Full Cure: Despite the fact that the first drying time is shorter, it is still advised to give the floors at least 48 hours to fully cure before moving any furniture.
The average cure time for urethane finishes is 7 to 28 days while the average cure time for water-based finishes is between 7 and 14 days. During this time, it is important to avoid placing area rugs on the floor to ensure that the finish is cured.
We recommend waiting a minimum of 24 hours before you walk on your floors– and 48 hours is even better.
Typically, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for the polyurethane to fully cure. Rushing the process can result in a finish that is not fully hardened, leading to premature wear or damage to the floor.
After installing your wood floor, whether it is solid or engineered, we strongly recommend that you allow it to settle for at least 48 hours. This waiting period allows your wood floor to acclimatize to the room's environment.
As a rule of thumb, the more you wait, the better. 48 hours are generally enough to let the refinished floors dry and then move the furniture back in place. Very important: Never slide or scoot furniture across your hardwood floors! It would be a shame if you just refinished your floors and immediately scratched them.
Nailed down hardwood flooring can typically be walked on after 24 hours. There should be no additional wait time. While tough hardwoods, like oak and hickory, are safe to walk on before softer wood like bamboo and Douglas fir.
If you move furniture back into the room too soon, it can scratch or damage the finish, which will result in a less durable and less attractive floor.
Drying Time: Oil-based polyurethane typically takes 6–10 hours to dry between coats. Wait at least 24 hours before light use of the surface and 48 hours before placing furniture on it. Water-based polyurethane is becoming increasingly popular due to its faster drying time and low odor.
It provides protection against a variety of scratches and other damage, keeping your floors in pristine condition and tempering the hardwood material for years to come. You should use at least 2-3 layers of polyurethane on your wood floor.
After floor refinishing, you should stay out of your house for at least 3-4 days if oil-based finishes are used, due to longer drying times and stronger fumes. For water-based finishes, it's advisable to wait at least 2 days.
Urethane wood flooring
The polyurethane finish dries much faster than oiled finishes, so you can expect to be walking on your new living space in only 4-6 hours after it has been applied.
Wait 3 weeks before putting area rugs on newly refinished/finished hardwood floors. Wait 48 to 72 hours after the hardwood has been refinished/ finished before "PLACING" furniture back in its place. Keep a steady temperature and humidity within your home.
Four layers are suggested for water based polyurethane and 2-3 coats for oil based polyurethane. Wait for at least 8 hours before reapplying oil based polyurethane and 2 hours for water based polyurethane.
Surfaces finished with oil-based polyurethanes can be used after around 4 days, but full cure normally takes 30 days.
Within 24 hours you can carefully put your furniture back.
Polyurethane will dry to touch in 3 hours. Under ideal drying conditions, allow 6 hours before recoating. Overnight drying is recommended.
If the furniture is a unique designer antique or a valuable antique, don't refinish it. You might end up destroying the value of the furniture.
You can tell if polyurethane is cured by checking the instructions, doing the fingernail test, or the smell test.
Bona Prep® process. Adhesion failure can occur if these recoating processes are not followed, and the floor has not been tested for compatibility. The curing process takes approximately 3 days (80% cured after 1 day, 100% after 3 days).
Therefore, it is recommended that you stay out of your home for at least 72 hours after applying an oil-based polyurethane finish.
How many coats will be applied? The standard for a hardwood floor is at least three coats. This consists of one seal coat (which may be the stain) and two coats of finish. Additional costs of finish may be applied depending on the need.
Before it's time to sand the floors, many homeowners ask: “Can I stay in my house while my floors are refinished?” The answer is usually yes. If you'd like to read about the best ways to prepare for and manage the refinishing process, read on!