"Cabinets over laminate floor?," in the Hardwood and Laminates Q&A forum, begins: "I just took delivery of my Wilsonart Estate Plus 7mm laminate Bamboo flooring to be installed over a good sound ..."
I just took delivery of my Wilsonart Estate Plus 7mm laminate Bamboo flooring to be installed over a good sound plywood substrate with QuietWalk underlayment.
I was shocked to read on the enclosed instructions it CANNOT be installed under kitchen cabinets.
There is no mention anywhere on the Wilsonart website, about this important material fact.
I would never have bought it had I known.
Any advice on the reason for this seemingly strange rule, or can I ignore this.
What is the worst that can happen?
Does this mean I cannot also stand appliances including a refrigerator on it?
This seems ludicrous.
Wilsonart, like all laminates are floating installations that cannot be locked down at vertical surfaces. You will understand it s not a strange rule if you elect to ignore it. Also be sure you leave the correct expansion space at the vertical surfaces.
Same holds true for floating wood flooring and no glue vinyl floors..
Soren, the way that is usually done is to run the flooring up to the toe kick of the cabinets leaving the recommended expansion joint, the install 1/4 round to cover the expansion joint.
Installing the floor with cabinets on top is not going to allow the floor to expand and contract as it needs to. A refrigerator or other appliance is not the same, since there are generally only four small points where the appliance touches the floor. Either the floor will shift under the appliance, or the appliance will shift with the floor. Not the same for cabinets, which are attached to the walls.
Thanks for replies. That makes sense of course.
I have installed nail down bamboo and walnut engineered plank in this house already. Steep learning curve but reasonably successful.
Anyway - I thought it would be cleaner and better to get the kitchen area level and in a single plane all the way through, rather than having to shim each base cabinet.
(I had read many posts online about running flooring underneath everything to save money and labor on floor installations. I guess those were glue down only)
What's the best way of terminating in front of the sliding door. (see photo)
Is there a special transition or molding piece?
(I am running the flooring perpendicular to the joists which make me 90 degrees to the slider rather than alongside it)
Thanks again. I'll update
Soren,
The transition you want ,to finish off the laminate at the sliding door, is an Wilsonart end cap. They come 95" long, and are installed leaving the same expansion space as at the vertical obstructions. This transition is also used where carpet meets the laminate. You can purchase this, and any other transition you may need, where you purchased you flooring. Good luck,
Also, after looking more closely at your photos, you will need a transition if the laminate meets the tile flooring in the laundry. This would be a Tmoulding, if the two surfaces are close to the same height.
Yes, I was trying to achieve a similar level between the tile and the laminate at the laundry doorway.
Its going to be close. I chose the QuietWalk underlay as its somewhat forgiving and fairly thick.
I can feather 2 layers approaching the transition to bring it up to par I guess.
I saw the Wilsonart end cap you mentioned.....I was just checking if there was a better PRO solution I might not be aware of.
I never cared for the laminate supplied end cap at thresholds either because they have a bevel that is usually just a dirt catcher along the threshold. I've used quarter-round and shoe molding (shoe mold looks like qtr-rnd, but has a taller side) like Don mentioned, but along a metal slider that has condensation issues sometimes, I would use a corner molding, stained and finished to match, and embed one leg into a heavy bead of silicone.
What skhardwoods meant by the same expansion for the trim is you have to butt the trim up to the threshold, but there has to be a gap under the trim between the edge of the laminate and the leg of the trim so the laminate can expand and contract under it.
Don't ramp the QuietWalk underlayment to the tile. If you have too much flex in the laminate, especially through a traffic area like a door, you'll end up with some gaps between laminate boards and maybe even some broken tongues. If the height differences are too much, then you'll have to do some real long ramping with layers of felt paper or some sturdy floor patch/leveling compound, or just custom make a T-mold that will accommodate the heights of both sides and has a slope that makes cleaning easy and reduces trip hazard.
When it's time, move the laminates into the center or far side of the room you are installing them in. That laundry looks like it has 2 exterior walls that won't give the laminate the same temperature and moisture content of the kitchen.
Thanks for the pictures. Please keep us posted with the progress and more pics. We love it.
I use 'T' molding at the sliders, tubs, and showers. I just cut off one of the 'arms' of the 'T' leaving a nice square edge to but to the slider track. Of course I also silicon where the molding meets the slider to protect it from moisture.
What skhardwoods meant by the same expansion for the trim is you have to butt the trim up to the threshold, but there has to be a gap under the trim between the edge of the laminate and the leg of the trim so the laminate can expand and contract under it.
OK - Got it
Don't ramp the QuietWalk underlayment to the tile. If you have too much flex in the laminate, especially through a traffic area like a door, you'll end up with some gaps between laminate boards and maybe even some broken tongues.
Good point. I'll find a step down T molding. I'm also using Vitex on some irregularities
When it's time, move the laminates into the center or far side of the room you are installing them in. That laundry looks like it has 2 exterior walls that won't give the laminate the same temperature and moisture content of the kitchen.
As soon as the cabs are in - I'll break the cases and stack in the center of the room.
There is good heat in both areas right now.
It has been a while, but I think you are s'posed to leave the boxes un broken until you are ready to mix and install. I don't understand that requirement some manufacturers make, but I usually went by the book whenever possible, even if I thought it was weird. 'Course, when common sense or experience told me by the book was a bad way to go, I didn't hesitate to depart from its direction.
Soren, the talk about 1/4 round reminds me: do not install it or base snug to the floor. The thickness of a business card is fine. Make sure your nails are into the wall and not the floor. Too snug or nail into the floor prohibits it from floating.
Does this mean I cannot also stand appliances including a refrigerator on it?
This seems ludicrous.
It is ludicrous.
Warrantees are written so the companies can deny claims. Instructions are also written in an attempt to "idiot proof" the installations especially with DIY products. Lots and lots of "installation instructions" that have contradictory statements or poor application to the real world. Blame it on the guy attempting to write the instructions that has little if any real world experience.
Fact of the matter is, laminate can be installed under cabinets just do not lock the floor in.
Cabinet guys will often fasten to the floor and that is a no no. How do you deal with that problem? You tell them they have to put the floor in after the cabinets are installed.
Heavy objects may also lock the floor in, even refrigerators, BUT how many people are going to buy their product if they actually told you that.
Not really sure why you would want to spend the extra $$ on material under a cabinet anyway.
Follow instructions as best you can though to give your floor the best chance of working as hoped.
