Install new kitchen or polish floor boards first

[JJax]

Hi there,

I'm new to the forum & would appreciate some advice please. Have just ripped out the old kitchen, floor tiles & vinyl. Have had 2 quotes for floor sanding & polishing, one saying install kitchen first, other polish first.

I've read some posts on here, but still a little confused. I'm leaning towards sanding & applying one coat, then install kitchen at least the floor is sealed... then after the install get the polisher in to do the final 2 coats. pro & cons for both but maybe this will work out best?

We have existing floor boards in other rooms polished 6 years ago, where there is a cross grain join can these be blended or do we need to sand the affected boards all the way back to the wall?

Any advice would be great, thanks in advance

JJax

[Harry72]

Sanding before will give you a more even finish because there will be no edge sanding around the cabinets(which can look crap if not done properly).
Installing the kitchen should not scratch the finish if care is taken, I would wait a few days at least after normal curing time for the coating. To protect the floor, any assembly work should be done with a drop sheet(s)with some carpet or cardboard on top.

Regarding the blending with other rooms Im assuming you floor is coated in polyurethane(water or oil based doesnt matter) , you have basically two easy choices and two hard ones.
1. A physical cover like a metal door strip
2. feather sand the joining area of the other room and then lightly sand the rest to key the surface ready for another coat(s) of finish. Or sand back completely every room... it'll give the best look

... the two harder choices
1. Personally being a woodworker I would cut a rebate channel about 2mm deep by 19mm wide and insert a tightly fitting strip of wood(no glue)be it contrasting colour or the same wood, then you'd just paint up to it. Or use some 3~6mm wide brass or alloy flat bar the same way as above.

To me this would give a visual separation between the rooms and help blend the look if each room has a slightly different shade/colour in its finish.(and without the ugly metal door strip to trip over...)
2. rip up the floors and relay them!

But wait there's one more up the sleeve :D
Do what I did, rip the floors out and concrete and tile the lot... then make the kitchen tops from the bearers and joists and all the cupboard doors from the floor boards :)

[JJax]

Thanks Harry, I think sanding back all rooms is the best idea.. & but I do like your idea about the strips!!!

Food for thought, most appreciated!

JJax

[artme]

Harry beat me to the punch.!! Good advice!

I don't really like metal strips so I'd go the tmber.

[JJax]

Thanks for that! The floor sander is coming tomorrow, will mention to him about the strips. Would you have any pics fo this?

[petersemple]

What we did, was this. We had the kitchen installed, but they were happy to leave the kick plates off the bottoms of the cabinets. Sanded and polished the floors up to the cabinet legs, and then the kitchen people came in and installed the kick plates. That way you get a usable kitchen soonest, and the kick plates hide the edges of the polishing.

Peter

[JJax]

Thanks Peter the kitchen people did mention this, but we have got the floor sanding guy already organised, starting today. Under the old kitchen were lot of holes/gaps in the floor boards, so at least these can be repaired while there is nothing there.

When the kitchen is installed I'll just put down some blankets where they will be working.

Thanks
JJax

[GraemeCook]

I have the same issue as JJax and was considering Estapolling the floors up to a joint in the floor boards - actually the joint that lies under the closed door.

Does this seem like a good idea or am I missing something?

Cheers

Graeme

[petersemple]

I have the same issue as JJax and was considering Estapolling the floors up to a joint in the floor boards - actually the joint that lies under the closed door.

Does this seem like a good idea or am I missing something?

Cheers

Graeme

That's what we did. We did the three bedroom first - each one up to a joint at the doorway. We then did the hallway, lounge room and kitchen - again with the adjoining parts up to the same joint, but from the other side. You can't see the joint. I suspect that if I ever got down on hands and knees and really looked I'd see some evidence of the joint, but who ever really does that?

Peter

[JJax]

we had our bedrooms done 6 years ago, then lifted off a double layer off tiles & vinyl to expose well preserved timber in the kitchen & dinning area... with the first coat down I am surprised how good the colours match up! Painting to joints should be fine judging what I have seen. We had a million staples in the floor too & these are hardly noticeable.

I'm very glad I did the boards first... I could see a new kitchen with stainless steel skirting & stone benchs that meet the floor being marked or scratched no matter how careful.

we only have one dark patch from water damage & where the boards have shrunk. approx $800 to do, compared to over $5000 to tile which was our first idea... for the record our boards are tas oak..I'm told common & cheap flooring back in the day... but I reckon it looks alright.:D

[GraemeCook]

Thanks Peter and JJax.

One room at a time, and lots of contemplation time...

Cheers

Graeme