I want to install new select red oak flooring but wait until I hang interior doors, install baseboard and rock my fireplace hearth and chimney up to the ceiling before I sand and finish the floor. Is there a certain amount of time I should not exceed before sanding and finishing after installing the new floor. Could the wait cause future latent problems. I don't want to sand and finish right away and damage the floor with all the workers/tools that will be on the floor. Thanks

Take all the time you need ... you may want to hold off on the base board though for convienience sake. The more trim you put in the way, the more carefull you'll need to be during the sand/finish phase. I'm sure you can intall base and paint it carefully enough to do that after the floor is done.
But you are on the right track ... no hurry on sanding.

Good Luck,

Great. I was hoping to get that response. Since I won't be doing the sanding and finishing myself but hiring this out to a professional I'll probably put the base down(already painted) so that they can install the shoe mold during their final stages. I guess they will have to be more careful with all the trim in the way. Is baseboard normally damaged during sanding/finishing? They are redoing about 700 sq feet in my current house so they will have to work around base and door trim anyways. I guess it depends on the contractor and how careful they are.

its very hard to run the edgers against base without marking it up. base shoe can cover this or you can try taping the base

My trim contractor came over this weekend and installed all the interior doors and will be putting base board down this week. He said it was better to put the doors in first and then the floor because the flooring contractor will saw the casing around the door to fit on top of the floor and this will look better. I'm sure my floor guy won't be as happy but I can't please everyone. We will install the base about 7/8" above the subfloor so they probably should not have to cut any of the base to lay the floor. Shoe mold will go down after they sand and finish or put it down on the last coat of finish. Thanks

Pro flooring installers expect and usually assume they will need to undercut casings and jambs. That is normal. Not a big deal if you have a Crain Super Saw or similar. Putting in the base first IF you are planning on baseshoe is the way to go. WHY? Because if your painter is spraying the doors, casings, jambs and so on (which gives you a better paint finish), he can spray the base as well. This is the way I have taught my general contractors to do it. It works out best for everyone; trims guys, painters and me, not having as many trades tramping across my new floors.