Replacing flooring without removing kitchen cabinets

[xyz123]

Hi, we have lino in our galley style kitchen floor. We are looking to replace it with wooden flooring as part of floor replacement in all of downstairs. Is it possible to replace lino with wooden flooring without removing cabinets. I know plinths can be removed but obviously can't reach l the way back to walls on either side so not sure if it's possible to out wooden flooring down and if so, will it create any issues in future?

Thanks

[dave123456]

Not particularly, you’ll have to trim your kick boards and end plinths but it’s possible.

When I renovated a house the kitchen fitter got a bit arsey as the other contractors were behind schedule, he wanted to put the kitchen in and have them tile around it. In an empty room there was no way I was doing that, the tiles were pretty expensive and would outlast a kitchen.

[Chrisgr31]

It is possible I did it as bodge to cover an existing lino floor with new lino floor tiles as kitchen and flooring need replacing but its not in the budget at the moment.

However what sort of appliances do you have? If they are not built in then you'll want the flooring under them or they'll be hard to pull out. If they are under the counter then the height difference may mean they no longer fit!

If the flooring is going to last longer than the kitchen units I'd be looking to put the flooring under the units. It may be possible by raising the legs of the unit, it will be more difficult know but if you dont when replacing the kitchen you'll potentially have to replace the flooring to cater for a different kitchen design.

[acer12]

Most kitchens have kicker plates, take these out (they are usually slotted to the kitchen base support legs so pop off) and fit the new flooring under them (a few cms just to cover the kicker plates) then trim the kicker plates and put back. The only risk here is that in the future if you are changing kitchen then you will have to replace kitchen with at least the same width and same locations or else you will expose your floor

[OutInTheShed]

A 'galley style kitchen' might just have two rows of units with nothing other than the kickboards and unit legs touching the floor.
Very easy to change the floor in this case, just any integrated or under-counter appliances to consider, you need to be able to remove/change them.
Working around ends of units is harder to get right.

If you change the kitchen units you will probably change the floor anyway?

Mixed feelings about wood floors in kitchens, one dishwasher leak or bad day defrosting the fridge and it's liable to be shagged.

[Jonny_]

I did exactly this several years ago. Plinths off, run the flooring up to a few mm from the cabinet legs, trim the plinths and refit.

That was 9 years ago, using fairly cheap "water resistant" laminate from Wickes. It's starting to show signs of swelling from moisture near the sink, but for what it cost I can't really grumble. With hindsight I probably should have applied some sealant (CT1 or similar) along the joints.

[Rough101]

I assume the OP means replacing the floor, not the floor covering.

[xyz123]

Thanks for replies. I meant to replace floor covering I. E.. Lino with wood flooring. We have a dishwasher that's freestanding and built in oven/hob.

It only needs to last 3/4 years so happy to take risk of water spillage. My main concern was that somehow if I don't take wood planks upto wall in either side then there is nothing to keep the floor from moving. Maybe the last plank can be screwed or glued to floor (floor is concrete).

[OutInTheShed]

xyz123 said:

Thanks for replies. I meant to replace floor covering I. E.. Lino with wood flooring. We have a dishwasher that's freestanding and built in oven/hob.

It only needs to last 3/4 years so happy to take risk of water spillage. My main concern was that somehow if I don't take wood planks upto wall in either side then there is nothing to keep the floor from moving. Maybe the last plank can be screwed or glued to floor (floor is concrete).

That's a valid concern.
The general idea is that wood or laminate floors 'float', they are not secured to the sub-floor.
That allows for expansion and contraction, any movement is hidden under skirtings and threshold strips.

With a narrow floor in a galley kitchen, you might find the wood floor is able to creep out of place, or some joints open up if they are not well glued, or if water pills get to the joint or whatever.
I don't think it's an insurmountable problem, but something to research before rushing in perhaps?

[craigthecoupe]

You can buy a self adhesive foam underlay to stick the boards onto. I used some years ago for a maple floor i put down in our kitchen. My main reason for using it was to stop any joints opening up, and they never did.
A bit of a bodge, but you could always screw/glue a couple of bits of batten to the floor at the edges (under the plinth) to stop any sideways movement?

[Belle427]

Cabinet legs may just pop out too if you have the adjustable type so you could floor underneath them slightly just for neatness, just take care not to remove too many at once.

[Crumpet]

Could you try glue-down LVT if you’re worried about movement? It also won’t raise the floor level by more than a few millimetres and is also a better suited product to a kitchen.

The good stuff looks better than cheap engineered wood but obviously not as good as the more expensive stuff.

[OldPal]

Why not wood effect vinyl? There’s plenty of options, would last the 3/4 years without worrying about water.

Also have a look at loose lay lvt, I’m fitting it on a project right now. It’s about 5mm thick heavy duty and doesn’t need adhesive, can be cut with a Stanley knife. Most major manufacturers make them now