Coordinating a renovation that involves both painting and new flooring is one of the most common scheduling questions Toronto homeowners face. Getting the order wrong doesn't make the project impossible — but it does make one of the two trades work harder and usually adds cost. Here's the right sequence and why it matters.
The standard order: paint first, then floor
The professional consensus — among both painters and flooring contractors — is to paint walls and ceilings before installing new flooring. The reason is straightforward: painters can work freely. Drop cloths go down over the existing subfloor or old flooring, paint drips and splatter are protected against, and the painter can move ladders and equipment without worrying about damaging a finished floor.
After the flooring is installed, a final coat of paint on the baseboards achieves a crisp, clean line against the new floor surface. This is a quick step — not a full baseboard repaint — and it's what gives the finished room a polished look.
The full sequence for a room renovation
- Remove old flooring (if applicable)
- Any drywall repairs or plastering
- Ceiling paint (first)
- Wall paint — two coats
- Baseboard primer and first coat
- New floor installation
- Quarter-round or shoe moulding installation and caulking
- Final baseboard coat (touch-up to get a clean line against new floor)
When the order has to be reversed
Sometimes flooring goes in before painting — perhaps the floors were installed by a previous contractor, or there was a scheduling conflict. This is workable but requires more protection:
- Heavy rosin paper or Ram Board taped over the full floor area before any paint work begins
- Careful ladder placement — rubber feet only, no bare metal on hardwood or LVP
- More edge-cutting work on baseboards to get a clean line without masking tape catching on floor texture
When you submit photos through our online quote form, mention whether new floors are already installed. We'll adjust the protection scope and quote accordingly — the price difference is minor but the prep approach changes.
What about painting after carpet?
Carpet is the exception. If you're replacing old carpet with new carpet as the final step in a renovation, it's common to paint the walls after the old carpet is removed and then install new carpet last. This avoids the need to protect carpet edges and gets a perfect wall-to-floor paint line before the carpet tucks against the wall.
Coordinate your trades early
The most common renovation mistake is not booking both trades early enough to sequence them correctly. If you're booking flooring and painting for the same renovation, lock in both schedules before either one starts so you can get the order right.
Request a quote from us through our online quote form and include your expected floor installation date. We'll confirm availability to schedule around it. We work across Toronto and the GTA.