Which to Install First: Cabinets or Flooring?

When breaking down a big remodel into scheduled steps, a key decision arises: Should you install cabinets or flooring first? The answer isn’t always obvious. Your decision will depend on the type of flooring, what you’re remodeling, and your top priorities for installation. Below, we examine all the possibilities to help you make the right choice.

For Convenience: Flooring First 

One of the most common approaches is to install flooring before cabinets, especially in a large remodel where everything is being replaced. There are a few reasons for this, the most important being:

• The flooring can sometimes change the height of certain appliances or other components, which means that the height of cabinets may need to be adjusted, too. Flooring is used specifically to correct uneven surfaces or differences in height, so it should usually go in before countertops and other cabinet components.

• If flooring is installed under the cabinets, there’s less need to add protective trim and filler, which can lead to a simpler remodel.

• There’s no risk that tricky floor installation will damage delicate cabinet insets or woodwork.

• If cabinetry needs unexpected adjustments or last-minute changes in layout, there’s no need to worry about expensive flooring adjustments if the flooring simply goes under the cabinets instead.

One caveat: Flooring under some cabinets (especially ones made with thicker hardwoods) can raise them too high, creating problems with sinks, countertops, and appliances. Professional installers can often make up small height differences with shims and other techniques, but if the difference is too great, you may need to either adjust your flooring plans to compensate or install cabinets first. Ask if the cabinets you chose are made with under-cabinet flooring in mind, and you won’t run into any surprises.

For Future Upgrades: Flooring First

Most kitchen flooring will last a long time, often decades into the future. Appliances and cabinets don’t have quite as much longevity: Owners will want to replace or refinish them long before flooring needs attention.

Installing flooring before cabinets makes it much easier to replace cabinets and appliances in the future without worrying about remodeling the floor, too. 

For example, say you are working with a cabinet maker near you and upgrading to new cabinets with a toe kick gap at the bottom for extra room. If you don’t already have flooring installed underneath your old cabinets, this project will reveal a bare strip of subfloor that will need to be dealt with.

To Save Money on Tile: Cabinets First

When it comes to deciding whether to install cabinets before or after tile flooring, one school of thought suggests that installing tile after cabinets will save money. Tiles need to be carefully cut to match all the corners and angles in a kitchen or bathroom. If owners wait until after the cabinets are installed, tiles can be cut exactly to match the base cabinets, and owners save money on tile flooring materials. This approach can also apply to hardwoods and other expensive flooring where saving some square feet can ease your budget, although you’ll need to consult your remodeler about the specifics.

For Floating Floors: Cabinets First

Floating floors get their name from the installation process; instead of attaching directly to the subfloor, the planks interlock in a tongue-and-groove style. Floating floors include many popular kitchen flooring options, such as laminate, vinyl, engineered hardwood, and some types of wood.

If you’re installing a floating floor, prepare to install it after cabinets. Here’s why: If a floating floor is installed under a cabinet, it can cause damage or other problems as years pass.

For Delicate Floors: Cabinets First

Heavy cabinets, appliances, and countertops could scratch or damage delicate flooring. If you’re investing a lot in expensive yet easy-to-scratch flooring, you may want to wait until cabinets are installed to avoid the risk of damage.

For Kitchen Islands or Peninsulas: Flooring First

Installing a kitchen island or extending a peninsula often requires some flooring work, but removing existing flooring or making space during a flooring installation isn’t usually necessary. Even permanent islands can fit on top of flooring, so installing flooring first is typically the best move.