Should You Paint or Refinish Floors First?

Which came first: the interior wall paint or the refinished flooring? Renovating a room in your home from top to bottom drums up this age-old question. But, is there only one answer? Weigh the options between whether doing paint or floors first is the way to go as you refresh the rooms in your home. 

Pros and Cons of Painting Walls First

If you're a work-from-the-top-down type of organizer, painting the ceiling, wall, and trim before tackling the floors may stand out as the most logical choice. In some cases, it does make the most sense, but it truly depends on your specific project. 

Pros of Painting Walls First

One of the biggest concerns about refinishing floors first is the risk of dripping paint. Painting first eliminates the need to worry about paint dripping, since any splashes or spills can be easily sanded away during the refinishing process. You don't have to worry about using painter's tape or covering the floor, which can speed up the job. Using paint thinner or other cleaning products to correct painting mistakes poses no risk to the floor’s finish at this stage, cutting concerns about chemical damage to newly finished surfaces.

Fixing painting errors, such as missed spots, uneven coats, or stray brush strokes, costs less and is simpler than repairing floor damage. Floors are expensive to sand, stain, and seal, and even minor nicks or scuffs from ladders, tools, or paint cans can be costly to correct after refinishing. 

Cons of Painting Walls First

Matching paint colors to the final look of the floor can be more challenging when painting first. Flooring tones, especially wood stains, can vary significantly once applied, and choosing a wall color without seeing the finished floor may result in a mismatch that affects the overall aesthetic. It can be difficult to paint the baseboards and lower portions of the walls perfectly before the floors are finished. If the final floor height changes slightly or if transition lines between surfaces aren’t clearly defined, the end result could look off.

Freshly painted walls need to be thoroughly protected during the floor refinishing process. Sanding floors, especially DIY floor sanders, creates a significant amount of dust, which can cling to new paint or scratch the surface if not properly shielded. If you choose a lighter paint, like clean eggshell paint walls, cleaning dust and floor stain from the new coat could be tricky.

There’s also a risk of damaging painted baseboards and wall edges when using sanding equipment or applying stains and sealers. This could add to your project time because you'll need to go through touch-ups or repainting. A local interior painting company can take care of any damage caused by the floor and reduce your project timeline.

Pros and Cons of Refinishing Floors First

Choosing to get your floors refinished first can be the right step for some projects, especially if you're managing multiple timelines. Since dust kick-up is a major concern, you can opt to hire a local floor refinishing company that uses a dust-free sanding process. Here's how to compare the benefits and drawbacks of refinishing floors first.

Pros of Refinishing Floors First

Refinishing floors before painting walls gives you greater flexibility and control over a space's overall look. It’s much easier to choose a paint shade that complements the natural tones and variations of the finished wood rather than trying to match the flooring to a pre-selected wall color. Wood stains can shift in appearance depending on lighting and application, so seeing the final floor first allows for more accurate color coordination. You end up with a more cohesive and intentional design outcome.

Damage to the walls from sanding equipment, like scuffs or small dents, is quick and inexpensive to fix with spackle and paint. More importantly, sanding floors generates a large amount of fine dust, which can compromise freshly painted walls by settling on the surface or becoming embedded in wet paint. By completing the dusty part of the work first, you avoid this issue entirely and ensure that your paint job stays clean and smooth. 

Cons of Refinishing Floors First

Similar to painting first, refinished floors need protection when painting comes second. Once floors are sanded, stained, and sealed, they're vulnerable to paint splatters, drips, and scratches. You'll need to fully cover them with high-quality drop cloths or plastic sheeting to avoid accidents, adding time and effort to the prep work. Even with protection, there's always a risk that a dropped tool, paint can, or ladder leg could damage the freshly finished surface.

If the floors are sanded but not yet sealed, they can absorb paint or primer if anything leaks through the protective layer. This can lead to unsightly stains or discoloration that may be difficult—or even impossible—to fully remove. Painting after the floors are done requires more caution and precision near baseboards and trim to avoid damaging the floor's finish, which can slow down the painting process.

Can I Paint My Walls and Refinish My Floors Simultaneously?

If you're still not sure which project to complete first, you can consider working on both simultaneously. This does require following a strict timeline to protect all surfaces.

Begin by sanding the floors first, and thoroughly clean the space afterward to remove all airborne particles. Once the dust has settled and cleared, apply a single coat of primer or base paint to the walls. Next, refinish the floors by staining and sealing them while protecting the lower portions of the walls with painter’s tape and plastic sheeting to guard against splashes.

After the floor finish has fully cured, return to the walls to apply the final coats of paint, using drop cloths to protect the new flooring. If you’re considering painting your hardwood floors instead of refinishing, you can still do these projects simultaneously.

How to Decide Whether You Should Paint Walls or Sand Floors First

Now it's time to choose which process you need to follow for your renovation project. Here's what you need to consider as you come to your final decision:

• Project-specific factors: The size of the space, overall timeline, and the current condition of the room can influence the best order for your project.

• Contractor preferences: Your local remodeling contractor, flooring professionals, and wall painter near you have their own recommended workflow, so it’s wise to consult them.

• Drying and curing times: After refinishing hardwood floors, you need to avoid walking on the surface for at least 24 hours, meaning painting would need to wait. If you use oil-based paint on your walls, a second coat can often be applied within hours. Otherwise, you may need to wait 24 hours before recoating, which can delay floor work.

• Scheduling and logistics: Tight timelines or limited space will require staggering the work instead of doing it sequentially.