When installing a laminate floor, what goes in first, the floor or the cabinet toe kick plate?

Question

The cabinet installer says the floor should go in first, but the flooring guy says the toe kick goes in first so that he has something to attach the molding to.
Who is right?

Answer 1

the floor goes on first then the cabinets...if the cabinets are already in then the floor first, the toe kick is too hide the seem of the floor...the flooring guy doesn't seem to know what hes doing


experience...we own a roofing and remodeling company

Answer 2

I think it depends on whether it is a new home and what kind of floor...in a new home, the floor gets laid, then the cabinets (my husband is a cabinetmaker) in an old home, it'd be silly to tear out the cabinets and lay a new floor so that's where the floor goes up to the toe kick and you put down a shoe molding (quarter-round) to cover the gap left...
If it were a wood floor in a remodel, I personally think it should go under the cabinets and such where if you add 3/4" wood flooring your toekick height is reduced by that 3/4" and your cabinet height gets reduced by that 3/4" too and may look funny...(but linoleum, because it's so thin doesn't affect the cabinetmaker in leveling the cabinets in a new home or remodel so I don't think it'd matter there...)

Answer 3

When installing laminate flooring, you should install the cabinets first. Laminate floors are classified as a "floating" floor system. It's the same reason that you leave a 1/4" gap around a perimeter, because the floor must have room for expansion and contraction. Temperature changes can cause the floor to expand and contract. If this happens the floor has no room to move, so it will "buckle" or seperate at the seems. It is also recommended that you allow the flooring material to sit in the room that it is going to be installed in for 48-72 hrs. prior to installation. This allows the flooring to acclimate itself to it's permanent environment. Otherwise you may have issues with "buckling". Hope you find this helpful.

Answer 4

You need to hire a different flooring guy. A laminate floor must be installed with a minimum quarter-inch gap around the entire perimeter. The gap is then covered with some sort of molding (usually quarter-round) The problem with that is most people leave a gap that is inconsistant and end up having to use the biggest quarter-round they can find to cover the gap, which looks like hell. From my experience, the best look you can get is to have no moldings (including kickplates) before installing the laminate. Then use 1/2" x 4" baseboard molding and kickplates (without quarter-round) to cover the gap. You will have much cleaner lines and without the telltale quarter-round, people won't even know it's a laminate floor. Of course, if your flooring guy really insists on using quarter-round, he is saying that he can't do a good enough job making a consistent 1/4" gap and doesn't know any other solution.

Answer 5

Cabinet Kick Plate

Answer 6

The floor guy is right because, the laminated flooring needs room to expand around the perimeter, approx. 1/4". If you put the toekicks in last you will be on top of the floor. The floor is supposed to "float" thus "a floating floor." The quarter-round trim will cover this 1/4" gap around the edge.

Answer 7

Toe Kick Molding

Answer 8

It's a matter of trim detail. The cabinet guy wants the floor to run under the toe kick. The flooring guy wants to butt up to it. I'm a contractor, specializing in residential Kitchen projects. I usually run the floor under the toe, but I give my customers the option.It's your house. What looks best to you?

Answer 9

The floor goes 1st, then the kick plate will cover the end of the floor

Answer 10

For proper instalation there should be nothing in the room. Install the floor then the cabinets.........then have the floor guy ad the trim work after the cabs are in.