Flooring & Cabinets, Which Go First?

[DSLTRK]

I'm in the process of remodeling my two car garage and wanted to know if I should install the cabinets first, then the flooring. Is there any issue or problem with having the cabinets existing when it comes time to install the floor cover?

 

[bdamico]

not enough details i think. cant know the answer without knowing the kind of floor and if your cabinets will be wall mounted or floor mounted -- also are they gonna have heavy loads on four small legs or what...

 

[vartz04]

more than likely you'll have to move the cabinets to install the floor. so floor first.

 

[Jack Olsen]

If the cabinets ever get moved, you wouldn't want unfinished pieces of floor underneath them. Floor first, then cabinets, which probably damage floor, then floor touch-up.

 

[slickgt1]

If the cabinets ever get moved, you wouldn't want unfinished pieces of floor underneath them. Floor first, then cabinets, which probably damage floor, then floor touch-up.

Unless you go with tile floor, in which case, touch-up won't be necessary. lol.

Yes floor first. Although, it really depends on the type of floor. I would not want to install all the cabinets on top of racedeck for example.

 

[Garage Flooring]

Floor...

 

[Frank The Plumber]

Floor so that when you change your mind you will have a floor there.

 

[richtersrodz]

I just had a new house built, and I HATE how they did it.. They installed all of the cabinets in the kitchen, washroom, and bathrooms, before the floor.. Do the floor first, you won't regret it. You never know when your tastes change, and you want to move or change out a cabinet.

 

[OJ Bartley]

Yep, I'd go floor first. I'd be worried about moisture pooling in the low spots, maybe critters living there... a nice full coverage floor will give you options later, and peace of mind now.

 

[DSLTRK]

Sorry for the late response guys, I was in Phoenix. Thanks for the comments

The floor is concrete, and cabinets are commercial grade. (See picture)

Cabinets are not on legs, but entire cabinet body rests on the floor. Rubber scuff guard then mounts around the cabinet base.

I definitely won't be using ceramic or porcelain tile due to the brittleness of the tile.
I've seriously been looking into the epoxy coated floors or the tile flooring(like in a supermarket, vinyl?). Whatever is long lasting, cheaper and easy to clean will be my flooring choice.

I do everything in my garage and we live in the desert, so the floor will see oil, grease, dirt, water, sand and other garage related spills.

I would like to install the cabinets first, so it would seem the type of flooring would ultimately decide if I install the cabinets first. I already have the cabinets, and I have no where to place them when the flooring is being installed. How long does it take to install flooring in a 40X25 garage?

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Epoxy floor system, 2-3 days. VCt tiles one day.

 

[bdamico]

I definitely won't be using ceramic or porcelain tile due to the brittleness of the tile.
I've seriously been looking into the epoxy coated floors or the tile flooring(like in a supermarket, vinyl?). Whatever is long lasting, cheaper and easy to clean will be my flooring choice.

You're mistaken

 

[marty_p]

I definitely won't be using ceramic or porcelain tile due to the brittleness of the tile.

See: http://12-gaugegarage.com/

and: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55006&page=1

 

[DSLTRK]

See: http://12-gaugegarage.com/

and: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55006&page=1

I've dropped tools on ceramic tiles before and it wasn't pretty... One tile cracked, one tile chipped.

 

[DSLTRK]

Epoxy floor system, 2-3 days. VCt tiles one day.

That's not too bad. So the tiles that I usually see in a supermarket are called VCT?

 

[DSLTRK]

I did some research on these VCT tiles, and it seems they aren't recommended for a garage environment. It looks like epoxy is the only way to go, and cabinets will have to camp outside for a few days.

 

[bdamico]

I've dropped tools on ceramic tiles before and it wasn't pretty... One tile cracked, one tile chipped.

Doesn't happen on my porcelain tile, which is harder than the concrete it sits on, an epoxy coating you're considering, or vct

 

[DSLTRK]

Doesn't happen on my porcelain tile, which is harder than the concrete it sits on, an epoxy coating you're considering, or vct

Okay, I'd like to see the tiles you used. What type or brand are they? and did you use epoxy to secure them or grout?

I still feel that accidentally dropping a 10lb sledge or wrench will cause some major damage...

 

[bdamico]

Okay, I'd like to see the tiles you used. What type or brand are they? and did you use epoxy to secure them or grout?

I still feel that accidentally dropping a 10lb sledge or wrench will cause some major damage...

concorde atlas rectified porcelain tile with expoxy grout (although it seems not necessary). i have a thread around here of them. Any good fullybody pei 5 porcelain tile will be strong. there is plenty of documentation on this site. Just because you broke a tile doesn't necessarily mean anything unless you know what kind of tile it was

 

[Jack Olsen]

I've dropped tools on ceramic tiles before and it wasn't pretty... One tile cracked, one tile chipped.

That has nothing to do with the tile, and everything to do with how the tile was installed. Here's a short video clip of me hitting my inexpensive ceramic tiles with a four-pound sledge hammer. Note the way the concrete is taking enough of a hit for the camera to bounce:

The way tiles are typically installed in residential situations is what makes them brittle. But that's because most people aren't dropping hammers in their bathrooms or kitchens.

 

[Falcon67]

X2 on Jack's comments. We have a couple of cracked ceramics in this house and it's from improper install, nothing else. I suspect the 18" living room tile is a DIY job - it looks good and the spacing is good, the edges at the walls and built ins are half-*** and you can hear "hollow" tiles when the dogs walk across the floor. Heaven forbid we drop anything in those places because I'm sure those tiles would snap pretty easy.

With the others, do your floor first. Once the floor is done, it's open season on the rest of the work. On my shop build, the floor came right after the shell was complete and before any interior work was done.

 

[DSLTRK]

I see.. It's the lack of support that allows for the tiles to break easily. I do have a piss poor tile job in my laundry room, you can tell there are voids underneath, that must be why the tiles cracked.


As for the original topic, It looks like the floor must go in first, even though I don't plan on moving the cabinets in the near future.

And It appears the choice flooring options are either epoxy or porcelain tile.

 

[tymbo]

If you want to guarantee the dishwasher will fit under the counter top, do the floor first. A guy I know put hardwood in his kitchen, and then couldn't get the dishwasher out.

 

[slickgt1]

See my signature. Click on tile floor for the win. LOL, brittle tile. hahahaha. I used to think the same. Then Jack Olsen infused me with words of wisdom. I would never consider another floor system ever again.