I would wait until the walls are finished. Drywall and mudding is a messy process. We waited until that process was over before installing and finishing the wood floors and I am SO glad we did. Our flooring guy also only put two coats of polly on and is returning after everything else is finished to buff and put the third coat on. This takes care of any surface scratches that were caused during cabinet install, etc.

We tore out cabinets and then had the floors refinished. The reason for this was that cabinets were being delivered and were going to be store in the dining room until we were ready to install them (3 months later!).

After the floors were refinished I covered them with Ram Board, but they still got a few scratches and dents in them during the construction phase (DIY). so I kind of wish we had waited to refinish the floors.

We have had new floors installed in three different remodels. In all three, floors were sanded and stained early on, then covered up with rosin paper ( seamed with tape) until everything else was finished. At the end, the poly went on. Floor poly and electrical fixtures are usually the last step, as both can be damaged easily.

I would also "fortify" the paper with cardboard or ram board in heavy traffic areas.

We have had new floors installed in three different remodels. In all three, floors were sanded and stained early on, then covered up with rosin paper ( seamed with tape) until everything else was finished. At the end, the poly went on. Floor poly and electrical fixtures are usually the last step, as both can be damaged easily.

How we did/do it as well. On our last reno the project manager pushed us to finish one story's floor fully before painting, and the painters ripped up the poly when they taped around the trim. Plus the plumbers dropped a cast-iron radiator and left a huge divot in the floor. Huge fight to get each trade to pay their share of the re-finish. Never again - floors last ALWAYS for me.

So maybe we have the floors sanded after the mudding, and then wait for the poly (or the last layer of poly) until the end?

What else do people do to protect a wooden floor?

Masonite board is available in differing widths, but imho offer much better protection to the thick paper many GC's use. The 1/8" thick costs about as much and is available and cuttable at HD or Lowes.

Lamentably, the thick paper was used in my remodel (although masonite was brought up by me at my floor finishers advice) and the demolition or what ever I heard drop one day put some small deep 1" grooves in the oak.

We waited to finish ours and now will have to add in the resin for filling the small holes. Not the end of the world, but I wish I had insisted on masonite for HW floor protection. GL.

We had the floors installed before the cabinets went in--contrary to some advice--so that if we want to change the layout later, we can; and so that we wouldn't have to pay the contractor to raise the cabinets on plywood to avoid pinching toes under the toe kick. It was also less time-consuming for the floor guy.

He finished the floors after everything else was done and I have to say that it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. He created very little dust and the smell wasn't that nasty. I am SO glad I chose finish in place over pre-finished.

However, if you're just re-finishing rather than doing finish in place, there may be a whole lot more dust. Can they sand before the other work is done and then do the actual finish right at the end? Remember that pine is usually soft unless it's really old, so gouging is more likely.

We had the floors installed before the cabinets went in--contrary to some advice--so that if we want to change the layout later, we can; and so that we wouldn't have to pay the contractor to raise the cabinets on plywood to avoid pinching toes under the toe kick. It was also less time-consuming for the floor guy.

He finished the floors after everything else was done and I have to say that it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. He created very little dust and the smell wasn't that nasty. I am SO glad I chose finish in place over pre-finished.

However, if you're just re-finishing rather than doing finish in place, there may be a whole lot more dust. Can they sand before the other work is done and then do the actual finish right at the end? Remember that pine is usually soft unless it's really old, so gouging is more likely.

Would Masonite be better than ram board? We will wait for the last poly layer till the end. Honestly, I'm not too precious about the floors as they are pine and I have 2 boys, so I'm sure they will be damaged within 30 seconds of letting them back in there!