need advice – Kitchen floor – new tile floor replacing Linoleum
Butch70
| Posted in General Discussion on
I am remodeling my kitchen which involves replacing my current Linoleum floor with a tile floor. The tile floor will be thicker than the current linoleum floor so i will have a problem with the highth of the existing opening for my dishwasher and will put my slip in range higher than my counter tops. What is the “best technique” for making all elevations work?
Replies
How many layers?
of underlayment and vinyl or lino do you have there now?
One way to find out is to pull a floor register cover and have a looksee.
If this kitchen is older, you may have several layers. Removing them will gather you space that might help.
What is the subfloor setup? Joist span under? These answers will help you decide how much you are going to have to add and what type of backer necessary for your tile.
Another less simple answer (or more simple-depending) is to remove your countertop (and replace if you like) and add to the tops of the cabs, enough to make up the added flooring difference.
The real key in height problems is the dishwasher as it can become trapped in that space (or be unable to be put in) if you add to a floor. The minimum distance required is a bit less than the recommended opening height. Check the specific brand (if new) or pull and measure the one you have. Sometimes the bottom adjusters can be removed (no advised) or turned up (lowering the DW) more than what you have in the hole now. Seems 33 5/8's from finish floor to bottom of countertop is the bare minimum (if memory serves the last time I ran into this). Again, per specific DW.
Stove height is not critical. Door openings (exterior only usually) might be another. If you can't put down a thin rug to wipe your feet, the wife might get piss'd. Frig might also be a question-tho not usually. Lastly, transitions to other flooring.
I just did hardwood in a kitchen with the exact same concerns. We pullled the cabinets and ran the hardwood under the cabinets. We weren't sure if the cabinet configuration might be changed in the next 10 years or so, or we could have just used a 3/4 plywood under the cabinets, island and dishwasher. Raising the countertops is an easier solution, and only requires some spacers to raise the cabinets and possibly some trim to cover the spacers.
We also had to pull up the particle board underlayment and replace it with plywood for nailholding power with the hardwood, so it was just as easy to pull the cabinets and re-install them when we were done.