They are only saying so just because the floor could fail to expand in any 2D direction if you lay the planks down with appliance on both ends. It's a small kitchen in a small house so the washer and dryer are stacked in there as well. If you do not put your hardwoods underneath them, that makes it possible to install the heavy appliances and cabinetry first. Just put a cloth sheet under all 4 legs /wheels of the appliance, and it will slide nice and smooth and no scratching. Since it is a floating floor I know that it needs to be able to move and to leave a certain width on the outer edges that will be covered up by trim, but wouldn't putting a stove and fridge on the flooring cause issues? A vast majority of dishwashers do not need to be installed over any new flooring; they can be placed over the subfloor directly. If you have any other questions, feel free to submit them via the contact form on the right hand side. Consequently, do you put floating floor under appliances? I am seriously interested in oak flooring and have already put down the deposit. Floating Floors Require Floor Prep – Floating floors do require subfloor prep. This allows you … Snezza. Measure the size of the room to determine how much vinyl plank flooring to purchase. The DW is where you run it just underneath the front leveling feet in most cases. I am trying to find out the cleanest way to have that sub floor leveled for laminate flooring. Did you just install vinyl plank flooring in your kitchen?. Never use rubber, as rubber can stain vinyl flooring. So in short, install it wall to wall, and your vinyl plank flooring will work just fine. You will def want to put the flooring in under the appliances for appearance alone, not to mention the hassle of having to replace the flooring under them if you move and take the appliances with you. The entire floor can and will float due to the tremendous pounds per square inch tolerance the system will allow. Well, it true that most vinyl floor companies will tell you to never install vinyl planks underneath any appliance. For furniture, you should use felt furniture pads under the legs to prevent scratching the flooring. It may be tempting to just work around your stove or refrigerator since the floor under these never sees the light of day anyway, but doing so can cause problems down the road when you cannot move the appliance over the hardwood lip, install an appliance with different … This is fine, until the dishwasher needs repair or replacing. Well, in this article I’m going to answer that question. My concern is if I put the vinyl planks under the stacked washer that it will not allow the floor to float properly. Best thing you can do is go to a big box store and buy a sheet of thin Masonite and have them rip it into 12" wide strips. I have heard some people say, they are worried about scratching the flooring when sliding machines about on Laminate. You don’t risk dragging a stove or heavy counter over the hardwoods and scratching or otherwise damaging them. I was originally thinking about just putting some plywood the same width of the flooring underneath, but I have heard from others that it should be fine to put the flooring right under the fridge. This will ensure you have enough planks to floor the entire room as well as extras for cutting or future replacements. But, they are saying so not because appliances will damage the floor over time. Floating floors tend to disassemble easily since they are not attached to the subfloor. Dishwashers on the other hand require a plumber and electrician to disconnect and reset. I have a ¾ inch plywood sub floor. Should I put the planks under the washer or leave it on the existing floor and bring the planks up to the edge of the washer. Install the vinyl flooring planks wall to wall so that the stacked washer/dryer unit can go over it. They are not made to hide bad subfloors. Yes,laminate is a" floating" floor type so it should defiantly go in after the cabinets. In fact, it would be a worse idea and not look good if you simply butted up the planks to the appliances and left it open. As long as you install it correctly, you can place the hardwood floors in first, since they will be much more difficult to put down over your subfloor. I see no reason to not install it in the kitchen and would continue it under the appliances as well. The flooring you have left over for this will not be a perfect match if the floor is down several years before you move. To start, you'll need to expose as much of the kitchen floor as possible by moving the appliances to another room. $84.99 $ 84. But you are not sure whether to put a heavy refrigerator on your newly installed floors?. Those are all good reasons to lay a kitchen floor after the cabinets are in. I put flooring underneath my fridge and stove. Applainces on a floating floor question. Unfortunately, that means either damage to the floor or moving forward with … There is another reason you may want to go with cheap subflooring beneath those cabinets and counters. I ALWAYS lay laminate under freestanding appliances, and have never had a problem yet. However, I have been told that I should put plywood down underneath my dishwasher to avoid any water issues. I am currently planning on laying floating floors in my kitchen. The entire floor can and will float due to the tremendous pounds per square inch tolerance the system will allow. But because laminate is made of thin fiberboard, it is easy enough to snap off and break the flooring rather than dealing with the glue. Install the vinyl flooring planks wall to wall so that the stacked washer/dryer unit can go over it. Refrigerators and stoves should be moved out so the flooring will be installed under them. If you've found our videos or website information helpful, please considering making a donation A floating floor is simply a floor that does not need to be nailed or glued to the floor underneath it. Newer laminate floating floors are dry-joined with a fold-and-lock mechanism; they are simple to detach. First of all, why should you listen to me? