Kitchen on Floor or Kitchen Round Floor?

[Screwed]

Hello All,

Now before I start I know this has been talked about lots before but I have a couple of different questions and reasons.

Our extension is now finished but our kitchen is not coming until 12/12/08. We ideally want the floor in asap as it is being laid throughout the whole of downstairs (approx 75m2). The floor in the extension and kitchen is concrete and the only pipes in it have been screeded in. The water mains have been run in a tube so could easily be replaced if a leak did occur without pulling the floor up.

As we need a floor and the kitchen isn't coming until mid Dec (I am fitting it). Can we jump the gun and lay the floor and put the kitchen on top? I am going to be careful not to drop anything!!!

As the sub floor type is a mixture of floorboards and screed am I correct in saying that we need to get an engineered floor? Is it possible to put the kitchen on top of this? Just out of interest, we ideally want a solid floor, is this a complete no no??

Many thanks!!!

 

[WoodYouLike]

Solid in Kitchens is in our book a definite no no.
There is more moist in the kitchen than in other rooms (cooking, washing etc).

Also, you're better off to create one type of underfloor.

Best is to have the units installed first and then the wood floor (imagine a leaking washing machine - to remove the floor you'll have to remove the units first!)

 

[Screwed]

Cheers Wood You Like. Why would I need to remove the floor for a leaking washing machine? Would it be ruined? The only pipes under the floor are set in conduit so can be removed without touching the floor?

Cheers.

 

[WoodYouLike]

I'm talking major leaks - just like the one recently at one of our clients, we only had installed that floor 5 weeks ago. Central heating pipe somehow got disconnected - don't ask me how - and while they were away for a weekend the whole system emptied on the floor.

Floor buckled of course and now is starting to delaminate too, but not installed underneath the units, so no extra problems in removing the 'old' floor and let everything dry-out better and quicker.

 

[Screwed]

Thanks again, where are you based?

 

[WoodYouLike]

It says right underneath my 'nick-name' - location: Kent

 

[Symptoms]

Screwed - what type of cabinets are you putting in? Will they have plinths (kick-plates) or stand on legs and be open below? Open below means you should install the flooring all the way to the walls 'cos you'll see it below (that means the floor goes in first). If you can't see below then you could stop the floor at the back of the kick-plates (that means the floor goes in last); to level the floor (for ease of cabinet installation) slip-in some ply which is the same thickness as the flooring. We, however always install the floor first then install the cabinets, being doing it that way for nearly 30 years with no problems ... reduce the risk of flooding by the proper installation of pipework and sit the washing machine on a proprietary dip-tray if it's 'built-in'. Generally, if a massive flood occurs, it is often necessary to stip the whole kitchen out anyway.

 

[Screwed]

Thanks very much all!

Symptons, we're having kick-boards. The reason I want the floor down is that not only is the kitchen not coming until 12/12/08 but our baby is due on the 13/12/2008 - I know I know, madness.

Due to this I want to get as much done as possible and also, it's unlikely that I'm going to be able to fit the kitchen AND get someone in to do the floor before Christmas.......

Like you say, so long as all the pipework is installed properly what is the likelyhood of a serious flood?? Even then, surely it will be covered by our insurance?

Last question for WoodYouLike, I know this goes against all your beliefs but if you had to install a floor before the kitchen would engineered be ok for this, we've ruled out solid now!

Cheers!

 

[WoodYouLike]

We always opt for wood-engineered in kitchens anyway and one with an oiled finish is better than a lacquered one there too.

Leave enough expansion gaps all around the perimeter of the floor if you install wall to wall.

 

[Screwed]

Will do, many thanks!