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Suppose you need to improve the appearance of your floors, it’s time to give a good refinishing.
If you are familiar with the refinishing process, you should know that you must first clear the room, sand the floor and apply a new finish.
Sounds a bit messy, right? But can I stay in my house while floors are refinished?
We recommend that you shouldn’t stay in your house while floors are refinished. Not only will the house be too messy for you to stay in, but you will also have to deal with fumes that come from the polyurethane finish, which is quite harmful to inhale.
As we go on, we will consider other factors why you shouldn’t stay in your home when the floors are refinished.
Can I Stay in My House While Floors Are Refinished?
Whether you plan on refinishing the floors yourself or calling in the services of professionals, one thing is for certain; most home improvement projects can get really messy!
Here are some reasons why you may not want to stay in your house while floors are refinished.
See Also: How to Tell If Floors Are Engineered Hardwood
1. It Gets Noisy
If you’re quite sensitive to noise, you probably wouldn’t want to stay in a house where the floors are being refinished.
Ever heard the sound of sandpaper gritting the floor? It doesn’t sound so good, does it? Thinking about it alone gets me really uncomfortable. If an electric sander is being used, it even gets noisier than that. So, you may want to stay elsewhere when your floors are being refinished.
2. It Gets Messy
We hope you know the process of refinishing floors means clearing the house of all pieces of furniture.
This might mean that the furniture gets transferred to another room while a particular floor is being refinished.
Whether you like it or not, the entire house might be a bit cramped up, and you might find it challenging to find a place to put your feet!
3. It Takes days For Finish to Dry
Suppose you are familiar with the process of refinishing floors. In that case, you should know that the whole process is concluded with sealant/finish application.
There are different types of finishes like oil-based, wax-based, and polyurethane-based products. For instance, the polyurethane-based finish curing process takes approximately 3 days.
4. Sand Paper Dust
Inhaling sandpaper dust is dangerous! It can block your nostrils, irritate, and even cause breathing problems, especially if you are asthmatic.
Sandpaper dust has a way of getting everywhere! So, you may want to leave the house when the floors are refinished.
5. You can Damage the Newly Refinished Floors
I hope you know that newly refinished floors are subject to scuffing or marring until they are completely cured.
Yes, while it is recommended that you wear socks when walking on the floor. To be on the safe side, you should avoid it altogether.
For instance, if the oil-based finish is used on your floors, there should be no traffic, at least for a minimum of 24-48 hours after the job is finished not to damage the floor.
See Also: How To Seal Hardwood Floors Without Sanding
6. Fumes from Sealant can be Dangerous
This is why an oil-based finish is not recommended.
After the application, the house will stink for days and days after they are finished and will be straight-out inhabitable for some 5 days or more.
The fumes and gases from the oil-based finish are dangerous and shouldn’t be inhaled under any circumstances!
When Can I Move in Furniture After My Floors are Refinished?
It depends on the type of finish/sealant used. For polyurethane-based finishes like Bona Traffic HD, Furniture can go back onto the floors after 24 – 48 hours.
For Oil-based finishes, it will take a minimum of 3 days for furniture to be moved in and 14 days for the rug.
For the wax-based finish, furniture can go back onto the floors in 36 hours and rugs in 7 days.
Should I Refinish My Floors by Myself?
While refinishing the floors yourself seems like a cost-wise decision, we recommend that you evaluate the difference between hiring professionals and doing it yourself.
Sometimes you might discover that there isn’t much difference in cost. Why not save yourself the hassles and call-in the services of professionals?
Unless, of course, you’ve got some time on your hands and the passion to embark on this particular project.
Oh, and home improvement projects are good mind and body exercises too!
Conclusion
Once more, to answer the question, can I stay in my house while floors are refinished? We recommend that you do not, even if you can find your way around it.
You can always postpone any house renovation project until you have a place to stay throughout the duration.
Safety should be your paramount concern.
See Also: How To Distress Hardwood Floors