Do You Install Tile Floor Before Bathroom Cabinets

Raising the cabinets to the new floor level may throw off the standard dimension of the backsplash area.

Do you install tile floor before bathroom cabinets.

The general construction rule is to work from the top of the room downward. There are a couple quality items to consider when installing the cabinets before flooring. All you have to do is pull the kick off remove the old floor covering install the new flooring then put the kick back. If you re doing a complete floor replacement remove the vanity first.

If you must do the floor first cover it carefully with nonskid drop cloths. While installing your new bathroom floor tile you will face the option of tiling under or around your vanity. No wasted tile and appliances can me moved for repairs without problems. Construction s a messy job and if you install the flooring first you ll spend more time on the walls because you ll have to be more careful not to drip joint compound on a new floor.

Put all the base cabinets in place then mark a line on the subfloor corresponding to the front edge of the toekick. Insert the tip of a putty knife behind the backsplash on the. The rest under the cabinets can be filled with plywood or other solid materials to have a surface for the cabinets to rest on. In most cases given standard flooring heights you will install the cabinets before the floor covering.

Install tile under cabinets and floor based appliances with a 2 inset this allows you to move the pattern and grout lines where needed. You can install tile. Floor covering or finish flooring is the surface that you see and walk on not the subfloor under the underlayment or underlayment between subfloor and finished layer. Install plywood in remaining area to exact height of tile floor to finish cabinet install.

Shim up base cabinets keeping in mind the underlayment and flooring thickness the base cabinets should be raised up to accommodate the thickness after installation of the floor. Turn off the water and unhook all the plumbing. Typically cabinets come before flooring. If they want to change flooring at a later date you don t have to remove the cabinets.

Otherwise the cabinet toe kicks and countertop will be short. Those are all good reasons to lay a kitchen floor after the cabinets are in. Do be careful if you have 8 ceilings and tall upper cabinets with crown moldings up to the ceiling. But if you have to install the flooring first here s a method that will avoid some of the problems i just described.

Tiles are resilient stain resistant and can withstand the moisture and temperature fluctuations characteristic of a bathroom.