As for the dishwasher, take it out, floor completely under it, adjust the legs for the new shorter height, and then reinstall.

[JeffG78]

My previous house was built in the 1970's and shortly after moving in, LOML decided that she wanted a new dishwasher. I had a HECK of a time getting the old one out after finding 3-4 layers of flooring blocking in the dishwasher. It was so thick, that I had to remove the counter top to get it out.

[master53yoda]

I have hard wood flooring in my kitchen and would never put hard wood in a room with water spills again.

If you have hardwood in a kitchen if there is a spill it gets between the boards and causes the edges to swell and creates a ridge. If it happens once it will separate the finish seal between the boards and will be worse the next time. You cant mop the floor or allow an ice cube to melt on the floor, This does happen at the fridge with small children around. a sink spill will cause it no matter how fast you clean up the spill.

I will only use tile in a kitchen now because of my experience with hardwood kitchen floors. I have seen this in almost every house that has hardwood kitchen floors that I have been around.