Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Must I remove kitchen plywood flooring before installing new floor?

Two years ago we installed new kitchen cabinets. My linoleum floor was okay at the time but now I want to replace it with another linoleum flooring. One store said I have to rip up the plywood and 2 existing layers of linoleum 12" squares, replace the plywood, add luan, and patch before installing the new sheet linoleum.

Is it necessary to rip up the 5/8" plywood which I assume is the subfloor. I know the thickness because we removed a portion of the floor during the kitchen remodeling to change the heating. I am worried the installers will damage my "new" cabinets doing so. I wish someone had told me to install a new floor before installing the cabinets.

I am afraid that if don't remove the linoleum and have the new linoleum installed on top of the 2 existing layers, I might have a problem with the dishwasher but assume I have some "wiggle" room by lowering its legs. The store said I can't do this. Why can't they just rip up the two layers of linoleum without removing the plywood?

I'd appreciate any information you can pass along. Thanks much!

They'll probably need to replace the plywood if they pull up the old flooring, because the adhesive will pull patches of the wood up and the subfloor won't be smooth. They should not put down Luan, and depending on the brand of flooring, may void your warranty if the do.

Go to the website of the manufacturer of your flooring and look for the installation instructions for your brand so you'll know what is supposed to be under your new floor.:)

Connie

you have to rip out all teh layers of linoleum and the underlayment wich will in most cases be a 1/4 inch plywood. That will be nailed down but might be glued but that is unlikley. you dont want to rip up the subfloor, that will mess with the structure and you dont want to do that. it would be better to remove the bottom cabinets, they are just screwed to the walls, unless you have granite countertops then that is out of the question. inthat case you will have to carefully cut the underlayment carefully around the cabs.


chris

One store said I have to rip up the plywood and 2 existing layers of linoleum 12" squares, replace the plywood, add luan, and patch before installing the new sheet linoleum.

They are correct, that's exactly what needs to be done. Luaun is OK in this case. By-the-way, 12" squares are not linoleum.

From Installation Instructions- Johnsonite Linoleum

Wood subfloors must have a minimum 18 inches (47 cm) of cross-ventilated space between the bottom of the joist and
ground. Exposed earth crawl spaces should be covered with a polyethylene moisture barrier.
Wood joists should be on 16" (41 cm) centers with 1" (2.5 cm) boards installed diagonally and covered with 1/2" (12.7
mm) A.P.A. approved underlayment plywood. Nail on 4" (10.2 cm) centers around perimeter and across field.
Countersink nail heads. Fill all depressions, joints, cracks, gouges, and chipped edges with a good quality latex patching
compound and sand entire surface smooth.
Single Wood and Tongue and Groove subfloors should be covered with 1/2" (12.7 mm) or 3/4" (19 cm) A.P.A.
approved underlayment plywood.
Johnsonite does not warranty installations over OSB, "particle board" or "chipboard", Lauan or Maranti type
underlayments.
Johnsonite does not recommend or warrant Linoleum installations over existing resilient floors. All resilient
flooring and adhesives must be removed prior to installing the flooring system.

See that part that says, "no Luan"? Voids your warranty? I'm going to stick with my advice...go to your manufacturer's website and look at the installation instructions for your floor.:)