Raising kitchen countertops

8 years ago

We are putting new flooring throughout our house. This requires my husband putting down 1/2" plywood and then 3/16" flooring on top of that. The problem is in the kitchen. If the cabinets are not raised up to accommodate the flooring , it will be difficult to remove the dishwasher in the future. My husband thinks he needs to raise the base cabinets and I'm wondering if we can somehow raise the height of the countertops instead. That would be easier because we're planning on new counters anyway. Am I off in my thinking? Thanks for your advice.

Featured Answer

Chessie

8 years ago

I’d never install flooring in the kitchen that required the countertops and cabinets to be raised. No way.

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Comments (9)

Boxerpal
8 years ago
May I ask, what kind of flooring are you putting in? Is it on top of a slab floor? What did you have their before? I ask because we have saltillo tile floors that are being removed and an engineered hardwood will replace it. The tiles are super thick and the floor may not be. Of course we are in the early stages and I believe all cabs will be on top of the new floors. Just curious about your project.
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swap1pal
Original Author
8 years ago
We are installing vinyl plank flooring. The plywood is going on first because this is a modular house and the subfloor is particle board (crummy). The old floor was sheet vinyl. From what I've read online, most people raise the cabinets a bit.
Boxerpal
8 years ago
Thanks for answering my questions. I have a slab floor so will need to do an engineered hard wood or something that can over slab. I am sure your floors will be amazing. And it might be perfectly fine to just raise the counters a little. I know most people wish their counters were a little higher. All good.
klem1
8 years ago
I would raise the countertop even if it meant storing washer in garage until new counters are ready.
katinparadise
8 years ago
If the dishwasher has adjustable feet, you may be able to raise them enough to just add new flooring under the dishwasher. Then you can simply remove the toe kicks and butt the new flooring up to the cabinets. You'll probably need to finish the edges with shoe molding or quarter round to allow for the expansion joints.
Chessie
8 years ago
Lower the feet on your dishwasher and range, as much as you can and see how much room that gives you. Pull both out, put a 1/2 + 3/16" inch width of something on the floor behind them and then see if you have room to roll them back in and stay at counter height.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
8 years ago
If you can live with molding that let's you raise your tops, you'll be fine.
User
8 years ago
House built in 1965---no DW. I buy the house, no place for a DW.

Decided the 4" square white tile countertop had to go.

I take out set of drawers beside the sink, raise and install new counter top, install the new floor(with equal new floor height) in DW area, and install the DW. Made new wider molding for the fronts of the counter.