
How long does it take to refinish hardwood floors in a room?
From start to finish, you should expect it to take between three to five days to refinish hardwood floors in a room. This does not include drying time, which could add up to five days to the project. When Can You Put Rugs on Refinished Hardwood Floors?
How long should you wait before walking on a refinished floor?
You should wait 2-4 hours before walking on a floor refinished with a water-based poly finish, and as much as 3 to 4 days before walking on a floor refinished with an oil-based poly finish.
How long after Polyurethane can you walk on hardwood floors?
After finishing your hardwood flooring with water-based polyurethane you should wait 2 to 4 hours before walking on them (ideally longer) and you should not move furniture back for at least two days, (72 hours would be better). The longer you can wait the better and stronger your finish is likely to be and the less chance of damage occurring.
How long does it take for rugs to dry after refinishing?
Rugs and area rugs can only be put on refinished hardwood floors once the finishing agents have completely dried (otherwise the rugs will absorb solves that belong in the floor). Expect to wait 3-5 days oil-based finishes, a little less for water-based.

When can you put furniture on new hardwood floors?
How long do I have to wait to use my room after new floors are installed? We recommend waiting 6 hours before walking on your new floors in socks. After 24 hours you can walk through with shoes on. Allow 48 hours before setting furniture and returning pets.
How long does it take for wood floors to dry after refinishing?
For water-based finishes, the recommended wait time is 4-8 hours. For hard wax oils, this increases to 4-24 hours. Finally, for oil-modified Polyurethane, the surface will take between 12 & 24 hours to dry. The benefit of the dry time is that it allows us to access our floors in between coats.
How long does it take for refinished floors to cure?
It takes a full 30 days for the floors to cure, so it's ideal to wait 30 days before putting area rugs on the surface. If you want to put area rugs back sooner, than 2 weeks is another good benchmark.
Will furniture damage hardwood floors?
No. Heavy furniture doesn't damage laminate flooring, as long as it's moved carefully and the right padding is put in place.
Can you sleep in house after polyurethane?
No, it is not recommended, and you shouldn't take chances. Polyurethane will be off-gassing heavily for the first 24 hours, even for the water-based type. It is worse if you use oil-based finishes: it's highly toxic and can cause several health problems.
How long after polyurethane can I use table?
Polyurethane dry time on furniture is 2 hours when you have proper ventilation and the right weather conditions. The polyurethane cure time is much longer at 21 days for water-based poly and 30 days for oil-based polyurethane.
Is two coats of polyurethane enough on hardwood floors?
We recommend at least 2 coats of oil based polyurethane + a lacquer sealer coat as a minimum for hardwood flooring. Extra coats = extra protection, but only one coat of oil based polyurethane may be applied per day, as it needs 24 hours to dry before applying another coat.
How can I speed up the drying time of polyurethane?
Set up a space heater in an adjoining doorway to keep the room temperature in the 70s F if you are drying the urethane in early to midspring or mid- to late autumn. Outside of the summer months, the need to ventilate might lower the temperature in the room below the optimum for drying urethane.
How long does polyurethane take to dry on wood?
24-48 hoursPolyurethane dries in 24-48 hours and takes about 30 days to fully cure. Your new hardwood floor is installed, and just one more thing needs to be done to protect the wood and bring out that beautiful grain. It's time to apply the polyurethane varnish.
How do I protect my hardwood floors from furniture?
0:142:27How to Protect Hardwood Floors From Furniture (3 Quick & Easy Solutions)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipUsing furniture felt pads just like this one it's probably the easiest. And most affordable way toMoreUsing furniture felt pads just like this one it's probably the easiest. And most affordable way to protect your hardwood floors from your furniture.
Do chair mats damage hardwood floors?
And some office chair mats are even advertised as safe for hardwood floors. However, chair mats can actually cause more harm than good. As you roll in your office chair, the mat can slide or rub against the hardwood floor beneath. So, any dirt or debris between the layers will actually wear down and damage your floor.
How do you keep furniture from scratching hardwood floors?
