New kitchen has left a gap between wooden floor and kickboard

Su Campu · 12-07-2010 08:07PM #1

I've just got a new kitchen in and am left with a bit of a problem. The previous owner put in a wooden laminate floor up to the kickboards of the old kitchen. My new kitchen has the kickboards recessed further in, leaving an uneven 2-3" gap between them and the wooden floor (I'm talking a horizontal gap, not vertical).

What would be my best solution? Ok the best would be to tile the floor, but failing that, are there any borders I can use to hide this gap? The normal (½"?) borders you can get will not be wide enough, what would be required is something wider. I was told you can get things for this problem, but I asked in B&Q this evening and they say they don't do them.

As you may have guessed I'm not gifted when it comes to DIY, so a smiple but proper solution is what I'm looking for.

Thanks

looksee · 12-07-2010 10:47PM

You will need something that will go into the gap rather than sitting on top as you will catch the edge of anything with a (tiny) step as you stand at the worktops.

Can you identify the flooring - you said it is laminate, but is it, or is it semi-solid? Would it be realistic to put a strip of flooring into the gap? At a push, if you could find some the right depth, you might be able to stain a strip round the floor a bit darker to disguise the join.

If you do do this you are going to have to rip lengths longways, which is not easy, it might be better to get someone in to do it.

It might well be easier and not much more expensive to put down a new floor, or if it is just laminate, cover it with vinyl.

tipperary · 12-07-2010 11:13PM

Are the actual units the same depth as before? If yes, and it's just that the kickboard is set a few inches further back, then it may be easy to resolve. Usually the kickboard just has plastic clips that clip onto the legs of the kitchen units. The kickboards should pull out with a small bit of persuasion. If this is the case then you could add a timber spacer between the plastic clips and the kickboard, enough to full the gap in the flooring.

Buford T Justice · 12-07-2010 11:27PM

Tipp has a good idea there, but if it was me, I'd put a new floor in (even a laminate) and put it in under the kickboards. will make a nice job then

danjo · 13-07-2010 11:40AM

tipperary wrote: »

Are the actual units the same depth as before? If yes, and it's just that the kickboard is set a few inches further back, then it may be easy to resolve. Usually the kickboard just has plastic clips that clip onto the legs of the kitchen units. The kickboards should pull out with a small bit of persuasion. If this is the case then you could add a timber spacer between the plastic clips and the kickboard, enough to full the gap in the flooring.

Will work for the front facing units but would leave gaps at end units as the kick boards here will be shortened.
Good idea anyway and perhaps easy to resolve end unit issue.

Su Campu · 13-07-2010 12:08PM

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately in some parts the gap comes out even beyond the door of the presses, so bringing forward the kickboards is not an option.

The floor is made of those interlocking lengths, but there's an old floor underneath too, so we're talking double the depth down to the concrete. I had considered cutting a clean groove out of the floor and putting in another length into it, as looksee said, but the thickness would need to be bang on.

Basically this came about because the crowd fitting the kitchen didn't spot this potential problem on measuring up, and went ahead and fitted the kitchen anyway. I haven't paid them the last of their money yet, so it may be a case of agreeing to cut the price to allow for a new floor.

New kitchen has left a gap between wooden floor and kickboard

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