Flooring and cabinets

[Barrie]

I have a dilemma, I’m about to put flooring in the salon (real hardwood). Do I put the floor down then set the galley cabinets on top of the flooring (my inner self tells me to do this).
Or do I install the cabinets and cut the flooring around the cabinets (allowing the flooring to be removed without removing the cabinets if something needs fixing in the “basement”)

Thanks for your thoughts

[AwayOnBusine$$]

What sq footage of flooring would you save by cabinet first, is cost an issue? How long do you expect the floor to last vs how long do you expect to own the boat. No doubt the lines will be cleaner with cabinets on top of floor vs pieced to fit.

[WayWeGo]

I would put the cabinets on a piece of plywood that is the same thickness as the hardwood floor, and then put the hardwood in so that it can be removed to make repairs. That way, the cabinets are the right height, you are not paying hardwood prices or doing the extra work to install where you only need a spacer, and you have the ability to maintain your boat.

If you are worried about how the floor meets the cabinets, you can screw in shoe molding instead of nailing it and then you can remove the flooring without damaging anything, though it will take longer.

[Barrie]

What sq footage of flooring would you save by cabinet first, is cost an issue? How long do you expect the floor to last vs how long do you expect to own the boat. No doubt the lines will be cleaner with cabinets on top of floor vs pieced to fit.

I'm looking at about 140sq/ft, the cost is not too much of a consideration, I have allowed for about $4-5.00 sq/ft.
I plan to own the boat forever, I don't see anyone besides me appreciating the time and cost involved, would like to get about 5 years or so from the floor using it all summer.

[Barrie]

I would put the cabinets on a piece of plywood that is the same thickness as the hardwood floor, and then put the hardwood in so that it can be removed to make repairs. That way, the cabinets are the right height, you are not paying hardwood prices or doing the extra work to install where you only need a spacer, and you have the ability to maintain your boat.

If you are worried about how the floor meets the cabinets, you can screw in shoe molding instead of nailing it and then you can remove the flooring without damaging anything, though it will take longer.

This is why I asked! that is a great idea!
Thanks WWG, that is what I will do

Pictures to follow

[K4282]

I like Way We Go's suggestion I only wonder if its even necessary to raise/have the cabinets on the plywood or just have them on the subfloor?

[WayWeGo]

There are two reasons for lifting the cabinets to the same height as the floor:

1) You lose almost an inch of counter height if the cabinet is below the flooring.
2) If you have a built in device that is under the countertop and you need to slide it out for repair, the flooring will trap it in place.

Reason #2 is quite commonly seen in homes when someone has their kitchen floor tiled or puts hardwood down over a vinyl floor. The correct way to do this is to remove the cabinets to do the job, but that costs a lot more and many contractors do not tell their customers about this option. It looks good until the dishwasher develops a leak and you have to tear up the floor to remove it.

[Barrie]

There are two reasons for lifting the cabinets to the same height as the floor:

1) You lose almost an inch of counter height if the cabinet is below the flooring.
2) If you have a built in device that is under the countertop and you need to slide it out for repair, the flooring will trap it in place.

Reason #2 is quite commonly seen in homes when someone has their kitchen floor tiled or puts hardwood down over a vinyl floor. The correct way to do this is to remove the cabinets to do the job, but that costs a lot more and many contractors do not tell their customers about this option. It looks good until the dishwasher develops a leak and you have to tear up the floor to remove it.

I can completely see the wisdom in this.
I raised my cabinets last night with 1/2 plywood, it now is at almost exactly the same height as the flooring

[Misty]

Barrie... This is a big step but choose your flooring carefully. I recommend a sample subjected to my famous bucket and oven environmental testing. No bamboo or something that will buckle if a leak goes undetected for a couple weeks.

[Barrie]

Barrie... This is a big step but choose your flooring carefully. I recommend a sample subjected to my famous bucket and oven environmental testing. No bamboo or something that will buckle if a leak goes undetected for a couple weeks.

LOL your "famous" bucket and water test..........I've never heard of it//

I have coated the 3/4" sub floor with 2 coats of resin to make it waterproof. I hope to use either real wood or a all vinyl locking type laminate.
I believe real wood would survive reasonably well if it got wet.

[Misty]

Harold "dynamite" Payson had a similar technique for materials testing. He'd throw whatever wood he was thinking about in the back of his truck and let the weather beat it for six mos to a year then decide if it was good. A neighbor installed solid bamboo and it all buckled. Oaks can encourage rot colonies. Whatever you choose I know you will install it very well so post pics! Then I sit and stare st my mauve carpeting and think...

[gitchisum]

I almost pulled the trigger on a product called Amtico Teak and Holly. Maybe next year. I did get some samples and it is a vinyl prodcut that really looks like wood. Costs are about $10-14/sq ft. It is pricey but looks way better than the other vinyl teak and holly that I have seen.

I think I will go throw the samples in the back yard and see how they look next spring!. Sounds like a good reliability test

[Barrie]

Harold "dynamite" Payson had a similar technique for materials testing. He'd throw whatever wood he was thinking about in the back of his truck and let the weather beat it for six mos to a year then decide if it was good. A neighbor installed solid bamboo and it all buckled. Oaks can encourage rot colonies. Whatever you choose I know you will install it very well so post pics! Then I sit and stare st my mauve carpeting and think...

LOL, well I don't have a year or even six months
I haven't heard that about bamboo!! I ended up with a 3/4" thick solid oak flooring. I have to build a "L" shaped booth forward of the galley then I can put the floor down, so maybe next week.

I'm sure you have the nicest mauve carpet anyone has ever seen

[Barrie]

I almost pulled the trigger on a product called Amtico Teak and Holly. Maybe next year. I did get some samples and it is a vinyl prodcut that really looks like wood. Costs are about $10-14/sq ft. It is pricey but looks way better than the other vinyl teak and holly that I have seen.

I think I will go throw the samples in the back yard and see how they look next spring!. Sounds like a good reliability test

I've seen the Amtico on the web, I thought it might be perfect for the aft deck to replace the old teak deck the rotted away. Even at $14/sq ft it would be less expensive and easier to install then real teak.

Your test wouldn't work for me, I have coyotes in the back yard and they carry away just about anything that's not tied down