Nail Down Floors vs Finished Floor Height

[RobUSMC]

Im doing a large downstairs project with a lot of new cabinets. The area we will be working in currently has 3/8-1/2" tile floors. We will be extending the nail down hardwood flooring from the other parts of the house into these areas thus raising the finished floor height.  This is slab on grade so there will be 3/4" plywood placed on the slab first the 3/4" nail down hardwood flooring bring the finished floor up to 1-1/2" thick.  With tile flooring we normally set cabinets on the slab and then tile up to them. Obviously don't want to do this with thick HW floors. I would want to have the bottom of the cabinet set at 1/4" below the top of the finished wood floor.  What do others do...  Change the finished floor height down to 1.25" and set all cabinets to finished floor height or leave the finished floor height at the 1.5" and then set the cabinets 1.25" off the slab (floor).  Both will work but curious what others do.  Thanks

[MarkMc]

Depending I've done this 3 ways

1. Order cabinets with no sub-base and build sub-base on site. Most often I've done this when the floor is way out or the flooring is very irregular (think rough cut slate slabs that no one should walk on :)
2. Cut strips of Ply 2-3" wide, layout those out to match the cabinet sides and back. Level those with shims, on cement I PL the shims down and pin the ply to them; on wood just pin it all. Be sure to include trim for exposed ends (DAMHIKT). I've used this often with large format tile or if floor is off by 1/2" or more.
3. Use EZ Levels (link). They give you 1-1/4" height adjustment so you might need to combine with #2. The cabinets can be ganged together and leveled as a group. I first used these when we had to for a large office complex where they wanted the ability to change things around later, then for a few difficult to level corner situations. I've had installers ask me to include them.

[GeneDavis]

I want countertop at 36 above finished floor, so I specify FF for cabinet bottoms.

 

Most of my work is for a guy that does all basecabs sitting on adjustable legs, with snap-on toeboards.  In your case, if you know for sure what can and will be ordered, design and specify accordingly.  If you don't, set the cabs at FF height.

[RobUSMC]

Very high end home with $80K in cabinets so everything is very custom and no snap on toe kicks.  We have used the adjustable feet before and they work well but don't want to use on this $350K kitchen  Thanks

[MarkMc]

The EZ Level are used with cabinets with standard toe kick, hole for adjuster is covered with toe board.