# Tiling under dishwasher good or bad idea?



## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Either way, you will need to have clearance to get the dishwasher out/in. If the tile is too high the dishwasher is just there, no getting it out, but if the tile is too tall, you won't get the dishwasher back under the top if tiled under dishwasher.


----------



## flyingron (Dec 15, 2020)

It's a mixed bag. I like tiling under the dishwasher as it makes it easier to move out and also more convenient to clean.


----------



## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

If you don’t want to spend the money for tile, you could pull the dishwasher out and lay down a piece of plywood thats approx the same thickness as the tile. That way you won’t be cursing the tile installer when it comes time to replace the DW. In my opinion, it’s not an option, you have to level the finished floor surface. And i think the tiler is lazy, doesn’t want to work in the cramped hole.


----------



## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

Half-fast eddie said:


> If you don’t want to spend the money for tile, you could pull the dishwasher out and lay down a piece of plywood thats approx the same thickness as the tile. That way you won’t be cursing the tile installer when it comes time to replace the DW. In my opinion, it’s not an option, you have to level the finished floor surface. And i think the tiler is lazy, doesn’t want to work in the cramped hole.


Agree 100%


----------



## ken33xx (Jul 20, 2018)

O.k. I spoke with the tile vendor. They will remove the DW and tile underneath.

Thanks everyone for your help!!


----------



## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

Good, that is the best way.


----------



## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

ken33xx said:


> They will remove the DW and tile underneath.


And that should be included in their original price ... should not be additional cost.


----------



## Domo (Nov 9, 2018)

Horror story - I was called to remove a dishwasher at a very nice home in Hawaii where I was a licensed remodeling contractor. The cabinetry was all Koa - very expensive. Sadly, the kitchen cabinets were installed years earlier and the dishwasher was installed at that time. Years later they changed their flooring to a rough Mexican tile which was very thick and installed over the existing tile surface... They did not remove the dishwasher and simply tiled tight up against its lower frame (nice!).

So, as I discovered, even with the feet of the dishwasher removed the unit could not be pulled out of space that was left between the top of the new tile and the bottom of the granite countertops - ooops...

I could not safely remove the countertops with 100% confidence - and, even if I did succeed any replacement dishwasher would eventually fail and require the countertop to be removed in it's future - or, I was going to have to build up all of the base cabinet tops so the countertop could be put back on higher than original - and, of course there was tiled backsplash so the issue got pretty expensive from that approach...

Luckily, the dishwasher was installed in part of an eat-on kitchen peninsula. The backside of that peninsula was also Koa (veneered plywood for the back of the peninsula). I ended up cutting out the back of the dishwasher space by removing a section of the Koa on the "bar" side of the peninsula. The dishwasher slid out the back and a new one was installed. The removed section of Koa was fastened in place and decorative trim was used to hide the cut lines. Additional trim was continued along the "bar" to make it appear as if it was a paneled divider. Customer happy, dishes clean.

Always consider clearance for removing your dishwashers and any other built-in appliances that might be constrained by your work!

I'm glad OP spoke to his tiler to have the floor done under the dishwasher. Stop gap measures, such as a build-up of plywood would end in sad results when/if there was water leaking and the plywood delaminated. Good job OP and good question.


----------



## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

My GF had her kitchen tiled on a concrete slab floor and granite countertops installed many years ago and they did not tile underneath. I went to replace her dishwasher years later and it turned out to be no problem even with the ledge. There was plenty of adjustment in the DW legs. Then just this year the new DW developed a leak in a small seal and the water damaged some adjacent drywall. I pulled the DW out to replace the seal and in the process I leveled the floor up to the tile ledge with some plywood. And whilst I was at it I installed one of those plastic DW leak pans that divert any leakage out the front so you will see it before it has a chance to do any damage. This is a pretty solid solution that doesn't require getting the tilers back in there... and the plastic pan is a good idea no matter what... especially if you are not on a slab. I have another thread on this here: (90) Dishwasher damaging paint and drywall | DIY Home Improvement Forum (diychatroom.com)


----------



## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

Did not know a DW pan existed. Probably a good idea.


----------



## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

I didn't know either but somehow came across them during this job. I also installed one in my house where the DW is on the second floor which is just your typical subfloor on joists. If I ever got a small stealthy leak like she had it could do a lot of damage before I would even know it was happening. The pans are cheap and the box stores seem to have them in stock all the time. Not too big a job to slide the DW out and slip one of these in.




Half-fast eddie said:


> Did not know a DW pan existed. Probably a good idea.


----------



## dj3 (Apr 27, 2020)

I had a call from a client whose DW was tiled in and did not have enough clearance between the DW and the counter top.
I asked if they had left over tiles - and they did. 
They had enough tiles to do this job: I cut out and removed the few tiles in the row in front of the DW, which allowed enough clearance to pull the DW out. Installed a new DW, made all the connections, pushed it in, adjusted the height, installed new tiles, re-grouted them and wiped clean.


----------



## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

I guess the next time they need to replace the DW it'll be someone else's problem.


----------

