How to make the floor level before cabinets go can go in?

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Jobey. It's amazing that you've joined us, and many thanks for your question about floor levelling.

Sounds like a fantastic renovation you have in progress. I'm sure our members will be keen to follow along.

It looks like a relatively easy job that Dunlop 20kg Ardit Floor Leveller can take care of. Just make sure you block any holes along the wall that it could run down before pouring. Alternatively, the Kaboodle cabinets have adjustable feet. Depending on where they sit, you could just adjust them to suit the height difference. The kick panel at the front should hide what's behind it.

If you haven't already read through it, check out @Adam_W's helpful guide on How to plan a laundry renovation.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Thank you Mitchell. I had thought of both of those solutions just needed some reassurance from some one with more reno smarts than myself. I'll post again when more progress has been made...its a bit slow moving at the moment.

Slow and steady wins the race, @Jobey. Keep us updated and reach out if you need assistance. We're here to help.

Mitchell

Adam_W

Hey @Jobey Ardit is fantastic stuff. Self-levelling fill mix. Super easy to use and it's one of those 'tricks of the trade' problem solvers.

.@Adam_W. Fantastic. Thank you so much. Its now on the next bunnings shopping list. Be good practice as I'm pretty sure I'm going to have the issue when I change the vanity in the bathroom.

Hi @Jobey

Here is a sketch of your laundry with the cabinets you've indicated in your first post. I've also included the EasyVJ wet area panels to show you what it will look like. Just out of curiosity was there a pantry at the end of that run or were you going to use that space for something else? I've left the remaining area empty and I've placed a wall cabinet on your wall.

Please have a look at the drawing and tell us what you think. If you wish to see your cabinets in another configuration please let me know. It sounds like a fantastic remodeling project. Any updates you can provide while you build it would be much appreciated.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

If you wish to see it with a dryer configuration, please let me know.

Wow that looks fantastic. Thank you so much. I was undecided what to do at the 'void' end. I originally thought about ending the bench before the wall and adding a broom cupboard. Reality is it that space will accommodate a kitty litter house that will fit perfectly in that spot. As its a narrow laundry and a walk thru to the toilet I have no where else to put it.

l to T.jpg

The window is actually 1350mm wide so only gives me 450mm either side. I could have a 400mm wall cabinet on either or both sides of the window.

Hi @Jobey

I've modified your drawing, taking into account some of the things you wanted to fit into your laundry. You can still have your broom cupboard. However, you will have to compromise on the size of your laundry tub. I recommend the Everhard 23L round laundry sink as an alternative. This sink will fit into a 450 base cabinet. Everything else you mentioned will fit into the space and you will be left with a gap of around 400mm. I hope that will be enough for the kitty litter house. Have a look at the drawings and if you have any questions please let me know.

Eric

jobey laundry2.jpg jobey laundry3.jpg jobey laundry4.jpg jobey laundry5.jpg jobey laundry6.jpg

Definitely some food for thought. Thanks again @EricL

Hi @EricL I have decided to take the kitty litter house out of the equation (no pets were harmed in this reno)!.

So now I'm back to the 800mm main cabinet, 450mm kaboodle cabinet to house the kaboodle laundry hamper, rather than the flatpax chute nd the Montgomery 400mm tall cupboard. Should all fit in there quite nicely I hope.

Hello @Jobey

That's great to know that you've moved the kitty litter house to another location. You should have enough room to fit all the cabinets now. Any updates you can provide while building your project would be much appreciated. I'm sure our members are keen to see the finished look of your laundry.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Hi @EricL, @Adam_W, @MitchellMc As I'm tackling this laundry on my own it is taking a little longer but I must admit I am really enjoying it and this site has been so helpful in the process. It actually hasn't been an inconvenience at all to have the laundry in disarray. I can still use the washing machine.

So I have a couple of questions before I move on.

1. When and why are 'end panels' needed on the kaboodle cabinets?

2. As you can see Aqua check has been used to replace where the old plaster and tiles were removed at the old tub site. I don't plan on doing anything else below bench level (maybe a quick lick of paint) but will be using VJ panels above. Can I just use the standard panels and not the 'wet area' panels? I will be painting them in a bathroom type paint.

3. I have the 20kg bag of Dunlop Ardit floor leveller. I'm hopeless at working out m2. So do I need to use all of that bag or part of it to level the floor as per previous post?

