The appearance and atmosphere of your home can undergo a dramatic transformation simply by having the floors refinished.
Understandably, you’re in a rush to put your furniture where it belongs.
It will be interesting to see how your old furniture fits in with your new flooring. Additionally, it is nice to have somewhere to sit and relax, particularly after you have been required to remove all of your furniture from the room for several days.
However, before you put everything back where it belongs, you need to check that your floors are strong enough to support it.
If you’re wondering when you can put furniture on refinished hardwood floors, the answer is “as soon as possible.” The following list explains the top three most common finishes:
How Long Should I Wait Before Putting Furniture Back on Hardwood Floors After They Have Been Refinished?
If you’ve had your floors refinished with a water-based topcoat, 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.
Top 3 Hardwood Floor Finishes
Putting Furniture on Refinished Floors with Water-Based Polyurethane
Water-based polyurethane is among the top hardwood floor finishes. It’s fast-drying, durable, and easy to clean.
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.
For example, Bona Mega, one of the most popular water-based poly options, takes seven days to cure but is safe for furniture placement after 72 hours. This is the norm for water-based poly.
When you’re ready to bring furniture back into the room avoid scooting it and use felt pads or floor protectors on the legs of the furniture.
To be on the safe side, wait at least three weeks before placing any area rugs back in the room.
Putting Furniture on Refinished Floors with Oil-Based Polyurethane
As a finish for wood floors, oil-based polyurethane has typically been used in the past. This topcoat is more durable than its water-based counterpart, has a lower price point, and produces a finish that is just a little bit warmer. The only drawback is that it takes a longer amount of time to dry.
There is a wide range of time frames recommended for waiting before positioning furniture on oil-based poly, anywhere from four to thirty days. Because of this, we strongly advise that you inquire with the contractor who refinished your floors or check the websites of the manufacturers for specific guidelines.
For instance, users of the popular oil-based polymer known as DuraSeal are cautioned to wait thirty days before replacing any upholstered furniture or area rugs. Rustoleum’s oil-based Varathane Floor Finish, on the other hand, suggests waiting three days before using the floor normally after application.
Quite a difference.
In a nutshell, you should postpone replacing your furniture for the maximum amount of time before doing so. At a minimum of 30 days, one should wait before replacing any area rugs.
Installation of Furnishings on Newly Refinished Floors Using Hard Wax Oil
Hard Wax Oils are created by combining various chemicals with vegetable oils and waxes. They protect hardwood floors while also giving them a finish that appears to be natural.
After 24 hours, it is generally safe to walk on hard wax oils while wearing socks. However, the amount of time that must pass before you can replace the furniture varies greatly depending on the manufacturer. Because the curing time for hard wax oil can be up to 7 days, you will need to check with your contractor or the manufacturer of the product.
Before placing an area rug back on the floor, you ought to wait at least a week after cleaning it.
Questions That Are Typically Asked
When will my hardwood floors that have been refinished be ready for an area rug?
If you have recently had your hardwood floors refinished and are wondering when you can put an area rug back on them, the answer will vary depending on the top coat that was used. Wait at least three weeks before using a water-based polymer. Wait at least one week before using hard wax oil on oil-based poly, and wait at least thirty days before using oil-based poly on oil-based poly.
When refinishing hardwood floors, how long does the process typically take?
Refinishing floors completely takes between three and five days, on average. But this can change depending on the products that are used, the person who is doing the work, and the size of the area that needs to be cleaned. If you hire a contractor, they will be able to provide you with a rough time estimate before they begin working on the project.
When applied to floors, how long does it take for polyurethane to dry?
It is essential knowledge to be aware that “dry” time and “cure” time are not the same. When the dry time has passed, it is safe to apply a second coat of polyurethane or to walk around barefoot on the floor. Cure time, on the other hand, refers to the point at which the polymer has completely hardened and can be utilized in a risk-free manner.
Conclusion
If you’ve recently had your floors refinished, these guidelines can help you get an idea of when it’s safe to start putting your furniture back where it was before.
However, because the curing times of different products can be quite different from one another, you will need to consult either your contractor or the website of the manufacturer to obtain truly accurate curing times.
