# Type and grade of plywood under kitchen base cabinets?



## Mike Swearingen (Mar 15, 2005)

In all wet rooms (kitchen, baths, laundry), I always like to use pressure-treated plywood sheathing grade. Not if, but when there is a leak, it won't delaminate and have to be replaced...just dried out.
The plywood thickness (5/8" or 3/4") should be driven by the thickness of the finished floor level. As you apparently know, it is very easy to trap a dishwasher with thick flooring (wood or tile) unless you raise the cabinet bases before installing the dw.
Good Luck!
Mike


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## vsheetz (Sep 28, 2008)

Thanks Mike!

Vince


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## Jeeper1970 (Nov 11, 2008)

I'd probably use cedar shims, or other exterior grade shims, if you are worried about moisture. Otherwise, you'd be fine just using standard pine shims. Shims make it easy to adjust the height due to uneven or sloping concrete slab, you'll need shims anyway for leveling.


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## buletbob (May 9, 2008)

I personally will not bring PT plywood wood into a house, especially near an eating area. I would use regular exterior grade plywood. but then again if it was my job I would run the floor under the cabinets anyway. your most likely looking at around 28sf of flooring. 
my thinking is I don't like the look of 1/4 round installed around the base of the cabinets. plus if you do decide to run the floor under an 1" or so the plywood would only support the back side of the cabinet.whats going to support the front and side of the END cabinets if you install the cabinets before the floor.I hope you can understand my thinking. BOB


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## kevin211mvd (Nov 9, 2008)

Why didnt you just put all the flooring down and put the cabinets on top of the flooring in the first place?

What we usually do is lay down plastic on the concrete first preventing the wood from absorbing any moisture. Then we level and plumb up each cabinet starting with the first one(usually a corner cabinet) to where they have to go. Then measure the gap between the floor and concrete cut whet ever you need out of basically anything 1x pine, shims if the gap is really small, or even dimensional 1"1/2 lumber if the gap is huge all the way around... Trust me I have had that alot when installing cabinets on concrete. Then repeat the sequence with the rest of the cabinets. You should make sure your concrete floor is somewhat level, if its not then your most likely going to have to shim each cabinet differently to get them perfectly level and plumb.


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