Replies

1. 
   IMERC | Sep 16, 2007 10:24am | #1

   after the floor...

   Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

   WOW!!! What a Ride!
   Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

2. 
   Ragnar17 | Sep 16, 2007 12:01pm | #2

   It's better to trim out the doors AFTER the finish floor goes in.  In fact, I don't even hang the doors (i.e. install the door jambs) before the finish floor goes in for the same reasons you mentioned.

    

    

    

    

   
   

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   Edited 9/16/2007 5:01 am ET by Ragnar17

3. 
   mike_maines | Sep 16, 2007 02:31pm | #3

   Here's the ideal scenario:  Hang doors, lay floors, sand and seal floors, case and base, paint, screen and finish the floors.

1. 
   Ragnar17 | Sep 16, 2007 03:24pm | #4

   Mike,

   Why do you prefer to hang the doors prior to installation of flooring?  From my perspective, the door jambs just complicate flooring installation.

1. 
   EricPaulson | Sep 16, 2007 03:30pm | #5

   This is an old argument here; one I've never understood myself.

   I'm with you on this however; I can see how IF you had a talented careful floor guy it would work just fine, but I still don't understand why.

   I like to have the floor guy come in and do the sanding and one coat. Trim everything out and have him finish.

   It's easier on both of us.[email protected]

    

    

    

    

2. 
   mike_maines | Sep 16, 2007 03:46pm | #6

   The majority of work I've done is in older houses, but even in the ones I frame the floors are never perfectly level.  Also the legs on door jambs are usually about 1 1/4" longer than the door.  By installing the doors first I can shim the legs up to where they need to be and I get my 1/2" door clearance above the finished floor.

   Our floor guy always has a jamb cutter and undercuts the jambs before laying the floor. 

   It really all depends on the situation though.  Like I said, that was my ideal order of events.  We often have tight deadlines.  If the floor guy is held up on another jobs, I'll case and base before the floor guy, he'll lay the floor and finish it with 3 or 4 coats, and we'll install prefinished base shoe. 

   Once in a while the floor guy is available early and we'll get him in there right after sheetrock.  The problem there is that the flooring should acclimate for two or three weeks and if he gets in there right after sheetrock the moisture content in the room will be very high.  We run dehumidifiers and fans but it's still a guess if we're gonna have squeaks or not.

   So, yes, door jambs do complicate flooring installation, but there is more to the job than making it easy on the floor guy.

1. 
   Ragnar17 | Sep 16, 2007 09:20pm | #10

   Thanks for the explanation, Mike.  I work in old houses, too -- almost exclusively -- and nearly always have out-of-level floors as you describe.  I just cut the jambs to fit the floor, but I can see that shimming them below floor level would be easier --  on me, but not the flooring installer.  ;)  But it's not all that hard for the flooring guys anyway, so your approach is completely viable.

   Thanks again,

   Ragnar

2. 
   peteshlagor | Sep 16, 2007 04:23pm | #7

   Sorry to pick, especially since your process is so well thought out.  But I HATE caulked joints betwixt trim and the painted wall using stained hardwood.  I always paint first, then have the stained casing and base placed.  Course, the next guy's wife wanting a different color makes it a issue, but usually one can slip a blade in and stretch enuff to slip in some waxed paper as a paint shield.

    

1. 
   popawheelie | Sep 16, 2007 05:27pm | #8

   I can't stand caulked trim either. I learned carpentry in So Cal doing high end custom houses and we used very little caulk if any. Stain grade was the norm and the weather isn't that severe so caulking wasn't necessary or desired. Wood was cheaper also.

   Even when I paint interior wood, I like the way the trim is close to the drywall but not connected. It just looks right. To me, caulking usually means someone was sloppy or made a mistake.

2. 
   mike_maines | Sep 17, 2007 02:44am | #11

   I can't remember the last time we did stained trim.  Everything is painted, except the floor.  Depending on which painter we use, sometimes the trim gets sprayed first and the walls rolled out after, sometimes the walls get sprayed, trim sprayed, then walls rolled.  Caulking happens, though we keep it to a minimum.

   Plus our clients NEVER know what color they want on the walls until the last minute, and then most of the time they don't like the color they chose and it needs to be redone.  Wish I was exaggerating.

   (Edit to correct spelling mistake)

   Edited 9/16/2007 7:50 pm ET by Mike_Maines

1. 
   Jointerman | Sep 17, 2007 04:14am | #13

   And often times, the client is my spouse!

3. 
   Jointerman | Sep 16, 2007 09:05pm | #9

   Mike,I like your plan. The doors/jambs are shimmed and installed prior to the floor guys coming in. Although my construction project manager wanted the casing installed as well because he thinks that the casing can be cut by the floor guys. So my finish carpenter and I installed most of the casing as well. I'm mostly okay with this order, but for my entry way, I decided that I could cut and install the nicer stain-grade casing tighter to the floor than the floor guys can with a jamb saw. So you and most everyone else has confirmed that this can work. Thanks!

1. 
   mike_maines | Sep 17, 2007 02:46am | #12

   Sometimes we get stuck doing casing first too.  Then the floor guy comes along and hacks it to s##t.  BTDT, more than once.