Here are some easy tricks and considerations on how to keep furniture from scratching hardwood floors.Avoid Pushing and Dragging Furniture. ... Roll Out the Area Rugs. ... Use Furniture Pads. ... Check Furniture Feet Before Placement. ... Find Furniture with Wheels.
How Long Does Sanding a Hardwood Floor Take?
You can expect the process to take at least one or two days per room with a hardwood floor. It may take longer if you have larger than average room...
How Long Does It Take to Refinish Hardwood Floors?
From start to finish, you should expect it to take between three to five days to refinish hardwood floors in a room. This does not include drying t...
When Can You Put Rugs on Refinished Hardwood Floors?
Rugs and area rugs can only be put on refinished hardwood floors once the finishing agents have completely dried (otherwise the rugs will absorb so...
How Soon After Refinishing Can I Walk On My Hardwood Floor?
You should wait at least 2-4 hours before walking on a floor refinished with a water-based poly finish, and as much as 3 to 4 days before walking o...
How long does it take to dry refinished hardwood floors?
The cure time for refinished hardwood floors when you’re using water-based finishes, for example, is anywhere between seven days and 14 days – and sometimes even longer than that (depending on things like temperature and humidity). Oil poly can take 30 days or longer ...
How long after polyurethane do you put furniture back?
When to Put Furniture Back After Oil-Based Polyurethane. Oil based poly floors are going to need a little bit more time to fully dry and cure compared to the water-based options, usually about double the length of time if you really want a good, solid finish. After finishing your hardwood flooring with oil-based polyurethane you should wait 3 ...
Can you put area rugs on hardwood floors?
Rugs and area rugs can (generally) go on to your hardwood surfaces before you bring your furniture out, though you want to make sure that your finishing agents have totally dried before doing so. The last thing you want is your rugs or carpets to be absorbing finishing solvents that belong in the floor.
How long does it take for hardwood floors to dry?
4 days is enough time to allow the floor dry and cure naturally. When moving furniture back, avoid pulling or dragging it. Your floors may be already dry but this doesn’t eliminate the risk of creating scratches, scuffs, and dents. I recommend using high-quality furniture sliders for hardwood floors in order to make the moving process much easier ...
How long should furniture pads stay in place?
If you have dogs, I would advise against having them walk on the floor- not until at least 2 weeks are over. Dogs and hardwood floors just don’t mix.
How long does it take for polyurethane to dry?
Water-based polyurethane generally takes much less time to dry off completely. Each coat needs at between 2-4 hours to dry. So within 48 hours, the floor should be dry and you can safely put the furniture back.
How long to wait to install a rug?
This results to damage of the rug and discoloration of your newly refinished hardwood floors. That’s why it’s important to wait until the 4 weeks period elapses in order to install the area rugs.
How long does it take for a stain to dry?
In between, each coat must be given at least 24 hours to dry. Stains also require at least 24 hours to dry. Darker stains may require more time. Factors such as humidity may affect the set drying timeline.
Why does it take longer for a stain to dry?
Darker stains may require more time. Factors such as humidity may affect the set drying timeline. If the weather is humid, it will take longer fort he finish to dry. Other factors that may affect the drying time may also depend on factors such as type of wood and species of wood.
Can dogs walk on hardwood floors?
Since its okay to walk on a refinished hardwood floor after just 24 hours (you need to wear socks though), your dog can wear doggie boots as well. You just have to ensure that they have them on all the time. In fact, unless you’re going to install a carpet or rug on your hardwood floors, always have your dog wear some doggie boots.
When to Place Rugs and Furniture on a Refinished Hardwood Floor?
It is advised that you should wait a week before any furniture is placed on a newly finished floor, but that may cause lots of inconveniences.
Difference Between Cure Time and Dry Time
When it comes to applying a floor finish, it is common to find it hard to tell the difference between curing time and drying time, they are mostly misinterpreted to mean the same thing, but they actually describe two different but very important processes, they as described below:
Conclusion
If you are reading this article, you are probably asking yourself, “when can i put furniture on refinished hardwood floors”? Well, it is recommended to wait for seven days before placing furniture on refinished hardwood!
