Tiling a kitchen floor - before or after cabinet replacement (can't be during).

[WetAugust]

I need a new kitchen. Current one is over 20 years old. That?s my justification

I fitted the last kitchen with exDH?s help and by calling in plumbers and electricians as needed. I really don?t want the hassle of doing it myself again this time. I want someone to manage the installation.

It?s not straight forward.

The kitchen is connected to a large room 5 x 3 metres and I want the same flooring to run continuously through both rooms. I want tiles because the large room opens onto the garden and pets coming in make it muddy.

So I went to B&Q as I know they do full l kitchen installations i.e .plumbing, electrics and tiling etc I was told they will only ?install? tiles from their own range. I don?t like their range of tiles at all ? I specifically want an anti-porcelain that doesn?t make the large room look like a conservatory. Don?t want glittery shit either.

So B&Q suggested I tiled the large room and the existing kitchen floor and then call them in to fit the new kitchen. But what if the footprint of the new cabinets is different?

So Plan B would be to fit new kitchen and then tile the kitchen floor. The problem with that is everyone is telling me that I should tile a few cms under the new cabinets and then fit the plinths. But of course the kitchen fitter is not going to hang around while I tile the kitchen floor so he can then fir the plinths. It?s worse on the slab ends of the units as they would normally sit on the tiles ? so tiling after fitting won?t look right.

Or do I forget trying to get both rooms done and just tile each separately (with a join)

Or do I just stick some bloody lino down

I would appreciate any ideas for getting the tiling sequence right.

I am so fed up I?m starting to think moving house would be preferable to all this hassle.

PS Is £38 a sq meter for tiles for what is essentially a tv room / den / family room too expensive?

If you got this far - thank you for understanding.

[nemno]

My next kitchen I am tiling the whole thing first, right under where cabinets will be up to wall.. My current kitchen is 23 years old and holding up really well. I would love to alter it slightly but can't because the tiles are around units and of particular irritation is where they butt up to the tall boards separating freezer/ fridge/dishwasher.

[SwedishEdith]

Sticking the plinths on is easy though. They just clip onto the legs. So you could do that bit yourselves after evrything else is finished? Side bits don't have to go all the way down - can have plinths as well.

[noddyholder]

As long as there are no pipes etc that need run under the boards I would tile it all at once first.

[WetAugust]

Thank you - I knew somebody would have had this problem.

Nemno - does that mean you're going to remove all cabinets and appliances and just have an empty room to tile before you install the new? Won't that mean the kitchen is out of action for quite a while?

Edit - they clip on nowadays? Mine are nailed on at the moment. Yes, I could use plinths at the side.

Problem - tiling under the appliances. Again, their current footprint my change. Starting to think Nemno's way is best - tile an empty room. But then you're stuck with the tiles unless you change the kitchen. What if one cracked and you couldn't get at it fully to replace it?

[nemno]

Yes, I'll do without a kitchen for ages if necessary. I turned a bedroom that had plumbing into a kitchen once. Stuck fridge, 2 microwaves (one with oven), a kettle, an electric ring and toaster in there. You can do a turkey in a webber kettle BBQ-outside.

None of my tiles has cracked. Lifting tiles without chipping their neighbours isn't something I thought possible.

[Trazzletoes]

Attaching plinths is easy. As stated above, they just clip on.

HOWEVER... When I get a new kitchen, it will be tiled to the wall. We have had problems with soggy floorboards following leaking appliances. Also our replacement appliances, replacing the leaky ones, have had to be stood on wood as the difference in floor height meant the appliances wouldn't fit properly otherwise.

Plus we get slugs coming in. They don't have their babies on tiles but do have them on floorboards that are wet and tiles are easier to clean than floorboards.

[noddyholder]

You can lift individual tiles and re do if you have spares

[nemno]

Good to know noddy but our tiler couldn't manage it in the shower without scallop chipping the neighbouring ones. Thinking about it it may have been because we have ridiculously narrow grout lines, my recent bathroom has much more generous ones (and we have spares!).

[noddyholder]

You use a tiny drill bit and drill the centre of the cracked one and chip it from the middle out

[nemno]

Thanks. I hope we don't have to do it though.

[WetAugust]

I've removed individual tiles too - as per Noddy's advice. Have also done it for wall tiles.

Had long chat with DS about it - as he will be inheriting the house

Am going to tile the large room and stop under the threshold (there is a door separating the 2 rooms but it's always open).

At some point next year I will do what Nemno is planning and strip the kitchen and tile everywhere - using cheaper tiles of same thickness under the unit and appliance areas.

Then build new kitchen on top.

Can I please ask another question?

Will kitchen fitters do this strip out the old - tile the floor and install new?

Because B&Q will only use their products. Would I be better looking for an independent fitter who will do what I want?

Still have beginner status at this?

And is £39 per sq m expensive for porcelain?

Thank you

[noddyholder]

I would get a really good local carpenter to do it. Porcelain tiles cvary hugely Is it def porcelain you want?

[WetAugust]

Yep - def porc. Heavy traffic area - things will get dropped on them and they will get wet.

Never thought of getting a carpenter to do tiling . I was planning on getting a tiler in.

[poocatcherchampion]

is this just a tiling issue or do i need to consider this with lino too? I just thought you laid it to the plinth..

[WetAugust]

With lino the fitter just laid it to the plinth and into the recesses for the appliances.

[poocatcherchampion]

thanks!!! sorry for the hijack

[MerrieMelodies]

I tiled my kitchen floor, after taking up the old ones and chiselling off as much cement as I could, screeding it and levelling it.

I gutted the room first and tiled the entire floor.

It bothers the hell out of me when people just tile underneath the front of their cabinets - not only is it far more complicated but you have to redo the entire floor next time you change the layout or whatever.

And balancing cabinets and appliances on half tiled, half untiled floor surfaces is a nightmare, let alone trying to slide the appliances OUT

and also it is harder to clean if you get a leak

and it won't cost an awful lot more in the end, for the hassle you save.

The only time I didn't do the whole floor was in the bathroom when I couldn't change the position of the pipework, and we were renting.

Well we were renting the kitchen too but that was easier as no pipes etc.

Good luck

[WetAugust]

Yes, some very good points Melodies - thanks