The existing ceramic tiles on the floor run up to the cabinets and appliances. Should I lay the floor first and then the cabinets or the cabinets first?
you would want to lay your tile floor first. your base cabinets are 21inches to the toekick so measure off the wall about 18inches do not tile the 18inches saves tile and easier to install cabinets if you have to cut the bottom of the cabinet. as far as your appliances are conserned, tile the fridge to the wall and stove and dishwasher only one tile under it. you wont see past the tile and you put plywood the rest of the way. easier to install your stoves' anti tip into the wood rather than tile. your dishwasher will slide right into place and would be easy to take out if you have to repair it.
In any new home construction ANY flooring is installed after and up to the cabinets set on the floor. It seems logical to assume WASTE in doing otherwise. What possible purpose might it serve to have material costing upwards of $2 per sq. ft. Under, and hidden by, cabinets?? The replacement cabinets should be installed first,,,BUT...the old flooring removed first would be the best strategy. Steven Wolf PS: It's your choice as to floor install under a stove and refrigerator. I'd probably proceed that way if contracted.
In your situation, you definitely want to tile the floor first. Remove all existing cabinets and tile the entire floor. It levels everything up for you and eliminates a lot of potential problems with appliance installations, etc.
You have to do the ceramic tiles first, put down the tiles were the refridgerator and stove are going to be and then build up everything were the cabinets and dishwasher will be. You have to do it this way or when it is time to replace the dishwasher or you have a leak you will not be able to get the dishwasher out with out removing the counters. Then put in your cabinets.
If I were you, I would replace the cabinets first. That will make the rest of your measuring easier. It would be even better to just plain strip everything out of the kitchen and lay the floor first, then the cabinets and tile. But that is assuming you won't need the kitchen for a few days.
