# Paint before or after installing floors?



## titanoman (Nov 27, 2011)

Not normal.


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## framer52 (Jul 17, 2009)

JumpinJW said:


> My house is gutted from a fire remodel. To save money, I plan to install hardwood floors myself.
> 
> The painter says that floors go last, but that he can work around anything.
> 
> ...


Same as the other post you started. Not that normal but as long as you are prepared to pay to alter the steps then go for it.


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## JumpinJW (Feb 6, 2012)

*Trim and paint before or after floors?*

My house is gutted from a fire remodel. To save money, I plan to install hardwood floors myself.

I want to do the floors before installing doors & trim, then paint last. The general contractor says its not normal, but ok as long as I protect the floors. 

The painter says that floors go last, but that he can work around anything.

The foreman says that the pre hung doors will have to be undercut, which is better to do after they are installed, for better fit to the floor. 

He also pointed out that shoe mold conforms to the floor better than baseboard, so gaps are hidden.

Should I just stick to the original plan flooring last? 

8 years ago I undercut the doors & removed the trim when I put in ceramic. Then I did not use baseboards, and had some gaps to fill. That was 6 dumpsters ago.


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## JumpinJW (Feb 6, 2012)

*Not normal*

Who me? I knew that. So is shoe mold always used?


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## Jackofall1 (Dec 5, 2010)

What kind of hardwood floors? if its cleat or staple down I would paint after the install of the floor either that or you will have some touchup on the newly painted walls from the possible mallet marks.

Mark


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## framer52 (Jul 17, 2009)

JumpinJW said:


> Who me? I knew that. So is shoe mold always used?


No, but what have you against using it?


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## framer52 (Jul 17, 2009)

Jackofall1 said:


> What kind of hardwood floors? if its cleat or staple down I would paint after the install of the floor either that or you will have some touchup on the newly painted walls from the possible mallet marks.
> 
> Mark



He is talking of laminate or engineered.


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## jasin (Jan 22, 2012)

JumpinJW said:


> My house is gutted from a fire remodel. To save money, I plan to install hardwood floors myself.
> 
> I want to do the floors before installing doors & trim, then paint last. The general contractor says its not normal, but ok as long as I protect the floors.
> 
> ...


Trim goes up last because you need to make it flush and square with everything else so paint it after the floor is installed. If you want to protect the floor and walls or whatever while painting then use painters tape and plastic on the floors.


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

There is no standard way. If it was me I would prime, paint ceilings and paint one coat on the walls. Then after trim, floor and other installations I would prep and paint the trim and then second coat the walls.


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

How you proceed depends upon your contract with the painter. If the painter estimated to paint over sub-floor, as opposed to finished floors, then ask him to add the cost difference and do it as you want. Most painters would have no problem however you wanted to do it, as long as you're willing to pay. Personally, I don't remove existing hardwood floors, or carpet, when I go to do repaints, so it's possible to do it. And, I don't make any distinction as to age of the floor in my determination to not get paint on it.


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## DannyT (Mar 23, 2011)

you want to do the floor after everyone else is finished except for the shoe molding being installed unless you want to trust whoever might be in the house working to care about your floors as much as you do.accidents do happen such as soilled paint dropping tools on a new floor, dragging stuff over it, stuff stuck to work boots. but its your floor.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I find it a neater job to do the hardwood before the trim and doors---faster to install the wood with no base molding---new doors are tight to the hardwood--no undercutting---no floor sander bumps into moldings or doors---

Prime and first coat the paint before starting if you wish---


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## jasin (Jan 22, 2012)

Floors can have slight variations of 1/16th or more. Nothing is perfect. So it is best to wait until after the flooring is installed. This way you can adjust the height of the base molding or door trim to whatever you need based on variations in the flooring. Also, if molding or trim is installed first you could mess it up from dust and whatnot that is kicked up from installing the flooring.


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## jasin (Jan 22, 2012)

Also, installing trim and molding is considered finish carpentry. And its called "finish" carpentry because its done last. Hence, the word "finish".


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## JumpinJW (Feb 6, 2012)

*A can of worms*

It sound like I have raised a legitimate disagreement about the best way to go about this. If I proceed with my plan to do floors first, I will need some good masking to protect them.

If so, should I use "craft paper" they sell in 3'x500' rolls at Lowes & Home Depot, or something else. I'm talking about papering 1400 sf, and a roll would do it. It is really cheap, maybe 5 bucks. Maybe I should double it, or use rosin paper?

Thanks for your interest and intelligent answers.


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## Rob1975 (Apr 30, 2011)

It really depends on the flooring. I agree with Mike.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

As to protecting the finished floors---I use rosin paper,but the craft paper will do.

Then lay cardboard over the work areas---I use masonite or Luan ply rather than cardboard of there is a lot of work happening over the new floor---Installing kitchen cabinets,for example---Mike---


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## JumpinJW (Feb 6, 2012)

*Cabinets before floors*

I plan to have everything done except doors, trim, and paint before doors. One exception would be if I don't have time to finish the kitchen countertops before it's ready for floors.

If so, I would be doing that work myself, and only in the Kitchen.


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## Rob1975 (Apr 30, 2011)

oh'mike said:


> As to protecting the finished floors---I use rosin paper,but the craft paper will do.
> 
> Then lay cardboard over the work areas---I use masonite or Luan ply rather than cardboard of there is a lot of work happening over the new floor---Installing kitchen cabinets,for example---Mike---


I have several sheets of Masonite ready to go for any of my jobs. Durable and will last several jobs.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I have some narrow pieces of thin ply ,just for use when rolling in the fridge---you don't want to roll anything over a finished floor of any type.


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## jasin (Jan 22, 2012)

JumpinJW said:


> It sound like I have raised a legitimate disagreement about the best way to go about this. If I proceed with my plan to do floors first, I will need some good masking to protect them.
> 
> If so, should I use "craft paper" they sell in 3'x500' rolls at Lowes & Home Depot, or something else. I'm talking about papering 1400 sf, and a roll would do it. It is really cheap, maybe 5 bucks. Maybe I should double it, or use rosin paper?
> 
> Thanks for your interest and intelligent answers.


In reality there are no official rules for when to install door molding. It's just common sense that if you put it up before the flooring is in then the height could be off or it could be slightly out of square.


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## Rob1975 (Apr 30, 2011)

oh'mike said:


> I have some narrow pieces of thin ply ,just for use when rolling in the fridge---you don't want to roll anything over a finished floor of any type.


I had a customer get new appliances after we finished the floor and she got some really neat tracks that leads you from the cabinets to the front of the frig. She didn't tell me that they were delivering that day, so I had no way to warn her.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I loose a lot of rolling boards each year---I leave them behind for the customer so I don't get a call back for damaged floors---so far it has worked.


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## Jay 78 (Mar 2, 2011)

Adapt and overcome.


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## jasin (Jan 22, 2012)

Jay 78 said:


> Adapt and overcome.


:laughing:


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