Should I install the floors or cabinets first?

SHOULD I INSTALL THE FLOORS OR CABINETS FIRST?

A great question one should consider prior to their next project is whether to install flooring before cabinets or vice versa

Fortunately it can be done both ways correctly. Prior to answering this question, it’s vital to know whether your flooring will already be installed, and will the flooring go wall to wall. Or, will the flooring simply be installed to meet up with your cabinet dimensions?

If your flooring will be installed wall to wall, then this makes the decision much simpler because that means the floor MUST be installed first.

However, in a scenario in which the flooring has yet to be installed on the subfloor, the cabinets can in fact be installed first. The key here to getting this right is to know the thickness of your flooring material exactly so you can create a riser that sits between the base of your cabinets and the subfloor.

This riser simply raises your cabinets so that the base is perfectly level with your flooring material. This riser ensures your cabinets are true to height. In addition, if cabinets need to removed or replaced for future projects or remodels, it makes the job much much simpler.