How can I remove the buckling laminate flooring without damaging the bottoms of my cabinets and still achieve a clean finish?
Asked by Oscar Sutton 
3 weeks ago
Last Updated: November 2, 2024
We’ve got some laminate flooring in our house, which isn’t too bad, but it’s starting to buckle in a bunch of places. Turns out, whoever installed it also put the island and kitchen cabinets on top of the flooring 🤦♀️ Now I need to replace the floor, but I’m not sure what tools to use to cut out the old flooring without messing up the cabinets and still getting a clean edge!
By the way, this mess wasn’t our doing. Just trying to make things right.
I don’t believe it’s the appliances causing it to buckle. Were the baseboards removed before installation or was the flooring installed right up against them?
According to , the issue lies with the appliances and cabinets. Floating floors should not go under cabinets for this very reason – the floor moves differently, causing buckling especially under the island.
It seems installed the baseboard after the flooring was already in place.
I believe may have made an error when he mentioned the flooring wasn’t under the cabinets in the initial post. That’s why he’s seeking advice on how to handle cutting the floors with cabinets on top, which could lead to buckling.
Totally on the same page with you! The message from the poster could have been clearer.
Ah, I had to redo my flooring after 3 years because the previous installers didn’t allow for any expansion and made it level with the baseboards.
Maybe give it another read. The island is set into the floor and he’s looking to cut around it to remove the floor from the cabinets. Islands are essentially cabinets with a countertop on top. Let’s try not to assume and just stick to what’s written.
I re-read it and he altered his initial post. He intends to remove the flooring around the cabinets, which implies the flooring is beneath the cabinets. He plans to cut through the flooring, which indicates the flooring is under the cabinets, right? Otherwise, he could have just lifted the flooring without even writing his post. Take a moment to understand what I said before accusing me of not grasping his post.
Chill out Francis. ‘t spread misinformation or you’ll end up realizing the post was edited and then get upset. Now go back and finish caulking all those jobs you most likely left unfinished.
Everything I said was accurate, go on and try to prove me wrong. I’ll be here….snacking on some caulk while I wait, maybe your responses will start to make sense after a few tubes of silicone.
I’m not sure why I bother engaging with a troll like you, but here’s the original post. Let’s see that apology now…haha
That’s why you shouldn’t put cabinets on floating floors.
I would recommend using a fein tool and placing a thin piece of laminate between the blade and cabinet. You’ll need to use a 1/4rd to complete the job.
You’re absolutely right! Even though we didn’t do it, when we had our kitchen and floors redone, they installed it that way. We’ve been arguing about it for a year now, but I’m done with it. We’re just going to get new ones.
Use a dremel-like tool to trim the laminate around cabinets and the perimeter of the room. ‘t forget to also cut jambs if needed. The buckling should disappear if it’s caused by a lack of expansion gap.
It seems like they forgot to leave a 1/4″ gap around the floors for expansion. Also, the flooring may not have been allowed to acclimate to the environment for at least 3 days.
Is it possible that the dishwasher is leaking and seeping beneath the floor?
Confirmed that the buckling is not caused by the dishwasher.
The Fein tool is really handy. You can angle the blade to trim the boards without touching the cabinets, allowing you to install new flooring.
Grab a multi tool from the drawer.
Who hasn’t heard of these things before?
Always use carpet or utility knives with fresh blades! Just be cautious, as carpet knives are known as Bloody Mary’s for a reason!
I wouldn’t recommend this to someone doing it themselves, but if they do decide to go for it, I would advise them to keep their phone close by with 9 and 1 already dialed!
You might be onto something 😉
Be careful with those bloody Mary’s, even just a glance can do you in!
