Installing hardwood under dishwasher

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dannyl

New Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2020
Messages
2
Location
Irvine, CA
I'm remodeling our first floor which is an open floor plan and installing engineered hardwood throughout.
Does it typically need to be installed where the dishwasher sits as well? Or does that area need to be left bare (concrete in my case)? I would assume some isolation layer is recommended but don’t know for sure. I've measured the floor to countertop height and there is 35". My dishwasher's minimum height is 33.875" and the hardwood thickness is 3/4”, so it should fit, but I'm not entirely sure (does the adhesive add height as well?). Would be painful to remove the flooring if it doesn't fit...
 
There's no need to put the wood underneath the dishwasher. I suppose if you did, a water leak might 'possibly' be noticed quicker.
The glue won't add much of anything, maybe 1/8"
 
There's no need to put the wood underneath the dishwasher. I suppose if you did, a water leak might 'possibly' be noticed quicker.
The glue won't add much of anything, maybe 1/8"
Funny you mention a water leak...
That's exactly why I'm remodeling...the dishwasher leaked and ruined our hardwood. It leaked into the concrete and wasn't immediately noticeable...
What is the best practice? Just leaving the dishwasher on the bare concrete? Wouldn't that also make removing it more challenging?
 
Dishwashers are usually pretty light these days.
They do make containment trays for dishwashers to hold water. They also make sensors and alarms you can put under the dishwasher.
....even ones that shut off the water supply when a leak is detected. Probably not cheap, but then again, how much is the floor worth?
 
If the dishwasher is installed after the flooring, be sure to protect the floor in front of the opening with sturdy cardboard, plywood or masonite. A plumber can scratch the floor faster than The Flash can run the quarter mile. 😉
 
I haven't quite gotten to the kitchen with my hardwood flooring installation yet. I just put in a new dishwasher last spring. I'd installed it just high enough to tuck a short length of flooring (roughly 1" or 2") underneath the lower access panel so it doesn't appear unsightly. I actually installed the plumbing from underneath by cutting a hole in the subfloor so it can be accessed from the basement and inspected for leaks.
 

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