Do You Install Kitchen Cabinets Before Tile Flooring

Installing the tile before the cabinetry means the newly installed tile floor will likely be the workbench for the other trades involved in the project as well as being susceptible to abuse and damage.

Do you install kitchen cabinets before tile flooring. But it works either way. Installing the tile before the cabinetry means additional square footage for the installer but less detail and trim work. Otherwise the cabinet toe kicks and countertop will be short. Install cabinets first to avoid this issue.

The finish can be applied after the cabinet installation lessening concerns about marring the floors during the remodel. Arrange your kitchen before laying down panels for a scratch free floor. Then install cabinets then the tiles can go down. There are a couple quality items to consider when installing the cabinets before flooring.

The flooring contractor will not have to work around existing cabinetry so the work can go that much faster. Typically cabinets come before flooring in most cases given standard flooring heights you will install the cabinets before the floor covering. Install plywood in remaining area to exact height of tile floor to finish cabinet install. Shim up base cabinets keeping in mind the underlayment and flooring thickness the base cabinets should be raised up to accommodate the thickness after installation of the floor.

Just make sure the durock or tile backer is down first. Mark the layout of the cabinets and all floor based appliances. Floor covering or finish flooring is the surface that you see and walk on not the subfloor under the underlayment or underlayment between subfloor and finished layer. Install tile under cabinets and floor based appliances with a 2 inset this allows you to move the pattern and grout lines where needed.

If you install wall to wall flooring the panels may run out of room to expand.