Is It Better To Paint Or Carpet The Floor First

It’s like the age-old question; what came first, the chicken or the egg? If you’re wondering if it’s better to paint or carpet first then you would likely come up with a different answer than the next person. There’s been something of a debate surrounding this question between DIYers over the years, but it’s become pretty apparent which way around it should be. 

In order to avoid scuff marks and touch ups on your fresh paintwork, most people would agree that installing the carpet should be done first. 

However, there is a worry that installing a new carpet before painting could result in paint being spilled, therefore ruining your new flooring. The good news is that if you hire a professional painter, they will come well equipped with protective sheets that will protect your new carpet. 

In this guide, we will be looking at why it’s better to carpet first and giving you some helpful information on how to get the most out of your renovation. 

What Are The Risks For Interior Walls When Carpeting?

If you decide to paint your interior walls before installing new carpet then there are a lot of things that could go wrong. Most obviously, the finish of the walls could be ruined. If this happens, then you’re left with the responsibility of repainting and touching up which can be nothing less than infuriating. 

It’s important to keep in mind that your carpet fitters could scrape the walls and if they are freshly painted, the last thing you want are chips and scuffs. While all professional carpet fitters will take great care when working in your home, there’s no denying that accidents can and do happen. 

Keep in mind that if you are having old flooring removed, such as laminate then your fitter may use tools that could cause damage. Things like mallets could scratch or chip away at new paint not to mention the damage they could do to newly painted baseboards. Wouldn’t it just be much simpler to cover the carpet and paint the walls afterwards?

It may be a lot easier than you think to avoid paint spills and damage to a new carpet when painting after installing new flooring. But we will talk more about this later on. 

Another thing to consider when changing carpet, especially if you previously had a different type of flooring is that you may need to move your baseboards. Different flooring types require the baseboards set at different heights. If you’ve painted your walls and then realise the skirting boards need to be moved, you’re leaving yourself open to a whole world of remedial work. 

Making Life Easier For The Carpet Fitter

Even though you are hiring your carpet fitter and likely paying them good money, it goes without saying that you’ll want to make life as easy as possible for them. By leaving any painting until after the carpet fitter has finished, you will be making his or her job so much simpler.

Remember that your carpet fitter will need to bring in huge rolls of carpet that could be as large as 12 feet! Depending on the room and the installation, your fitter may also need to roll the carpet up the walls as they trim and fit it. If you’ve just painted, we’re pretty sure you aren’t going to want anyone rubbing carpet over your fresh walls. 

By installing carpet beforehand, you will minimise any worries regarding touch ups, scratches and will drastically reduce the stress levels of your fitter. Reduced stress means a better overall job and that’s something everyone can get on board with. 

Related Article: Can You Fit A Carpet With Furniture In The Room

Finding The Right Painter

When it comes to choosing a painter for your home, you are always going to want to make sure that you select someone adept and responsible. So, one of the first things you will need to query is how the painter plans to protect your newly laid carpet. 

But you’ll find that most professional painters are used to working in homes with brand new flooring and will be perfectly equipped to handle this. They’ll come with dust sheets, protective plastic sheets, tarps and tapes to make sure that the paint doesn’t go anywhere but the wall.

Is There Any Reason To Paint First?

One of the main reasons that a lot of homeowners decide to paint first is purely to minimise stress. Imagine having installed your brand new carpet only to watch in horror as a paint can gets knocked over, ruining the entire thing. It’s an expensive mistake to make which is why we’d urge you to go with a pro who will protect your flooring as that’s part of their job. 

Some people also like to paint first as this seems to be a better way of controlling paint fumes. Once the room is carpeted, you will be able to relax in there without being suffocated by the paint. That said, carpets also emit VOCs and will leave an odour behind so you’ll still need to make sure that the room is well ventilated. 

Conclusion

Renovating your home should be an enjoyable time. The last thing you want is to have to stress over whether your new carpet is going to be ruined by paint. But that’s why most people would agree that installing carpet before painting the walls is the most sensible idea. 

Life will be so much easier for your carpet fitters and you won’t have to worry about any damage. Plus, when the painter arrives, he or she will be ready to protect your floors and leave you with the perfect home!