Expert Tips on Installing New Kitchen Flooring While Keeping Cabinets in Place for a Polished Look
If you're considering a kitchen renovation, you might be daunted by the thought of moving your cabinets to replace the flooring. However, there's a more straightforward and cost-effective solution: replacing kitchen flooring without moving cabinets.
This method, recommended by Matthew O'Grady, Director at Thomas Matthew Kitchens & Furniture, can save you time and money. Here's how you can do it.
Preparation
Before you start, make sure to remove all movable items in the kitchen area, from small appliances to rugs. Sweep the floor and mop it after removing dirt. According to O'Grady, it's crucial to have a clean subfloor for the new kitchen flooring.
Ensure the subfloor is clean, dry, and level before installing the new kitchen flooring. If the space is too tight, consider trimming the tongue-and-groove joints of the boards to fit up to the counters, as suggested by Ian Tomlinson, MD at Chaunceys Timber Flooring.
Materials and Installation
When it comes to materials, peel-and-stick, sheet, and individual vinyl tiles, as well as vinyl plank flooring, are easily replaced. For a neat finish around cabinets, use a mix of trim and caulk.
If the previous kitchen flooring was fastened down, use a scraper to cut it into tiny pieces. For laminate or hardwood flooring, start in the corner and work your way out to lock the pieces together.
Vinyl flooring is the easiest kitchen flooring to replace, according to O'Grady. If wooden flooring runs under cabinets, use a circular saw or plunge saw to cut it close to the cabinet edges, leaving a small gap.
For laminate flooring, O'Grady advises using high-quality tools for precise cuts, such as a jigsaw or circular saw with a fine-tooth blade. When installing vinyl or linoleum flooring, use a trowel to apply glue and push the flooring into position.
Benefits
The main benefits of replacing flooring without moving cabinets are cost savings, reduced renovation time, less disruption, and minimized risk of damaging cabinets or plumbing and electrical fixtures.
Ceramic or porcelain tiles are easily replaceable when cracked, but can be time-consuming if they're newer, according to O'Grady. O'Grady states that this method speeds up installation and reduces the need for cabinet removal.
It's also important to check for signs of water damage or rot in the subfloor before installing new kitchen flooring, as recommended by O'Grady.
Professional Installation
The labor costs for a professional to install new flooring depend on the flooring type, the size of the area, and the experience of the professional, with a general guideline of around £100 to £200 a day plus the cost of materials.
In summary, replacing kitchen flooring without moving cabinets saves money, time, and hassle by avoiding cabinet removal, and using flexible, easy-install flooring types like vinyl plank or peel-and-stick tiles facilitates this process effectively.
- For a kitchen renovation, you can save time and money by replacing the kitchen flooring without moving the cabinets.
- Before starting, remove all movable items, clean the subfloor, and ensure it's clean, dry, and level.
- Peel-and-stick, sheet, and individual vinyl tiles, as well as vinyl plank flooring, are easily replaced for a neat finish around cabinets.
- If the previous kitchen flooring was fastened down, use a scraper to cut it into tiny pieces, or use a circular saw or plunge saw for wooden flooring.
- Vinyl flooring is the easiest kitchen flooring to replace, while for laminate flooring, use high-quality tools for precise cuts.
- The main benefits of this method include cost savings, reduced renovation time, less disruption, and minimized risk of damaging cabinets or plumbing and electrical fixtures.
- Ceramic or porcelain tiles can be replaced when cracked, but may be time-consuming if they're newer, and this method speeds up installation and reduces the need for cabinet removal.
- Check for signs of water damage or rot in the subfloor before installing new kitchen flooring, as recommended by a professional, and expect labor costs to depend on the flooring type, the size of the area, and the experience of the professional.
