Should I do flooring before or after painting walls?

Install flooring after painting the walls. This is the standard sequence that protects your new floors and ensures the cleanest finish.

Why flooring comes after painting: Wall painting involves primer, paint, and potential splatters that can damage or stain new flooring. Even with drop cloths, there's always risk of paint drips, roller spray, or brush marks getting onto your floors. Additionally, painters often need to move ladders and equipment around the room, which could scratch or dent new flooring materials.

The proper sequence starts with any electrical or plumbing rough-in work, followed by drywall installation and finishing. Once the walls are primed and painted (including trim and baseboards if you're replacing them), then flooring installation begins. This protects your flooring investment and allows installers to work without worrying about paint damage.

Ottawa contractors typically follow this timeline: Complete all wall work first, including any textured finishes or specialty paints that might create dust or debris. The flooring installation then provides a clean, finished surface to work around. If you're installing baseboards after flooring (which is common with hardwood and laminate), painters can return for final touch-ups on trim work.

One important exception: If you're refinishing existing hardwood floors, this creates significant dust despite modern dustless sanding systems. In this case, you'd want to complete floor refinishing before final wall painting. However, for new flooring installation, walls should always be completed first.

For a free estimate on your flooring installation project, Ottawa Floor Install can coordinate timing with your other trades to ensure proper sequencing and protect your investment.