Oscillator
An oscillating multi tool can be a lifesaver in situations like this. You can find affordable options at Harbor Freight for less than $50. I’ve personally modified a round blade to fit better under cabinets by using a grinder (refer to the picture). While it may not have been the wisest decision, it worked as long as I let the blade do the work without forcing it… haha. Nowadays, there are probably specific blades made for this kind of task. Also, consider placing a thin piece of metal between the cabinet base and the multi tool blade to avoid damaging the cabinets. Using a piece of flooring for this might result in 1/4″ of the old flooring sticking out, which could complicate the installation of new flooring.
I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. This post should serve as a reminder of why it’s important to install the cabinets first. Someone else raised this question before, and despite some pushback claiming it’s not crucial, this situation proves otherwise.
If your floor is beginning to buckle but the boards are not yet damaged, there’s still hope to save it. As someone who works with floors professionally, I’ve revisited laminate jobs more than once. If the only issue is the floor ‘bubbling’ and the top of the boards is still intact, you can salvage it without having to replace anything.
Hey, if the floor makes a clicking sound, it might not have been installed correctly under the cabinets… but if it’s glued down, then it’s all good.
Incorrect
Hey there! Just a heads up, floating lvt floors shouldn’t go under cabinetry. It’s best to use glue downs instead, although make sure to leave room for expansion.
What if you have to replace a floor due to water damage and the glued-down floor is deteriorating and molding? Just like I mentioned, no flooring should be installed beneath cabinets.
I’m not a fan of glue downs. I prefer floating floors because they’re easy to remove, dry, and reinstall in case of water damage that reaches the cabinets.
One option is to have a wood floor extend under the cabinets. If the sub floor goes under the cabinets, what’s the purpose? It’s common for floors to get wet and moldy beneath cabinets. If that happens, you’d have to raise the cabinets and countertops to fix it. But let’s focus on the problem of buckling near cabinets – they may need to be trimmed back for expansion.
Mentions that a subfloor under cabinets can easily dry and is usually fine. She does it regularly without any issues. The main concern is trapped moisture that could lead to mold and structural damage. The design she is advocating for could potentially increase the cost of water damage mitigation/rebuild by $10,000.
Your argument is a bit confusing. It seems like you may have mixed up your first statement. It appears that you are arguing the same point. The floating floor was placed under the cabinetry in this situation, which is why it’s failing.
Seems to be mistaken when it comes to installing a floating floor under cabinets. It’s actually not the right way to do it. You can use glue down under cabinets, but not a floating floor.
What type of laminate are we dealing with here? Is it a full plastic ‘life proof’ flooring, or more like particle pressboard that resembles dense cardboard?
Had the same thought when I came across it 😂
We made sure not to install flooring under our cabinets so that in case of leaks, the cabinets wouldn’t need to be removed.
Is absolutely right
I was told by a contractor that it’s not a good idea to install cabinets on top of flooring because floors shift. In a kitchen I worked on in 2020, I installed the flooring first and then the cabinets. However, in a kitchen I recently worked on this winter, we installed the cabinets first and then the floor. So, which comes first, the chicken or the egg?
Start with cabinets and then move on to the floors
It’s a big no-no to install cabinets over flooring. If there’s a leak or flood, all the laminate has to go. This could result in having to remove all cabinets in case of water damage. Manufacturer’s guidelines advise against having flooring under cabinets or vice versa.
Thanks for the info! We were lucky we didn’t do that in our recent kitchen renovation.
Oscillating tool
Hey ! Make sure to tape the cabinet and grab some new blades.
I don’t understand why some individuals disregard the manufacturer’s guidelines. Almost every floating floor specifically states that it should not be placed beneath cabinets because it requires room to move! It’s even in the name of the product!
Definitely! Should I send you the contact info for the installers so you can reach out to him? Haha
And for those who don’t enjoy reading, there are plenty of pictures in the instructions 😂
Hey, it’s important not to lay down, it’s simple stuff. I would bother them a lot (I know suing is pointless). I used to install for years, and when the customer provided the materials, I made sure to read them! Now I focus on commercial projects, but I still make sure to read the instructions because there are so many products out there.
