[Closed] Kitchentrackworld - tiling under cabinets or not?

Pros and cons of both. I'd go with whatever is easier. That said I'd never have a tiled floor, but the same techniques apply to other floor finishes.

Just leave expansion gaps if you go all the way up to the walls some folks use silicone for grout under the units you never see it and it can be scraped out if you move the kitchen around.
Make sure the washing machine and fridge ect are fully tiled underneath.

Edit* yes tiles do move a bit so will the sub floor

I just tiled up to the base of the cabinets. It's why there's a plinth and why pay for tiles that you'll never see?

I just tiled up to the base of the cabinets. It’s why there’s a plinth and why pay for tiles that you’ll never see?

This is what we did. Although, in hindsight, I wish we'd got quality lino, not tiles. Cheaper, warmer, less echoey, more forgiving of dropped stuff, easier to change in the future if necessary. Still works fine with underfloor heating if that's an issue.

I would tile first if had my time again. We didn't in our current kitchen and it doesn't look as good. We have integrated appliances and had to get the skirting/kickboard (the trim under the cabinets?) trimmed after tiling to take into account the tile height and it is still a bugger to remove when changing an appliance. We also have a small island and the finish up to it doesn't look as clean as it would if it went under the island. Fitting around the cabinets also takes a load more cutting compared to going up to the wall. Our small utility room is fully tiled and it just looks nicer and easier to get appliances in/out etc.

We didn't tile under the cabinets, it's deeply deeply irritating getting the washing machine and dishwasher in and out. Had to change machines recently and the new one's feet didn't slot into the untiled gap. A world of irritation.

I would 100% tile to the walls if I was starting again. As an absolute minimum I'd tile under any appliances, cupboards not such an issue.

Our beech floor just goes under the edge of the cupboards then stops just behind the skirting. Not worth paying for flooring you will never see.....

As a kitchen fitter and tiler, I say it makes no difference either way.

Tilers will want to do the whole floor before the kitchen goes in, because it’s easier. Kitchen fitters will want to fit first and then tile after, to save damaging floors and because it’s easier for them.

On my own, I don’t want to pay for flooring I’m not going to see so I’d fit the base units then tile to the legs, then fit end panels and fillers. Don’t forget to tile under machines as they’re almost impossible to get out later if you don’t.

Thanks all.
UFH is going in which is why we chose tiles. I thought lino, even the quality stuff, didn't work well with UFH but if that's not the case then I will take a look.

Sounds like there isn't a huge difference one way or the other so it may come down to timing. If the builder can do the tiling before the kitchen fitters arrive then we'll do it, and if not we'll do it after.

As an absolute minimum I’d tile under any appliances, cupboards not such an issue.

to add to that -
- Depending on your tiles you're going to lose anything between 5mm (Lino) and 20mm (10mm thick stone tile on 10mm grout, maybe even more if you use a decoupling layer.). Make sure you get the worktop height you want based on finished floor level not base layer
- also enough space from tiled level to underneath of worktop for appliances (I've been somewhere that this had been missed and couldn't actually fit an appliance in without removing the top of it
- tile under built in appliances (eg dishwasher) as well as spaces for freestanding, remembering that built in stuff is going to be fitted by the kitchen fitters...

Don’t forget to tile under machines as they’re almost impossible to get out later if you don’t.

I have a cut piece of hard board I use to slide machines in / out of their slot to ensure their legs don't scratch the floor even with the flooring extending under them.

We’re just having our kitchen done now. Both the fitters and the floor people suggested the following order

Old kitchen out
Floor prep done (we needed new screed pouring)
New kitchen in bar the washing machine, Cooker and fridge (all free standing)
New floor down including the gaps where the above appliances are going
Appliances back in

Everyone seems happy with that plan so that’s what we’ve gone for…

UFH is going in which is why we chose tiles. I thought lino, even the quality stuff, didn’t work well with UFH but if that’s not the case then I will take a look.

The posher vinyl stuff certainly is fine with ufh. I'd take that any day over tiles personallly.

All our appliances will be built-in. Should we still be tiling under them?

All our appliances will be built-in. Should we still be tiling under them?

I would, or cut some ply the same thickness or greater than the floor thickness to stand them on.

I have a cut piece of hard board I use to slide machines in / out of their slot to ensure their legs don’t scratch the floor even with the flooring extending under them.

which works well until some numb nuts has the machine set quite low and then tiled right up to the feet, once the worktop is on it’ll no longer lift vertically and the legs will get trapped behind the tile.

All our appliances will be built-in. Should we still be tiling under them?

If you're going to tile, then yes. 'Built-in' just means 'shorter, with a door bolted to the front'. They're still a normal appliance that will, at some point, need to come out.

Tear out old
Correct subfloor level/true/SLC/ screed etc)
Cabinet carcasses in
Flooring install upto cabinet feet and into DW/fridge/oven recesses
End panels, trim, kick plates etc
Install appliances,
Fit drawers, doors etc

Tear out old
Correct subfloor level/true/SLC/ screed etc)
Cabinet carcasses in
Flooring install upto cabinet feet and into DW/fridge/oven recesses
End panels, trim, kick plates etc
Install appliances,
Fit drawers, doors etc

Sounds good but don't think it will work as the builders are not fitting the kitchen (and I don't think the kitchen fitters would want to fit cabinets for 2/3 days then come back a week later to finish off).

I don’t think the kitchen fitters would want to fit cabinets for 2/3 days then come back a week later to finish off).

This is precisely what our fitters are doing and are more than happy with the arrangement.

And as a side note I’m very much looking forward to a fully functioning kitchen again. It’s been a few weeks now…

Maybe I'll ask them!

How long has it taken so far Danny?

I did posh vinyl with thin foam underneath, pretty warm and no need to level the floor perfectly. This is mainly 'cos i'm clumsy and have dropped my ipad on it several times.
If tiling, I would have done the whole floor as the cost is marginal and you can move stuff around.

@ekinspain - four weeks today so far. The actual kitchen is now pretty much fitted bar a very small amount of detailing and the sparky has been out today so we now have power to everything. It has been 5 weeks since we had a cooker though because we had a Aga and had to turn it off a week before it was removed to give it chance to cool down.

Floor goes down Monday and then there is a short delay due to the plumber being booked up so the cooker goes in a week Monday and then at some point before the end of June the decorator will hopefully have been round.

Re: the actual flooring - on the advice of the kitchen fitters we have gone for Karndean. Pricey but should last years.

Builders is such a generic term and in the same way you typically wouldn't want a builder to install your kitchen, you almost certainly wouldn't want a builder tiling your floor either.
So, the subtrades need managing regardless.

Not true...im classed as a multitrade builder, and I do pretty much everything.
It's not a case of builders are crap.....its all down to standards.
My standards are pretty high, I explain things how it is and don't mess my customers about...with this I keep busy doing kitchens, bathrooms, patios, brickwalls etc...
I've seen shocking work from certain so called kitchen fitters...
My advise is .....word of mouth is king.
Tiling floors before units...well it's a personal thing...some customers do some don't...
The ones that do..mainly for peace of mind
One customer was worried about rats coming in from a pipe work hole in the floor ...so I suggested why not tile the whole floor to stop rodents from coming though.
Another customer lived in a block of flats...so he wanted the whole floor done just incase there was a leak , then it would be contained.
Don't buy into the case of ..well if I get a new kitchen in a few years time then the floors already down, because chances are you'll be bored with the floor or it won't be in fashion anymore....just my 5p