Based on how our floors fared, both old and new, I'd wait until the end. Maybe they can install just the areas that will have cabinets, or the whole kitchen, but hold off on the rest. I'd try to put them down as late as possible and if some have to be done early, as few as possible.

I was told wood flooring is installed b4 cabs, floating floors go in after cabinets. Our site finished wood floor went in right after the drywall was done and B4 any cabinetry. It goes under the cabs, appliances, and into the pantry. Installers wanted to put 2 coats on the floor, have the cabs installed and then come back at the end and put a final finish coat on. Because it was Christmas and I didn't want to move out of the house 2x with the dogs, they put 3 coats on. When we moved back in, we put rosin paper down to protect the floors for the rest of the remodel. Worked well for us.

There have been at least two recent threads on this subject, one was started by me. You could try a google search if the search engine here doesnt return the threads. There are pros and cons of each, but it seems most here think it is better to put floors before cabs. Yes, it costs a bit more to run it places that won't show, but the pros easily outweigh the cons for me. Drywall, hardwood, cabs.

Thanks Breezy. I am less concerned about the extra cost than I am by the potential damage from the guys installing the cabs and the appliances.

Any chance you can send me to one of the old threads you are referring to? I can't seem to find them when I search on this site or on google.

Like puppeez - my floors were installed before cabinets, with 2 coats of poly on first then another coat after cabs were installed. We had moved in, then were going away for the weekend a couple weeks later, and that's when they came in and put the 3rd coat on. so the 3rd coat doesn't go under the fridge, but not a problem.

If you think you would EVER want to change your kitchen, have the floors installed before cabinets go in.

You didn't say if they were pre-finished or site-finished, but the nice thing about site-finished is that if they do scratch it, they can be re-done in that spot and touched up.

I was going to go with pre-finished. I was told that it is much less messy and that the factory coating is better.

Also, we are leaning towards a dark finish, so I wanted to get more grooves to hide the dust, dirt. I think site-finished ends up giving a smoother finish.

Have I been given wrong information?

We just DIY'd prefinished hard wood in the kitchen - we opted to go under the cabinets. You need to go under the appliances anyway, it was just as easy to bring it under the cabs. You would have to build that area up anyway for the cabs anyway, I believe. I figured in case we ever decide to redo the kitchen in 20 years, at least the floor is good!
We had no problems with the cabinets guys messing it up. Rosin paper helps. And I LOVE the finish on the new floors - the rest of the house has site finished oak, and i think the prefinished is much easier to clean. I don't know about having a smoother finish.

We used masonite sheets over the rosin paper which really helped the tromping/scratching factor.

And honestly, I'd rather take my chances with the cabinet installers (who are generally carpenters) hurting the floor, rather than the flooring installers (who are generally not carpenters) hurting the cabinets. :-)

It's also a lot more work to cut around cabinetry that's already installed, so chances are the savings in square flooring footage will get totally eaten up with the extra labor time, anyways. And unless they are really skilled, you will wind up needing shoe molding to hide the small gaps between floorboards and cabs/toekicks.

Hmmm...I am so confused. Any way someone can post an old thread to this question?

Cluelss--I'll post my thread I referred to after I get the kids in bed. I'm west coast. ;)

Here's one recent thread. I'll find the one I started in a second.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wood floor first?

I tried to bump my old thread up so you could see it, but apparently it's too old to bump.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wood floor first or base cabs cabs first

Thanks so much Breezy! The thread is really helpful. I'll discuss all this with my GC and floor guy and come up with a plan. Still not sure which way to go, but at least I am better equipped to make a decision.

Site-finished installed and sanded (and sealed) _before_ cabs; pre-finished flooring installed after cabs, but set the cabs upon shims that are the thickness of the flooring so a proper 36" C/T ht. is maintained.
Casey

I didn't see this in the other thread so perhaps it may be helpful. We're doing site-finished red oak after the cabinets. Our contractor wanted to have the wood sit *inside* the house for at least a week so that it could acclimate to the house's temperature and humidity levels, which though they vary are still very different from the unheated warehouse.

Heard from a guy at work that it's better to have it in the house for a month- we just didn't have the forethought beforehand.

Vinjah, good point to add. Your flooring person will suggest this to you. Or at least the three I've talked to have.

You're welcome. After reading these points, I couldn't imagine not doing my site-finished white oak floors after my cabs. I've got a great cab maker too who is used to handling cabs on wood floors.

Good luck! And remember to show us the floors when they get it.