Adam_W

Hi @Jobey Glad to see things progressing so well!
1) - Do you mean the plain panels? I assume you mean what I would call the finishing panels. These are normally used to provide a screw-free finish where the ends will be visible. So you might use it at the end of a cabinet where it will be seen but probably not inside the cavity you slip the washing machine into. They can also be used when your cabinets end up a little short and a gap needs to be filled.
2) - If there is a risk of the area getting wet then you are best to use water resistant sheeting. For the sake of a small amount extra it gives you peace of mind.
3) - The maths of square metres and cubic (or fill metres) can be very confusing. The real trick is to stay with the most convenient measurement unit - stick with either mm, cm or m.
So, as an example... if you had an area that was 2m (200cm) side-to-side (length) by 1m (100cm) back-to-front (width) and it needed 50mm (5cm) of filling (height/depth) the calculations would be 2 x 1 = 2 This is your area, 2sq/m, remember this is surface area.
For volume we need to get into the 3rd dimension and here's where the important thing is getting the decimal point in the right place.
Your 5cm is .05 when using whole metres in your calculations as we did above. So 2 x .05 = 0.1 of a cu/m
Does that help?

Perfect. Thank you so much @Adam_W . All making a bit more sense now.

HI All. Laundry is slowly getting there. Cabinets fit well. I actually had to exchange the 450mm cabinet for the 400mm, which will still accommodate the kaboodle laundry hamper( which currently seems to be unavailable anywhere in Victoria) Holes still need to be made in the back of the main cabinet to accommodate the taps and drain pipe. I haven't yet thrown screed in the uneven floor space and undecided whether I will or not. The cabinet is sitting in the space quite well so I may just glue some quad around the edges to block out any draughts.

The dilemma I'm currently having is with the Montgomery 1800 x 400 x 410 White 1 door Tall Cupboard

Would it be wise to have an end panel 1800 x 600 against the tall cupboard to hide the odd 200mm gap at the back or does anyone have any other suggestions?
end panel.jpg

Great work @Jobey!

If your cabinetry is positioned well at the moment, I wouldn't bother levelling the floor. Squirt a small amount of expanding foam in any of the gaps. That will seal them up fine. Once you've done that, put the kick panels on, and nobody will ever know.

The easiest and cheapest option might be to go with a Trade Essentials 1800 x 595mm 16mm White ABS Melamine Panel. That is only 5mm off what you need. Alternatively, you could cut a Kaboodle Gloss White Pantry End Panel to suit the 1800mm height.

I wonder if you could fit two of these Kaboodle 200mm Wall Cabinets on top of each other in the gap. They would give you some quite accessible storage space for laundry liquids, etc. However, you might not want to be able to see them, so in that case, a panel would be best.

Let me mention @EricL to see if he can think of any nifty uses for the space.

Mitchell

Hi @Jobey

It's looking fantastic, I can already imagine how good it will look once you have everything in place. I agree with @MitchellMc's suggestion of putting in a Kaboodle 200mm Wall Cabinet. But perhaps just one instead of two. This will allow you to use that space as more storage for bottles and chemicals. With that cabinet in place, all you need to do is to cover the little gap at the bottom with a small piece of timber painted in white.

However, if you wish to have a clean look then the easiest way to cover it is by using a Melamine panel as suggested by my colleague. I've placed a couple of sketches below. Please have a look and tell us what you think.

Please keep sending those updates, we look forward to seeing your laundry renovated and working.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

jobey laundry1.jpg jobey laundry2.jpg jobey laundry3.jpg jobey laundry4.jpg

WOW @MitchellMc, @EricL fantastic ideas. 2 great options for that cupboard and I will definitely be grabbing a can of foam to seal up those gaps. Thank you both. Will hopefully be back soon with another update.

@Jobey,

What I was actually envisaging for that space was a Kaboodle 200mm 2 Tier Soft Close Pullout Basket, but it's 450mm deep and won't fit. Now that would have been amazing!

Can't wait for your next update.

Mitchell

Well @MitchellMc another great idea and it actually would fit but a power point I just had moved will impede the pull out basket from opening.

The tall cupboard is not pushed hard up against the wall as I need to have about a 40mm clearance for the cupboard door (opening left or right) to clear the laundry light switch that is on the door frame. So guessing I'm going to have to screw the right thickness of wood to the wall and secure the cupboard to that, then cover the whole gap with a piece of something.

Well it's been a while that's for sure. I got this laundry to a functioning point then lost my mojo to complete the finishing touches. Finally over the Xmas break I did it. Had to get in the ceiling to put in cross beams in so I had something to attach the rail to. Added a small oval mirror that I found on Temple and Webster. Used 6mm quad around the bench and 9mm on top of the VJ. So happy with the end result but kick myself for taking so long to do those finishing touches.