Floorboards in kitchen

[thirteenbooks]

We've just moved and are having a new kitchen fitted in April.

Our kitchen subfloor is tongue and groove floorboards. We'll be putting vinyl flooring down once the units are in, but that means the units will be standing directly on the wooden floorboards. I'm a bit concerned about water damage if the sink or washing machine leaks though - any suggestions as to what I could put down? Fitters aren't keen to have the floor in place before fitting units in case if damage(also difficult logistically timewise), so putting the vinyl across the whole floor doesn't seem to be the answer.

Help!

Our kitchen was like this, we just had the floorboards throughout it didn’t occur to me to worry about it - nothing leaked luckily. What about varnishing the floor so it’s sealed that way?

As you’re putting vinyl down you may change your floor covering more than your kitchen units so yes I’d advise putting in the vinyl last.
If you were putting in a marble/ flag stones I’d say do the whole floor as it will probably outlast a few kitchens so would be beneficial for layout changes etc.

For vinyl you’d usually lay an underlay. Some of the underlays a have DPM or waterproof qualities for wet rooms etc.

I’d underlay the whole floor 1st.

I hadn't thought about the underlay, Squirreltamer! The sheet vinyl we saw (in Tapi, I think) was quite thick and said it didn't need underlay, but I assume it won't matter if there is a double thickness? Softer on the feet, at least!

2019Dancerz, we did think about sealing it, but the sink unit is straight onto the floor (no legs...), and we can't move it without taking the sink unit out. My plumbing skills end at changing a tap, so might end up making the leak I'm worried about! :D

I know the plank/tile vinyls shouldn’t be used with cushion underlay as it causes the planks to bend.

But if your putting onto an uneven surface. I assume your floorboards have a few gaps/ridges? I’d be worried the vinyl would show up the groves where your boards connect in a few years. Unless yours is a flat chipboard style? I assumed pine floorboards in my head.

Can’t see a few mms of underlay making a difference other than where 2 floors meet or if you have flush bifolds/french doors.

Maybe you just just lay a waterproof underlay just in the sink section.

You want Ditra matting under the vinyl I think. Will waterproof without adding much thickness.