Can I use the base of a cabinet like a baseboard to conceal a flooring edge?

Question

I am installing both cabinets and new flooring into the kitchen. The flooring is LVP, and it says explicitly to not place the cabinets on top of it, and to leave a 1/4" expansion gap everywhere.

I have seen pictures where cabinets were placed first, then LVP run up to it (leaving a small gap) and I think it looks terrible. It can be covered up with quarter-round or some other moulding, which I also think looks terrible.

I'd like to try something a little different, but I can't find anybody else doing it - which has me (and my wife, and the wife-approval-factor is a huge consideration) concerned that something is wrong with this plan.

The cabinets I have are integrated units; I assembled them from flatpack - the toekick is built-in. Essentially, I want to attach blocks on the inside edge of the base (inside the base of the cabinet, beneath the lowest shelf, inaccessible once the toekick plate is installed), but glue/screw/whatever them in place such that the blocks are 1/32 - just a hair - proud of the rest of the cabinet wall, so all the weight of the cabinet will rest on the block. There are also adjustable cabinet legs I've seen that might make this easier, and I suppose they'd just attach to the bottom edge of the bottom shelf in the cabinet.

I'll set the block on top of a scrap piece of LVP to keep the height aligned with everything else, and then run the flooring LVP all the way under the original edge/base of the cabinet, leaving a 1/4" gap to the block where the weight is resting. This way, the original edge of the cabinet is essentially acting as a baseboard on a wall, covering up the horizontal expansion gap - but close enough vertically that there doesn't appear to be a gap there.

I've got an illustration: here the block(s) are blue, purple represents the attachment to the cabinet, red is the LVP, and green shows the weight/force of the cabinet.

Is there a reason people don't do this? Is there something wrong with my plan? Is there an easier way to accomplish a clean look without setting the cabinet on top of the LVP?

Answer 1

You absolutely can. The reasons folks don't do it regularly:

• It's more work.

• Cabinet makers can't build in a rabbet at the plant because they won't know what your flooring will be.

• Cabinets are often shimmed off the floor to get them all flat and level. This obviously means there would need to be variation in the blocking to accommodate.

Just leave barely enough gap for your flooring and be sure your blocking is up to the task.

Frankly, a little base shoe (not quarter round) adds a nice detail. It could even be something like Princeton door stop or any molding with a profile complementing your other base trim.

Answer 2

For what it's worth, I have installed LVP in kitchens of many homes and then placed the cabinets on top of them. (Yes the manufacturer say not to.) I have experienced no ill results from my actions, and this has been over 5 or more years now. When I remodel another kitchen or bath, I will do the entire floor and then place the cabinets. Until there is evidence of any reason to do otherwise I will continue. Information says it is an issue of expansion and contraction of the floating floor. However Refrigerators and other heavy furniture are placed on the flooring with no issues.

Some have said this would void the warranty. That is true. However I ask when was the last time anyone had a warrantee claim on their flooring?

A friend was doing LVP flooring in a room that would have a very heavy gun safe. He consulted the manufacturer and they advise that an adhesive could be added close to the area surrounding where the safe would be. The fear was that the floor would move slightly and separate at the seams near the heavy safe. We threw down some vinyl flooring adhesive about 6 inches out from where the safe would be sitting and he has no issues. That was during covid.

I believe the issue of not placing cabinets is overblown just like the fear of being within 100 yards of mold.

In the end it is your choice. I chose to place my cabinets over the LVP in all of the 8 rental properties I have and in my own home and my business partners, as well as about 3 dozen customers. Never had an Issue.

Answer 3

Can I use the base of a cabinet like a baseboard to conceal a flooring edge?

Generally, no, you need a shoe moulding. Your floor will not be straight enough to be a consistent fit. (#1 rule of remodeling: nothing is ever perfectly level or plumb.) Also, you also have to consider that you will level your cabinets. For both reasons the resulting gap between the toe kick and floor will vary. Shoe moulding covers that gap, and because it fits snugly against the flooring, keeps dirt and spills from accumulating under the toe kick.

First, how to set your cabinets.

Your cabinet bases have perpendicular sides as well as front (toe kick) and back. Use only the sides to support the cabinets, not the toe kick or rear panel. The sides is also where you will shim them level.

Here's the general flow:

• Measure and mark your floor where your toe kicks go.
• Put down two plywood strips (blocks), each about 4" wide, along the cabinet sides. Cut their length so that they're set back at least an inch or so from the toe kick and back.

Example:

(from https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/tips-to-install-cabinets-like-a-pro/)

How thick should the blocks be? Depends on your laminate, which can be somewhere between 6 and 12mm thick, plus the thickness of your underlayment. Measure this stack-up and select the appropriate thickness, likely either 1/2" or 5/8", so that the placed cabinet's toe kick is at least 1/8" off the surface of the placed laminate. Dry-fit this and check.

Pro tip: you can pre-level this blocking before you set your cabinets.

• Lay the underlayment and laminate so that they go under the toe kick some - 3/4" or so, with a gap to the front shim to allow for expansion.

Now that your floor is in:

• Set your cabinets on the blocks, level the modules and screw them in.
• Install base panels.
• Install shoe mouldings.

The base panel is a decorative strip that's typically 1/4" thick x toe kick height (usually 4"). It covers the cabinet bases and gaps between modules, giving a nice "finished" look. If you did your shims right you will have a 1/8 - 1/4" gap to your flooring. Not to worry, this gap gets covered by the shoe moulding.

The shoe moulding is a bendy strip, usually 3/4" high. Its bendyness allows it to be installed as a tight fit against the floor to better block dirt.

Shoe moulding doesn't need to be elaborate, you could even use the same kind of moulding that covers where your cabinets meet walls. This is called scribe moulding, and it's usually a simple shape: 3/4 x 1/4" with a rounded edge.

Answer 4

I would think the only downfall of putting it on top would be when needing to replace down the line since your new flooring might not be the same thickness, and you would have to either remove cabinets or cut the flooring away. The only downfall I see with your plan is the thickness later on. We put it right up to the cabinets with no issues. There are more than enough gaps around the perimeter of the room to allow for movement. I've seen them start to seperate and leave pretty large gaps with time too. Nothing you couldn't fix with a rubber mallet but still. Caulking around the edges of the cabinet with the proper color might work too for allowing flexing without altering the weight distribution placement of cabinets or being an eyesore.