# New construction: Prime and paint before or after tile and hardwood installed?



## Karde (Sep 13, 2008)

Hello, 

I am using an airless spray painter and am thinking of doing the painting before flooring goes in.

Does anybody see a reason not to do this? tile and hardwood will be cut in the garage, so I can keep dust to a minimum and not dirty my newly painted walls.

Is the risk to damaging the walls to high to paint first?

Thanks for any opinions.


----------



## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

Whenever you do any remodelling, the floors are normally done last. That's cuz it's the floors that will get mucked up BY DOING any further renovations in the same room.

In your case, there's a greater potential for damaging the floors (by spattering paint on them) than there is that wood cutting dust will stick to the new paint.

So, it normally makes sense to do the floor after everything else is done.


----------



## onlinehandyman (Aug 21, 2008)

*flooring done last*

I agree with the previous post. As a matter of fact when we used to install carpet part of the contract included that the customer may have to touch up any damage that accidentally happened to the walls. Flooring is always best done last and with the floor that you are installing as opposed to big bulky carpet rolls there will be NO problem.


----------



## skymaster (Jun 6, 2007)

Totally agree paint before floors; Make sure you let paint dry, like REALLY dry maybe day or 2 b4 installing that floor. I presume the heat is on and house has acclimated and SO HAS THE FLOORING:whistling2:


----------



## AtlanticWBConst. (May 12, 2006)

Karde said:


> ... Is the risk to damaging the walls to high to paint first?
> ...


Regarding such damage to walls:

Hardwood installation: Wall dings WILL happen. Also, regardless if they cut in the garage, You still WILL have sawdust film on the walls (Dust will be airborne and spread). Hardwood is usually installed prior to most of the trim work. However, it is often installed prior to baseboard. (Baseboard after because: it hides the hardwood expansion gap, and the it doesn't get beat up). If the baseboard is planned to be painted, and installed after, it and the lower wall areas, will still require more painting (Nail holes, joints, etc).

Tile Installation: Adhesive/grout spatter WILL get on the walls. Trim work may be installed before or after. In the case of installing the trim work after, if it is painted, then all the additional paintwork of the trim and connected wall areas will have to be still have to be performed (again; nails holes, joints, etc). If the Trim work is installed before, it may still require additional cleaning and paint touch-up (because of the adhesive and grout).

My point is that I have done it both ways. You can go ahead and paint first, but still be prepared for the need to go back and perform some spackling, priming, and touch-up painting.
If you are hiring the paint work out, and the painter needs to come back and perform any additional work following the flooring material installation, he/she may charge you for that.


----------



## Nia (Jul 18, 2008)

I usually paint first and hold 10% for the final touch up in new construction. That way the painter only makes one more trip before 
the new homeowners move in.


----------



## Karde (Sep 13, 2008)

Thanks for the advice. The heat is on,and the framing has dryed and been readjusted.

My hardwood floors haven' arrived yet, how long should they dry in the house before installation?


----------



## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

dry the flooring for 2 weeks. But real test is to determine the relative humidity of the wood. It needs to be less than 35%. 5% is ideal.


----------



## Karde (Sep 13, 2008)

Bob Mariani said:


> dry the flooring for 2 weeks. But real test is to determine the relative humidity of the wood. It needs to be less than 35%. 5% is ideal.


Is there a particular tester you recommend?


----------



## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

Any probe type meter in the $150 range will do just fine. Not sure what mine is, but I over spend on my tools and always have to buy the best ones.

Keep in mind you need about 6 or more grinding disks. They cost about 25 each. You might be able to bring your slab to a granite fabricator and have them to it for you.


----------



## ccarlisle (Jul 2, 2008)

Whoa...some replies there that don't seem to relate. Like "drying the floor for two weeks" and "needing 6 or more grinding disks". Uh? Are you grinding the floor too? I assumed the flooring was pre-finished, or else you are doing something more than cut them in the garage...?:huh:

Look, if you buy packaged hardwood, then acclimate those packages for 3-4 days in the area they are about to be placed, like in LR for example. In our climate, (I'm in Montreal too) the outdoor relative humidity levels are around 65% and the temperature is -8 deg C. Indoors, with the heating on, you should be around 35% RH and 18-20 deg C. That is where you want your flooring to be at, so allow plenty of time for it to reach that. Remember, if you bought the flooring in a store, the conditions there will be similar to yours where theyare to be put down.

Don't know w here grinding discs come into it, there's no stone there that I am aware of. I may be missing something, sorry


----------



## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

ccarlisle said:


> Whoa...some replies there that don't seem to relate. Like "drying the floor for two weeks" and "needing 6 or more grinding disks". Uh? Are you grinding the floor too? I assumed the flooring was pre-finished, or else you are doing something more than cut them in the garage...?:huh:
> 
> Look, if you buy packaged hardwood, then acclimate those packages for 3-4 days in the area they are about to be placed, like in LR for example. In our climate, (I'm in Montreal too) the outdoor relative humidity levels are around 65% and the temperature is -8 deg C. Indoors, with the heating on, you should be around 35% RH and 18-20 deg C. That is where you want your flooring to be at, so allow plenty of time for it to reach that. Remember, if you bought the flooring in a store, the conditions there will be similar to yours where theyare to be put down.
> 
> Don't know w here grinding discs come into it, there's no stone there that I am aware of. I may be missing something, sorry


I put it there... don't know why either. I edited a post.. but it was for the granite scratches....


----------



## Karde (Sep 13, 2008)

ccarlisle said:


> Whoa...some replies there that don't seem to relate. Like "drying the floor for two weeks" and "needing 6 or more grinding disks". Uh? Are you grinding the floor too? I assumed the flooring was pre-finished, or else you are doing something more than cut them in the garage...?:huh:
> 
> Look, if you buy packaged hardwood, then acclimate those packages for 3-4 days in the area they are about to be placed, like in LR for example. In our climate, (I'm in Montreal too) the outdoor relative humidity levels are around 65% and the temperature is -8 deg C. Indoors, with the heating on, you should be around 35% RH and 18-20 deg C. That is where you want your flooring to be at, so allow plenty of time for it to reach that. Remember, if you bought the flooring in a store, the conditions there will be similar to yours where theyare to be put down.
> 
> Don't know w here grinding discs come into it, there's no stone there that I am aware of. I may be missing something, sorry



Thanks, I am buying it from a local hardwood store, will take your advice.

Cheers.


----------

