Though there’s no fixed answer to how long it takes to refinish hardwood floors, the approximate estimate is from three to seven days. The exact evaluation will depend on such factors as the size of the area, the flooring condition, and the refinishing method. What is certain is that by hiring flooring professionals, like FloorsAreUs, you’ll get your floors refinished quickly and efficiently. Keep reading this comprehensive guide to learn more about the floor refinishing process, factors affecting the refinishing time, and post-refinishing care.
Factors That Affect Refinishing Time
Estimating floor refinishing time might get blurry when you’re not sure, which factors affect it. That’s why we collected the key aspects forming hardwood floor refinishing timelines and outlined them in the points below.
Floor Size and Layout
It’s no surprise that irregularly shaped rooms or large spaces will add hours or even days to the refinishing process. Large homes with several rooms connected with hall rooms will also take longer to refinish.
Surface Condition
Scratched, stained, or uneven floorings, you’ll need more sanding and preparation efforts for quality refinishing. At the same time, flooring in good condition will only need light sanding and a fresh finish layer.
Finish Type
Did you know that water-based finish takes from two to four hours to dry, while oil-based ones can take up to eight to twelve hours per coat? However, don’t rely only on the drying time—it’s better to consult with flooring experts to choose the most optimal finish for your space.
Weather and Humidity
Cold temperatures and high humidity levels can slow down the finish drying process. This means you should include more time in your refinishing estimate in case you can’t decrease the humidity level or support stable temperatures in your space.
The Refinishing Process Timeline
To get a better understanding of the floor refinishing process, check out the timeline based on the Floors Are Us experience.
Day 1. Damage Assessment and Setup
First of all, move out the furniture and start by thoroughly assessing the floor damage and identifying the causes of the damage. This helps flooring experts to develop a custom plan for your floor refinishing.
Day 2-3. Sanding
At this point, flooring experts begin by sanding your hardwood surface and preparing it for refinishing. At Floors Are Us, we use a dustless sanding technique, minimizing dust production and ensuring a cleaner refinishing process.
Day 4. Staining (Optional)
If you want to add a tailored look to your flooring, you should opt for staining, which should be done after sanding. After staining, let your flooring dry for at least 24 hours.
Day 5-7. Finish Application
Typically, flooring experts will apply two to three coats of finish. Floors Are Us experts will choose the best-fit flooring finish for your space, providing surface protection and enhancement.
After Your Floor Is Refinished
It’s important to keep in mind that flooring needs time to cure. Though it’s completely okay to walk the floors after 24 hours, it’s advisable to wait at least seven days before placing furniture, and 30 days before laying rags.
Check out post-refinishing advice below:
- Avoid any heavy traffic during 24 hours after your flooring has been refinished. Minimize pets’ access to the flooring during the first week after refinishing.
- After a week, you can get your furniture back. For this, use furniture pads to avoid scratches.
- Try to avoid wet floor cleaning during the first month after refinishing. Instead, use dry mopping.
The above tips will help you maintain the beauty of your newly refinished floors for years to come.
DIY vs Professional Refinishing Time
Still hesitating whether you should refinish your hardwood flooring on your own or handover it to professionals? Let’s compare these two approaches.
DIY floor refinishing
Though refinishing hardwood flooring yourself might seem cost-efficient, in reality, it will most probably turn out the opposite. It can take from seven to ten days longer for beginners or non-professionals to refinish the flooring. Also, you should keep in mind the costs for equipment rental, learning in the process, and time for fixing mistakes.
Professional Refinishing
Hiring flooring experts, like Floors Are Us, will shorten the refinishing timeline by three to five days. Professionals will bring their industrial-grade equipment and years-long experience, ensuring a faster and higher-quality result.
While DIY may seem fulfilling, the risks of uneven sanding and finishing mistakes make professional refinishing a more reasonable option.
Final Thoughts
So how long does it take to refinish a wood floor? Though the exact number of days is hard to predict due to a variety of factors affecting the process, it usually won’t take more than a week. Whether you need to refinish a tiny room or want to restore the like-new looks of hardwood flooring in your entire house, understanding the process specifics and rough timelines will help you get a better time frame understanding.
If you still have questions regarding wood flooring refinishing or hesitate about the exact time frames in your specific case, reach out to hardwood flooring experts, like Floors Are Us, and get a comprehensive consultation.
