When remodeling a kitchen, should you tile under the cabinets and appliances?

Question

I am tearing out all of the cabinets and removing all of the appliances from the room regardless. I have seen people set the cabinets on the subfloor and tile up to them as well as tile underneath before setting the cabinets. Same with appliances. Which is the proper way, assuming the room is completely cleared out to start with.

I do understand the added cost of tiling the entire floor under cabinets and appliances, however I am asking for the correct way, not necessiarly the most cost effective way. Thanks.

Answer 1

Good question, no easy answer. If it is not too cost prohibitive I would put the tile over the entire floor. Overall the tiling job will be easier and you will not have to worry about or plan for as many tile transitions. If you tile and grout the entire floor first it will look natural if there is only a small section of tile next to one of the cabinet edges. Trying to cut small slivers of tile and get the grout seams clean can be a real pain if you decide to tile around the cabinets. (Just remember to leave enough open space where any new plumbing pipes may need to be run). Also, believe it or not it can be a selling point. The first thing most new home buyers want to change is the cabinets. Having the entire floor covered saves a remodeler from having to redo the entire floor in addition to the cabinets. On the other hand if you pick a trendy tile pattern and it goes out of style or you get tired of it in 5-10 years you will have more work to do if you want to replace the floor without removing the cabinets.

Ultimately I think you need to weigh these factors:

:What is the cost difference to tile the entire floor?
:How much extra time and effort is it to tile around the cabinets?
:How long do plan on living in the current house?
:If you do plan to stay a while which are you more likely to change later on; the floor or the cabinets?

Good luck with your project!

Answer 2

I have done it both ways. . . and honestly it looks better when you tile the entire floor first and then install your cabinets and appliances.

Problem I've found with tiling after the cabinets are in is you never seem to be able to get the tile exactely up to the toekick on the cabinets. . . and It drives me crazy that there is a little grout line there at times. Maybe other people don't notice it. . . but I do. Also. . . if you tile AFTER the cabinets are in. . . your appliance may end up sitting slightly ABOVE your countertops (they might not be flush) and that bugs me as well (like the range for example).

Anyways. . . for the little extra added cost, I prefer to have the floor tiled first, and then install everything else.

Answer 3

put 3/4 inch plywood under the cabinets and leave it sit back about 1 inch from the face. when you tile slip the tile in the 1inch space you left. it gives the appearance of full tile. do not put the appliances on the sub floor with out 3/4 plywood underneath or once the counter tops are installed you wont be able to get the appliances out. doing it this way is cheaper and also allows you you replace/repair the floor without removing the cabinets.

Answer 4

If you have nothing in the room then you can really do your floor in either manner that you listed in your question. It will be correct to put down floor all over and then cabinets and appliances. It will, however, be more costly to do it that way. The cost to put cabinets in first and then the flooring, of your choice, will be less costly because you will only be putting the flooring up to the cabinets. You will want to put the flooring under all of the appliances because that will give a much nicer and more finished look to your kitchen. Just remember....Kitchens and bathrooms will sell a house...or....will always be the rooms that will keep it from selling. I have been a licensed Realtor for many years. This is ALWAYS the case.

Answer 5

Tile the whole floor. I don't know if you are wanting to keep the house for yourself, or if you are fixing it up to sell? Anyways, just think of what would happen if in 4 years all new appliances come out, and your stove stops working, you go out and buy a brand new one, but oops! all the ones they have are bigger/smaller than the one you've got. This means that you would either have to remove some tile and possibly damage the rest, or lay more tile down underneath so you don't have a gap. Either way it's icky, so it's easier to just tile the whole floor that way you don't have to worry about anything.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

Setting new base cabinets in a kitchen remodel – where floors are more likely to be uneven, and walls, floors and corners don’t meet at 90-degree angles – can present some challenges. Here are a few tips on how to install cabinets that should help you overcome most of them - See more at: http://www.miconstruguia.com/en/how-to-install-cabinets/

Answer 7

i would tile the whole floor area.
if you have to take out appliances its easier if all on one level. and if you change a cabinet is it going to be the same size as the original?

Answer 8

Tile, then put your cabinets in. Your dishwasher will be hard to replace if you have to deal w/ a change in floor height (personal experience here!).

Answer 9

The entire floor should be tiled put people don't do it to save money

Answer 10

Appliances, yes...Cabinets,no.