Some of us love to see that clean open look in our kitchens where the cabinets appear to be sitting on top of the floor without any shoebase..
What some don’t realize is that if this is done incorrectly, it could lead to needing your whole floor replaced.
Excess weight such as kitchen cabinetry and heavy counter tops, can restrict natural movement in the flooring system which in turn creates tension in the joints.
This tension can lead to squeaks which may show up in random, seemingly unrelated areas of the floor.
Photo courtesy Mercier Wood Flooring, White Ash Natural
If cabinets are installed on a floating floor there are unforeseen issues that can occur down the road. When the weight of the cabinets and counter sit on a floating floor this can cause areas of the floor to squeak. It may seem like your cabinets couldn’t possibly create the squeaking in the room next to it. But when a floating floor is installed it becomes all one unit and heavy weight can cause pinch points in the floor which will migrate to different areas and cause the squeaks or worse cause boards to separate.
Luckily there is a way to still achieve the desired look and not create future issues with your floor. In order to do this the first step is to install the cabinet boxes, then the floor gets installed, followed by the completion of the cabinets, including the doors, toekicks, gables and counters.
By doing this you are able to achieve the look without the risk of floor failure.
Blog submitted to BCFCA by Jenn Brooks, Above & Beyond Concepts