When you are installing hardwood floors in the kitchen, you are going to want to assess where the start and endpoints will be. This is critical in making sure the kitchen has a free-flowing design in line with your vision for the house. Keeping this in mind, you will wonder, do hardwood floors go under kitchen cabinets?
Hardwood flooring does go under the kitchen cabinets. It’s recommended to install the flooring before the cabinets to make sure the installation is robust and long-lasting.
Installing the hardwood flooring after the kitchen cabinets can make it difficult to create a dependable design. Instead, it is possible the flooring might start to shift as time goes on and that can lead to unwanted repairs.
Key factors include:
- Type of Hardwood
- Layout of the Kitchen
- Timeline of Installation
It’s important to go through all of these details to make sure you are installing hardwood flooring in the kitchen correctly.
It’s best to look at asking “do hardwood floors go under kitchen cabinets?” and making sure things are done the right way. This article will look at the reasons why hardwood flooring does go under the kitchen cabinets.
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Reasons For Why Hardwood Floors Go Under Kitchen Cabinets
1. Increased Longevity
When asking “Do hardwood floors go under kitchen cabinets?” you will want to choose a durable method that will not lead to long-term issues.
This is why installing hardwood under the cabinet is smart.
You are going to increase the likelihood of the hardwood lasting for a long time. A lot of people ignore this and that is what holds them back. You end up seeing below-par results and that is the last thing anyone wants.
If you only concentrate on longevity, you are going to feel more confident in the value you are getting from the process.
By installing the hardwood under the kitchen cabinet, it will last longer due to how the pieces are interlinked. This means any move on the top surface isn’t going to cause the pieces to break apart and/or get damaged.
If you only install it along the edges of the cabinet, it might work for a bit, but there will be issues over the long term. Remember, kitchens are known for being high-traffic areas inside the house, so the flooring has to be able to withstand regular use.

2. Improved Stability
Stability is a plus.
Since you are going to be walking in the kitchen all the time and/or cleaning, you will want the flooring to be stable.
This doesn’t mean you are going to slip whenever you walk on the floor. No, instead the real issue has to do with the flooring not lasting for a long time.
Instability means the pieces begin to move.
This causes the hardwood floor to crack and/or break down faster than it should. Anyone asking “Do hardwood floors go under kitchen cabinets?” has to keep this in mind first.

3. Easier to Measure
Measuring the hardwood flooring and getting the installation right is difficult.
By installing the hardwood floor underneath the kitchen cabinet, it is easier to measure the pieces and get the installation spot on.
This is a key detail to consider because the hardwood floor may break apart. You want to have it flush against the wall on multiple sides to ensure a better result.
A lot of people don’t do this and that leads to below-par results.
You will want to focus on asking “Do hardwood floors go under kitchen cabinets?” and making sure the right approach is taken.
If you are not installing the flooring properly, it will shift around.
Related Questions
1. Does Kitchen Flooring Go Under Cabinet?
Yes, kitchen flooring should go under the cabinet. It’s highly recommended to install the kitchen flooring before the cabinets to ensure you have wall-to-wall coverage.
2. Do Hardwood Floors Go Under Appliances?
Yes, hardwood floors go under appliances. This ensures the flooring is structurally intact and lasts for a long time.
Final Thoughts
Do hardwood floors go under kitchen cabinets?
Hardwood floors should always go under the kitchen cabinets. If not, you are going to be exposing the flooring to potential short and long-term damage.
It’s better to take action and make sure you don’t expose the flooring in such a high-traffic area as the kitchen.
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