When can I put furniture on refinished hardwood floors
Have you been renovating your house or recently built a house while installing refinished hardwood floors and wonder when you will ever put the furniture and area rugs back? Well, do hold that thought; failure to do so will ruin everything.
The Right Time To Bring In Furniture After Oil-Based Polyurethane
Since these floors are oil-based, you ought not to be in a rush to put the furniture back in the house. This is because they need more time to dry when compared to water-based options. Hence, when choosing between the two, think about that, if time is not a luxury you have. You have to wait for approximately 3 to 4 days to walk on these floors.
The Right Time To Bring In Furniture After Water-Based Polyurethane
Regardless of the fact that it sets up faster than the previously mentioned one, you still have to give it time to cure. However, unlike the oil-based poly floors, you can walk on this floor after two to four hours or more. When it comes to the furniture, take them in after 72 hours.
The Right Time To Bring In Furniture After Other Finishes
When you take a different path to refinish your floors, the duration it will take for them to cure will undoubtedly be different; this goes without saying. There are numerous types of finishes, and as a result, there is the need to check the label and consult a professional who is conversant with how they work.
How To Offer More Protection For A Refinished Hardwood Floor
Of course, there will be wear and tear; however, to mitigate it, you can purchase a polyurethane finish. It will undoubtedly do the job. Your goal is for these floors to last longer without reasonable doubt. To see to it, you could invest in floor protectors for your furniture.
How long do you have to wait to put furniture back on a wood floor?
If you’ve had your floors refinished with a water-based top coat, you’ll need to wait at least 72 hours before placing the furniture back on the floors. For oil-based polys, you’ll need to wait 4-30 days, depending on the product used. If you’ve used a hard wax oil, the wait time is up to 7 days before moving furniture in the room.
How long does it take to refinish a floor?
It usually takes 3-5 days to have floors fully refinished. However, this can vary depending on the products used, who’s doing the job, and the size of the area. If you use a contractor, they’ll be able to give you a time estimate before starting.
How long does it take to put a rug back on hardwood floors?
If you’re wondering when you can put an area rug back on your newly refinished hardwood floors, it will depend upon the topcoat you used. For water-based poly, wait at least three weeks. For oil-based poly, wait at least 30 days, and for hard wax oil, you’ll need to wait at least one week. How long does it take to have hardwood floors refinished? ...
How long does it take to cure hard wax oil?
However, the time it takes before you can place furniture back depends on the brand. Curing time for hard wax oil is up to 7 days, so you’ll need to check with your contractor or the product manufacturer.
How long does it take to put furniture on oil based poly?
The recommendations for placing furniture on oil-based poly are all over the place – anywhere from 4 to 30 days. This is why we recommend asking the contractor who refinished your floors or checking the manufacturer’s websites for specific guidelines.
How long does it take for polyurethane to cure?
Since water-based poly dries so quickly, you can usually walk on it with socks after 24 hours. However, fully curing takes up to 7 days.
Can you put furniture on refinished floors?
Putting Furniture on Refinished Floors with Hard Wax Oil. Hard Wax Oils are made of vegetable oils, waxes, and other chemicals. They offer hardwood floors protection while giving them a natural-looking finish. Most hard wax oils are safe to walk on in socks after 24 hours.
Hardwood Floor Refinishing Timeline
At Barbati, our pros refinish hardwood flooring by sanding down the old boards to erase any visible signs of wear and tear and reveal the unblemished “new” wood beneath the surface. Our pros then apply a few coats of polyurethane, a protective layer that will prevent further stains and scratches down the line.
Contact Us Today for Expert Hardwood Floor Refinishing Services
Now that we’ve answered your question, “When can I put furniture on refinished hardwood floors?”, let our team transform your spaces. At Barbati Hardwood Flooring, we strive to provide an exceptional service and a comfortable customer experience, which is why more than 90 percent of our clients are repeat customers and referrals.