We’ve been going back and forth for over a year!! It’s so tiring that I’m throwing in the towel. It’s frustrating that we spend thousands for someone to do it the “right” way and they mess up and just move on 😡
You should invest in a good oscillating tool, tape the bottom of cabinets, and start oscillating.
Make sure to read the instructions, watch some videos, and use the correct tools.
I recently checked out a water damage situation in a newly built $5 million home. The builder mistakenly laid tile floor throughout the entire 2nd floor. Beneath the tile is gypcrete and a wooden subfloor. They then proceeded to install $450,000 worth of kitchen cabinets directly on top of the tile.
Well, due to a leak caused by their plumber, the pantry and kitchen ended up flooded and water was leaking downstairs.
I explained to them that by placing cabinets over the tile, they essentially locked themselves into a situation where all cabinets would need to be removed to address the tile, gypcrete, and dry the subfloor. The builder took offense to my suggestion, claiming that without removing the cabinets, there would be water pooling under them. I responded by saying, “Fine, I’ll remove the toe kick and dry it out in place.”
They decided not to use my services and opted for another company instead. However, I later heard through the grapevine that four weeks later, they acknowledged my advice was correct and were still in the process of tearing everything out. Now, it’s all covered in mold.
Moral of the story: NEVER install flooring under cabinets.
There shouldn’t be any flooring underneath the cabinets at all. This is crucial not just for structural reasons, but also in case you need to replace the flooring in the future.
I can’t seem to locate any buckling. Where is it supposed to be?
I took the picture to show what I need to cut around in order to replace the flooring. The buckling is occurring randomly throughout the house, with the ends cracking and some pieces even coming loose that I had to glue back in place. I’m not certain about the type of flooring, but we spent around $3,500 for the kitchen and living room in a small house. So I assume it’s somewhere between low-quality and high-quality.
I have never seen flooring buckle and crack like that before. It usually means there is moisture or water underneath. Many of my customers are not aware of water leaks that have been going on for months. If it’s not that, my best guess is that whoever installed the floor didn’t leave any room for shifting, which is nearly impossible. The floor could be swelling due to acclimation, indicating it’s made of cheaper pressboard material.
Use a toe kick saw for a clean and level cut.
If you don’t have ram board laying around the house, you can use a multi tool and some cardboard as a backer. Ram board can be pretty expensive at $75 a roll, so this is a more budget-friendly option!
Sorry, I am unable to provide a rephrased version of the text as it was not provided. Could you please provide the text you would like me to rephrase?
One simple solution is to eliminate the island, cut out the damaged flooring underneath it, and replace the problematic sections. Finally, reattach the island.
In the construction of a new home, we always start by laying down the floor before putting in the cabinets. I’ve been in this industry for 30 years and have never encountered any issues with the floor buckling from the weight of the cabinets.
That’s not accurate. Maybe in your area, but all over the country, they follow the correct method and don’t place flooring under cabinets. That’s just not right. (I wonder what the manufacturers of your floor and cabinets would say about your methods). I do restoration work for home builders and the only time I’ve seen floor under cabinets was during Covid when there were severe delays in the supply chain. They couldn’t wait for cabinets to be delivered 4 weeks late to install the floor. So they placed the floor under cabinets in those cases.
I notice that many builders place cabinets on top of the floor. So your point is to avoid placing anything heavy on the flooring. But what about heavy furniture? It’s no different than cabinets. Honestly, it’s not worth arguing about. You can go either way. Manufacturers just try to protect themselves. To each their own.
Hey , I wasn’t talking about heavy stuff. It’s more about having the right substrate. Make sure to have concrete or osb underneath as per the manufacturer’s specifications.
Hey , I wasn’t talking about heavy stuff. It’s more about having the right substrate. Make sure to have concrete or osb underneath as per the manufacturer’s specifications.
That’s not the reason. You are completely misinformed.