We are in the end stages of a construction project and one of the rooms is a small den about 11' x 9' with a small closet, 2 windows, 1 door into the hallway. It will be our TV room when it is finished with a nice flat screen going up on the wall.

We had new oak flooring installed and I am wondering if I should have the floor finished first and then paint, or paint first and then do the floor.

I did some research online and it seems like there are arguments for both ways of doing it and it is really an either or situation.

My gut feel is to do the floor first because the dust will get all over the paint. It's a small room and the painter can cover up the floor with a tarp or even cardboard to really protect it well.

We are not doing any staining of the trim so there is no issue with that. The trim will be painted with a semi-gloss paint.

I would appreciate your opinions on which to do first and why.

Thanks in advance.