What Comes First in Kitchen Remodeling: Floors or Cabinets?

Experts recommend that you should always install flooring before cabinets during a kitchen remodel. However, you can decide yourself depending on your personal preferences.

Many homeowners often get confused in what comes first in a kitchen remodeling, cabinets or flooring? It is important that you make the right decision as it will influence the overall outcome. In this blog, we will discuss both approaches that help you choose the suitable method that works best for your kitchen.

Flooring or Cabinets: Which Comes First in a home renovation

It is the most crucial decision in every kitchen remodeling because it will impact the overall looks, future repairs, and the cabinet height.

In almost every kitchen remodel, flooring is installed before cabinets to give your kitchen a continuous and well-leveled floor. It also helps avoid height issues around appliances like refrigerators or dishwashers. It is because the perfect kitchen order is based on the flooring type, appliance layout, and subfloor conditions.

Workers installing kitchen flooring before cabinets during renovation

When to Install Flooring First?

Flooring usually comes first during a kitchen renovation whether it is a glued-down engineered wood, polished concrete, or tile flooring. It helps you to provide a clean-finished surface and makes future changes smooth, so that you can replace the dishwasher or cabinet sections instead of stopping at the old cabinet line.

Pros and Cons of Installing Flooring First

While planning to install the flooring before the cabinets, you must have a clear understanding of its advantages and disadvantages.

Key Benefits

  • Improve future flexibility
  • Prevent appliances from misalignment
  • Simplify future remodels
  • Create a professional, clean appearance
  • Ensure accurate countertop and cabinet height
  • Works best with tile and hardwood

Disadvantages

  • Not suitable for floating floors, such as laminate
  • Increase the budget significantly
  • Higher risk of stains, scratches, and dents during construction
  • Need more flooring materials
Kitchen remodeling planning with design layout and materials

When to Install Cabinets First?

You should go first for the cabinets when the flooring is a floating system. Floating floors need extra space to expand and contract, specifically in kitchens where humidity or temperature changes throughout the year.

You can also go for the cabinet installation first in the cabinet-only replacement, where the flooring stays in place.

Pros and Cons of Installing the Cabinets First

This approach offers several advantages and disadvantages that allow you to make an informed decision.

Key Benefits

  • Eliminate the risk of damaging your brand-new floors
  • Reduce overall costs by installing flooring in visible areas
  • Simplify the installation process and minimize cutting errors
  • Perfect choice for floating floor systems

Disadvantages

  • Appliance alignment issues
  • Visible gaps and poor finishing
  • Complicated future flooring replacement
  • Poor moisture protection
  • Lead to the floor damage
Kitchen under renovation showing remodeling process with tools and materials

Factors to Consider Before Making Your Decision

When it comes to deciding the installation sequence of flooring or cabinets during kitchen remodeling, you must consider these factors:

  • Budget Constraints: If you install the flooring before the cabinets, it can require more labor and material costs. Most people prefer a cabinet-first approach to save costs.
  • Kitchen Renovation Plans: Laying down the flooring first makes the future upgrades easy without the need to move cabinets.
  • Kitchen Design or Layout: The kitchen islands, custom cabinetry, or complex layout may affect the installation sequence.
  • Flooring Type: Multiple flooring materials can influence the installation order. Laminate or Vinyl flooring is installed after the cabinets, while other materials should be installed before cabinet installation.
  • Contractor Recommendations: Hiring the expert remodelers will help you to decide the best order according to your kitchen structure and future goals.
Contractor measuring kitchen layout before installing cabinets and flooring

Ideal Order for Kitchen Remodel

If you want to avoid the bigger, more costly mistakes, then it’s necessary to follow the right kitchen remodel order, especially for flooring or cabinets. It is the most recommended sequence that every professional follows:

Step 1: Installing Flooring

Laying down the flooring first delivers a professional, sophisticated, and seamless appearance, and makes future updates smooth.

Step 2: Installation of Cabinets and Countertops

After flooring, set the base and wall cabinets that secure the layout and set the stage for countertop installation.

Step 3: Add Final Touches

Complete the kitchen remodeling by adding backsplash, appliances, and finishing touches like paint or hardware.

Beautiful kitchen with tile flooring installed before cabinets

Conclusion

Deciding whether cabinets come first or flooring in the kitchen remodeling is quite stressful and confusing. Installing the flooring before the cabinets can provide you with an easier future update, while most homeowners go for the cabinet-first installation to save cost and simplify the process. We have discussed some key factors, advantages, disadvantages, and remodeling sequence that can help you to make an informed decision.

Choosing Dari Design + Remodel ensures you make the best decision that comes with proper planning, seamless installation, and long-lasting results for kitchen remodeling.

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