When you’re remodeling a room, people often paint or wallpaper in addition to adding new wood flooring. The question often comes up- “Which step should be completed first”?
The rule of thumb is that the flooring contractor should go in prior to the painting being completed. This is because when wood floors are installed, chances are that the equipment- especially in refinishing- can rub up against the baseboards. This will nick or mar paint, especially new paint.
The professional painter does not wish to come back and touch-up their paint job, and I’m sure you can imagine how you would feel if you’d just put some fresh paint or even wallpaper up. Even if you don’t mind touching up the paint, why put yourself through the extra stress?
You may be worried about getting paint on your floor, but don’t- as long as you wipe it off quickly, you’ll be OK. There are also some great products out there that can help, so please ask us! We’ll be glad to recommend something.
The exclusion to this rule is if the paint is being sprayed on, a professional painter will usually want to go first.
A professional painter will prepare the walls prior to painting by spackling or compounding and they will thoroughly clean the walls to maximize adhesion.
Whichever way you decide is best, keep this in mind- if the flooring company goes in after the painter, the newly painted walls may need additional cleaning. Keep in mind new paint can take up to a month or longer to cure- making the cleaning very difficult.