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Flooring before Painting?

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#22 ·
This thread has made me realize that there are many ways to skin a cat....

I thought it was common practice to get the ceilings (if applicable) and walls primed and first coated (ceilings finished) as soon as the taper is done. Then don't come back until the end of the job once all the trim is on.
 
#24 ·
Joe67 said:
The painter is always the last person out of the room. No matter what. Even when s/he/they have to come back to touch up after ... whatever. I can't tell you how many times I've had to go back after something like "well a plumbing thing was leaking" or "the HO wanted the light switch moved" or whatever. But I will say that a dozen dings in the walls by the flooring folks is just plain negligent.

But I will also say that the time and hassle savings of getting in before new/refinished flooring can be significant. I find touch up work to be fast and easy, and without the need for whole floor protection - something like what RH said above.

I always figure that I want to have the job site at various stages - and then also last. The stages would be things like after basic rough-ins, but before final flooring install/refinish or before cabinet/tiling/shelving/etc installs. Let me get the ceilings and at least a coat down before all sorts of stuff goes in that I have to cover and/or cut around. Then I'll come back to finish things off after everyone's done dinging things and cutting more holes in the walls or whatever.
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You can always just blame any scratches in the floor on the electricians. :sneaky:They always seem to be the very last trade on site, hanging lights, faceplates etc. They never take thier boots off and always leave thier snippeds of wires lying around..Or the countertop guys. The countertops are always behind schedule! Especially Granite.
 
Discussion starter · #25 ·
finishesbykevyn said:
You can always just blame any scratches in the floor on the electricians. :sneaky:They always seem to be the very last trade on site, hanging lights, faceplates etc. They never take thier boots off and always leave thier snippeds of wires lying around..Or the countertop guys. The countertops are always behind schedule! Especially Granite.
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LOL! blame the electricians!
 
Discussion starter · #26 ·
Just to bel clear, I am complaining about Painters following flooring specifically in re-paints (which is the case here).
Although I feel that Flooring should always go last.

In new constriction, the walls should be painted first, then the trim installed, then flooring, then baseboard. (imo), then touch-ups, and etc...
 
Discussion starter · #27 · (Edited)
Masterwork said:
Baseboard doesn't go on until after the flooring is in.... How would you paint it first? Especially the caulking along the top? Surely, you don't just cut in the base at the end...
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For new construction:
I prefer to prime and paint baseboard in the shop or onsite - before installed (if painted).
Then fill nail holes, caulk, and re-paint / touch-up once - after installed.

For Re-paint:
I prefer to complete all painting before flooring
Then come back for touch-ups after base is back on.
 
#28 ·
Back when I did tracts, baseboard was hung wherever there would be carpet, We had already had the walls done before trim, so we'd come back do the trim and doors, and theyd leave a pile of base in the garage that would be installed in any areas after the tile guys would do their thing. We would take about ten sticks of base, lay it face up and together on the floor, and spray it during trim phase. Then the carpenters would come back, install the base in the tiled areas. Then when we'd come back for touch up, we'd caulk and spackle, and hit those areas with one more coat of paint.
 
#29 ·
It doesn't matter to me, as long as I know upfront. 6 of one, half-dozen of the other.

I try and get finish floors down after ceilings, doors, casings and one coat on walls. Then we hit the walls again and cut in the base.

It was different when carpet was more in: we'd have everything done before the carpet, but you'd always have to handle the scratches on the base and the wall wounds from unrolling the carpet.

Now, my biggest touch-ups come from the appliance delivery guys, of all things. They are experts at banging into every wall, door or piece of trim between them and their final destination.

*for some reason, they seem to be very respectful of the floors...but not much else
 
#31 ·
Rbriggs82 said:
Im gonna be the oddball here and say that I like to be last. I don't want to come back and touch up, ain't got no time for dat! I cover older floors and don't ruin or get paint on them so what's the difference if they're new? The only time I differe is with popcorn removal. In that case it's best to have that nasty work done prior to floors. It's just myself and my father doing the work so I've never had an issue with messing up a floor now if I had a big crew it might be a different story.
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I'm with you, I always leave my last coat till after the flooring is completed. I hate going back to touchup also. A lot of my projects I'm the one installing the base too though. But even when that is not the case I wait until after flooring. In my 35 years I have found it more economical and greater on the customer satisfaction level.
Cheers
 
Discussion starter · #32 · (Edited)
Example:
"Re-painting" a large open concept 'Great Room' (Living Room, Kitchen, Dining, Foyer) w/ vaulted Ceilings .
Stained Wood Trim.
Maple Floor.
Est. 1100 sq ft. floor area.

** The customer would like the Maple wood floors re-finished before painting is completed. **

---

How would you prep./proceed as the painter working over a new floor?
Are tarps sufficient (if scaffolding is needed) or do you spend the time to rosin paper the entire area, and then tarp?


Seems like a lot of unnecessary effort to prep, when tarps would have been sufficient if the floor is finished afterwards.
What happens if there is scuffs, scratches etc to the new floor?
 
#34 ·
One other consideration when floors are finished immediately prior to painting is to cover the “entire” floor due to the finishes and wood not being light stabilized yet. We’ve had builders and painters just use runners on high traffic areas or cover just the perimeters. When the floor protection was removed, the color beneath was sometimes noticeably different than the unprotected portion.
 
#35 · (Edited)
There are many versions of the right way to do it, but much of it really depends on the flooring involved. Site-finished wood, pre-finished wood, tile, LVT, linoleum, carpet and so on. Then you've got shoe, no shoe, large base, little base, cove base, etc.

I have many different preferences, depending which combination of factors are at play.

Also, much can depend on your familiarity/relationships with any of the other trades involved. Sometimes, different crews that work together often can do things that unfamiliar crews wouldn't think of.
 
#37 ·
So there's no contractor I'm assuming. AKA the home owner is the contractor..? uggh. I agree with others that you should paint first, especially because the trim is all stained. Are you prestainting everything? You shouldnt even have to do any caulking on the base and the floor guys should just be careful. Either that, or I would ask home owner to cover floors and sign a waiver.. It also depends what you charged for. At minimum, get all the high stuff done and double cut everything.
 
#39 ·
Removing and replacing flooring or carpeting is dirty work. If you paint first, and then do floors, there is a good chance that a lot of dirt, dust, sawdust or tile/stone dust will end up on your freshly painted walls and trim.
 
Discussion starter · #40 ·
Samuel said:
Removing and replacing flooring or carpeting is dirty work. If you paint first, and then do floors, there is a good chance that a lot of dirt, dust, sawdust or tile/stone dust will end up on your freshly painted walls and trim.
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But if you do floorings first, that dirt will be on the walls you are painting, need to be cleaned or you risk adhesion issues and texture.
 
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