Floating floor before waterfall bench

Hi, probably been asked a million times but I couldn't find anything specific.

Can waterfall stone ends be installed ON floating bamboo flooring? I know people will say just install the stone first and then install the floor however I do not want beading/quad to fill the gap where the floor meets the stone. Is there a weight issue?

Cheers
Scott

Yes it can. Don't listen to anyone that says it cant.

It give a much smoother result if you do the waterfalls last!

thanks cutting edge just the answer I wanted!

All depends whether you're a glass half full, or glass half empty person:)
On one hand it is the best finish, to drop the stone onto the bamboo.
on the other hand, if you have a busted mixer hose, busted dishwasher hose, busted fridge hose, or any other issue that calls for you to replace the floor, you're not in for a great time.

My suggestion is a length of compact laminate fitted to the floor, to the footprint of the stone, before the floor goes in. This is the best of both worlds.

Also what's on your waterfall ended island? A friend of mine has her island moveable. (It's super heavy though!)

I always try and leave a prefinished floor till the end. If you want the floor under the stone this means the floor needs to go down fairly early in the building process and you risk damage.
An option is have the waterfall finished 3-4mm above the finished height of the floor, they can run the floor under then simply silicone around the gap.

My friend had his done by leaving a gap the same as the timber floor and they lay the floor under it. I've requested the same.

Is there an issue with the weight of the bench on top of the flooring?

Yes, flooring company's want the kitchen put in first as the floor apparently moves and with the weight of a kitchen on can buckle.

I personally don't see the difference between a kitchen and a large heavy Buffet and Hutch.

I have seen and put kitchens on floating floors without issue!

Sorry what I meant was the weight of the waterfall bench on the floorboards. We will be putting the floorboards down after the cabinets but before the benchtop so the only part of the benchtop on the floor will be the waterfalls. What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks!

The weight wouldn't be on the floor boards. Its supported by the cabinets!

They glue the waterfalls to the sides of the cabinets and also to the join of the top slab.

No issues at all.

Hmmm. This doesn't compute with me. I though that an advantage of waterfall ends, is that the mitred ends, transfer some of the overhang downward pressure weight to the floor. You're saying the stone installers pack the waterfall ends up, and no weight is transferred to the floor????

Yep that's exactly what I am saying!!

Many kitchens will be installed before the floating floor goes down as per instructions. The stone is then fitted but the waterfalls are left set up the thickness of the floor off the ground. They are glued at the mitre and to the side of the cabinets.

The floating floor is then fitted under the waterfalls for a neat finish!!

TRUST me when I say they glue they use sticks like S*&t to a blanket!!!

This is only an issue with floating floors. With solid timber or tiles you can just install the kitchen and waterfalls normally. Personally I am not a fan of floating floors in a kitchen and would never recommend it.

There is very little overhang weight at the waterfall end, as the top is only overhanging by the thickness of the stone, clearly the bulk of the top is sitting on the cabinets. And as cutting edge said the actual waterfall is glued to the side of the cabinet so the weight of the waterfall is being transfered to the cabinet rather than the floor. Guess in a sense you could say the waterfall is 'floating'.

Thanks for the info!

when a waterfall is installed with a 45 degree miter, the weight of the bench or cabinets is never applied to the floor through the waterfall. Reason; the risk of the downwards pressure pushing the waterfall out due to the 45 degree join. You will get away without any hassles so long as your underlay is of good quality and is no thicker than 5 mm.

Umm, that's not quite right.

If its a tiled or solid timber floor then part of the load is shared by the floor. With a solid floor there is no risk of the mitre moving!

If its a floating floor then the load is supported by the cabinet.

hang on are you saying the weight is supported by the waterfall in some installations?

No, the weight of the waterfall sides is supported by the floor in installations on tiles or solid timber floors. They are also glued at the mitre and to the cabinet but primarily the floor is doing the work.

Sco77k - I saw your finished kitchen in the 'Show me your kitchen' thread. How did you end up resolving the floor issue?