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. It is generally not advisable to install flooring over a floating floor. Best thing you can do is go to a big box store and buy a sheet of thin Masonite and have them rip it into 12" wide strips. You shouldn’t need to put additional plywood under the cabinets or appliances – the flooring will frame it. Not sure which floors are best suited for use in a kitchen. In most cases it's best to raise the front legs to allow the flooring to run under about two … 5.0 out of 5 stars 4. the specs should state where the floating floor could go. Applainces on a floating floor question. There's a good reason to do this. Rob So there you have it – 5 very good reasons why you should not install your floor underneath the kitchen units and appliances. You technically can put a refrigerator on a floating floor but be aware of how the weight of this appliance will affect the performance of the rest … Should I put floating laminate flooring under appliances. Now I recall readings somewhere you don't lay them under appliances, due to weight and restricting its movement. Bethany – Yes, the floating floor goes under the refrigerator and stove, but not under the cabinets. You might find you don't have enough clearance under the countertop to install it if you add floor… Installers will install the floor under the stove and fridge but I can’t answer as to whether they will pull them out or if you will need to do that before hand. You can also put most vinyl flooring under kitchen cabinets and appliances, but it’s a good idea to glue down those sections. Holding it fixed sometimes does not work out. After it's installed, the alcove is sealed to prevent moisture from seeping under the flooring in the event the refrigerator discharges water. The subfloor flatness requirements for a floating floor are the same as for a glue down floor. Try to ensure your measurements are as accurate as possible, then buy about 10 to 20 percent more flooring than you believe you will need. The floor should run under all appliances except for the dishwasher. From contributor V: I have been installing laminate flooring since the product first became popular. Do i have the hardwood flooring - engineered- placed under the dishwasher - not yet purchased or even picked out - the fridge, and the stove or do I stop the wood flush against the edges of the appliances? For installations that go over existing flooring in kitchens where cabinets are already installed, I leave a 1/4" gap for expansion and trim out around the cabinets with matching quarter round from the flooring … For the flooring industry, that is ¼ inch in 10 feet or ⅛ inch in 6 feet. Ive ripped up the fake tile, and have had brand new cabinets with granite counter tops installed. If you are going with a floating floor you can just butt the floor up against the cabinets under the kicker. Let us know if you have any further questions. But if you have to install the flooring first, here’s a method that will avoid some of the problems I just described. Thanks for your question and welcome to the community. Click to see full answer. 1) Is it better to remove the sub floor and then sister the sagging joists with some straight “levled” 2x4’s. Protect Floor Under Fridge. i think you're confusing this with the advice that it is better to not fit/fix kitchen cabinets to floating floors but to lay the floating floor up to the cabinets. Older laminate floors may be glued together, plank to plank. yes you can ,it wont be a problem,use a spacer around the edge,fill the gap with sealant (to stop water geting under the laminate) and your all set.....good luck BV015399 07:37PM | 01/02/18 In fact, it would be a worse idea and not look good if you simply butted up the planks to the appliances and left it open. I have been getting mixed information about whether or not I should put Laminate Flooring under my appliances in my kitchen. 99. Sadly, many people install first, only to discover the flooring can’t be installed under the dishwasher, so they install it in front of the dishwasher. Because the weight of appliances, especially refrigerators, can stress or break the tongue-and-groove fasteners, select a snap-together floor designed especially for kitchens. You can put plywood under the cabinets, but make sure it’s the same thickness of the floating floor (including the underlayment). Installing Flooring First. Be careful with the dishwasher though. The ceiling of the lower floor is finished with no easy accesses the joists from below. If due to design circumstances (for example an odd appliance height or construction anomaly) your total flooring height will need to be elevated and finished higher than normal—two inches or more—consider installing flooring before putting in the kitchen cabinets and appliances. You can put the floating floor under all of your appliances, except the dishwasher. That can also lead to planks in that area shifting due to no edging there. Put all the base cabinets in place, then mark a line on the subfloor corresponding to the front edge of the toekick. The floor should run under all appliances except for the dishwasher.The DW is where you run it just underneath the front leveling feet in most cases. Click to see full answer. Installing one might appear to be a frightening task, but with proper preparation and planning, any home improvement DIYer can do it. SuperSliders 4746595N Reusable XL Heavy Furniture Sliders for Hardwood Floors- Felt Floor Protectors, 9-1/2" x 5-3/4", Gray (4 Pack) 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,990. Then, do you install floating floor under appliances? I'm planning on putting vinyl plank flooring in my kitchen and I was wondering about the appliances going on top of the vinyl.