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Flooring Design Dilemma Kitchens

How to get a clean look on kitchen base cabinets (no quarter rounds)

3 years ago

Hello,

We are currently building a new kitchen, we plan to use laminate as our flooring (click/floating). I have been searching online and most point to NOT put laminate under kitchen cabinets.

If we install the base cabinets first then put flooring against the cabinets, there will be a gap to allow expansion/contraction for the laminate. How can we cover that gap without using a shoe molding like quarter rounds, since we want to have a clean contemporary finish like the picture below?

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Comments (10)

jslazart
3 years ago
Install cabinets on legs, install floor as close to legs as allowed, install toekicks over gap.
dan1888
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
In your pic there's a toe kick panel finishing the base of the cabs. That can be added after the install of your floor. Look at Ikea boxes for an example . . . A flooring product you could look at is SPC core hardwood. Geowood is one.
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idrive I was just trying to back up his thought to paint the shoe mold that was going up against the white trim and give that visual. My post did not directly deal with his cabinets issue so I apologize if it seemed like my comment was off topic. On that issue I feel like Lt. Dan is on the right track to stain against the cabinet base to match and paint against the white base molding. Of course, we are talking about aesthetic issues which are as much personal preference as anything else.
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Do you live in my house? :-). We have and 1876 home with newer addition for kitchen, large ornate baseboards, etc. Your baseboards are beautiful! I think the baseboard without the quarter round looks more formal and polished, and that's how we left ours in the older part of the house. It just looks, to me, more well-crafted to not have QR. In my experience, QR is used to hide a gap between the floor and the baseboard, and I would not add it unless it was necessary. That said, the view with the QR looks quite nice and kind of repeats the large bead detail (if that's what it's called) at the top of the baseboard. Also, since it will be in the newer part of the house you might not mind an informal look. If you do add QR, consider whether it matches up well with the thickness of the door casings. We had to add it to the upstairs rooms, where the floor had been carpeted and we took it down to the original wood. We had to choose between a beefier QR that complemented the baseboard or a smaller one that met up evenly with the door casings. We went with the larger QR, and it's a little proud of the door casings, but we just chalk that up to 'character'.
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I understand the purpose of molding along the baseboards. I have shoe and like it. But if you are inexperienced and see lots of pictures of plain baseboards, arrange to have them installed and the installer does not mention quarter round or shoe, you're going to be disappointed. Some people go to the expense of having the base scribed to the floor. Options - or what will be done - should be discussed and in writing up front. No surprises! What I was calling unprofessional was the notion of a 'huge caulk joint'. That is not a professional option. Baseboard gaps are covered with molding not filled with caulk. I would much rather come home to molding than caulk!
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In wet areas (splash areas in kitchen, baths, etc) the use of caulk is required where tile meets a perpendicular surface. It can be hidden with the use of shoe molding or quarter round to keep the look "continuous". Many tile setters will caulk the entire perimeter of a tiled floor regardless of setting. And then the homeowner decides if they want it 'hidden' by molding.
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suezbell
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Not a pro.

You might consider carefully added Bondo to fill any cracks and then you can paint the toe kick either the same color you paint the cabinets or black.

You also then have the option to add a thin board in any finish or paint color you like atop the painted toe kick and any black showing above/below will appear to be a shadow such as if you want your cabinets wood finished..

In my experience, wood filler eventually crumbles.
Joan
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you all for the advices/comments. Now I understand the places with toekicks can be covered by having the toekicks installed after the finished floor, but how about open ends of the cabinets with no toekicks.

We will have an island and the two ends are open and with no toekicks. Something like the white end of the island in picture below. See how it goes straight down in one piece with no molding. Will I need to put a trim there to cover the gap then or is there a way to achieve the look as pictured?
Classic Shaker Collection · More Info
Joan
Original Author
3 years ago
curious, is it absolutely not an option to put floating laminate under kitchen cabinets?
jslazart
3 years ago
My panels like that were cut to allow the flooring to slide underneath. Note: they frequently get actually kicked and have to be cleaned. It's a design choice I love in theory, but am somewhat regretting in practice.

Supposedly floating floors have to be allowed to float. How much that matters may depend on how much your humidity fluctuates.
Joan thanked jslazart
Joan
Original Author
3 years ago
jslazart: thanks for the comment, that probably resolves my issue.

Juneknow: our other option is spc vinyl plank which unfortunately is likely to be floating too. Thanks for your input though.
SJ McCarthy
3 years ago
A permanent floor (glue down, nail, mortar, thinset, etc) is the only way to get around this. Do NOT use laminate in a space with spill zones. Ever!

The other issue with laminate: heat/steam from dishwashers = enough to cause it to bubble and peel (I've seen it happen inside of 1 year...others had it happen within 3 years).

Remember: contemporary/modern = expensive. To get it to look right, you will need to work the floors the right way. Pay the extra to glue down the vinyl over REAL plywood. And please make sure you have 2 layers of subfloor...the top being GOOD plywood.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Floating floors are not loud if the proper underlay is used . I have laminate in my last 2 homes in my kitchens , i run a catering biz from both of those homes. I have installed laminate under cabinets but I think it depends on where you live if there are huge fluctuations in humidity it is porbably not the best . But a good installer can make sure the flooring goes under where the toe kick will be and make sure they undestand that at the beginning on your contract. Then there is no need for 1/4 round .As for the choice btween LVP and laminate both will not survive a flood and BTW either will tile or hardwood.
Joan
Original Author
3 years ago
Patricia: may I ask in which city/region are your homes located with the laminate floors? Did you glue down the laminates or just floating them where you put kitchen cabinets?

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