Can I Stay In My House While Hardwood Floors Are Refinished?

Hardwood floors require a refinishing session after some time to refresh their appearance and deal with the damage they have received for some time.

This refinishing is important for their health, durability, and further longevity.

The refinishing session requires the floors to be cleared completely as they will be cleaned, sanded, stained, sealed, and then buffed to give them a proper makeover and restore their health.

However, this requires the homeowner to stay within the area for many reasons.

It is preferred that you should not stay in the house while your hardwood floors are refinished for the betterment of your family and your health. It is better to hire a professional and let them do the job while you can relax at a friend or relative’s house in the meanwhile.

We understand that you might be intrigued by the thought, but your health and convenience must do so.

There are various reasons behind this logic which we will discuss shortly, so make sure you stay tuned.

Why Should You Not Stay In The House While The Hardwood Floors Are Refinished?

Staying in the house while your hardwood floors are being refinished is strictly prohibited due to the toxic fumes, dust, and vapors that might originate from the area and cause health issues.

Hence, here are some reasons you should not stay in the house while the floors are refinished.

Dust

Many people are allergic to dust, and those who do not feel uncomfortable when there is too much dust around.

During the process of refinishing hardwood floors, cleaning and sanding generates much dust, which has to be wiped out of the rooms and goes out of the house through the galleries and pathways.

Hence, those who are allergic to dust would experience severe sneezing and other respiratory issues, including intense coughing.

Moreover, patients with asthma can get an asthmatic attack as dust triggers breathing issues and can cause serious concerns to their health.

Therefore, staying out of the house while your floors are being refinished is best.

While many homeowners think restricting the finishing process to one area would not affect the rest of the house, this is not true.

Dust is lifted in the air and is carried around even if you close doors or install heavy curtains around the area to try to stop it.

Especially if it is a windy day, you can expect the dust blowing in your house all around and causing all sorts of problems mentioned above.

Also Read: Is It Cheaper To Refinish Hardwood Floors Or Replace With Laminate?

Strong Smell

Floor finishes often feature a pungent smell that is unpleasant to human senses and can sometimes be irritable.

Moreover, some finishes have a strong smell which can initiate many problems, such as migraines, teary eyes, and more.

If someone in your house has a strong nose, they would certainly be affected much more than others, and it might be difficult for them to breathe in the pungent smell that has spread across the house.

The smell usually comes from polyurethane, stains, and other substances and can stay in the atmosphere long.

This problem might not have occurred if the floors were being finished for the first time during construction, as no one would be present in the house.

But now that the floors are being refinished and people are present, the strong smell can also be a big problem for your pets.

They can be affected severely as they have stronger noses that can sense many smells simultaneously in bulk quantities.

However, if you try ventilation, you might be able to reduce the intensity a bit, but it won’t make the smell go away.

Therefore, the best solution is to vacate the area until the smell has gone and the atmosphere inside has settled down.

Fumes

No matter what type of finish you are using for your hardwood floors, they are bound to have a certain amount of VOC content.

VOCs are volatile organic compounds used in the making of hardwood finishes.

Though they do not pose any harm to humans in dried form, they are very dangerous when in liquid or gaseous form and can cause many diseases.

When it comes to animals, finishes such as polyurethane can even cause cancer in pets after prolonged exposure and will surely make them fall sick almost immediately.

Moreover, if humans inhale these fumes for an extended time, they can also get sick and develop diseases.

Many homeowners frown upon getting their hardwood floors refinished mainly due to the problem of the toxic fumes, as the efficiency and toxicity of the product don’t seem to go hand in hand.

However, volatile organic compounds are chemicals that are the primary components of almost all hardwood finishes.

When these finishes are applied, and they start to solidify and harden, the VOCs get emitted into the air in the form of gaseous fumes.

Hence, they remain in the same room and spread away into the entire house. Some hardwood finishes also contain another toxic component called Isocyanates.

This compound shares the toxic effects of VOCs and falls in the same category of fumes. However, it is found to be carcinogenic, which causes cancer but doesn’t have much effect on humans.

It is seen to target animals mostly, and hence, you must keep your pets (if you have any) away from the newly-finished hardwood floors for some time.

But worry not, as Volatile Organic Compounds and Isocyanates are harmless once the floor has been cured and the toxic vapors have dispersed.

You only need to be careful during the application or when the floor is being cured; after that, it is entirely safe for you and your pets to visit or inhabit the area.

But it is still wise to clear the area for some time while the floors are in the process of being finished.

See Also: How Can I Restore My Hardwood Floors Cheaply?

Inconveniences of Staying In The House When The Floors Refinished

Apart from health issues, there are some other problems that you might have to face while staying in your house during the refinishing process. Below are some pointers that are noteworthy for you.

Disruption to Home

Staying inside the house while the floors are being refinished will cause major disruption in your daily chores and regular household activities.

Keeping the health factor on the side, the refinishing process takes much time and only allows you to do homely chores if you get disturbed.

There is much variation in the time required for the process to finish, but depending on the size of the floors that need to be refinished, this time can range between 2 to 5 days.

During this time, the areas being refinished are completely off-limits, and if it is a drawing room or a gallery with hardwood flooring, you might need to rethink how you can access different parts of the house.

Tip-toeing away across surfaces is not an option, as walking on the floors might damage the finish.

In addition, you might not need to face much trouble if you are moving into an unfurnished house and getting the floors refinished as there is a lot of space around, and you can easily utilize some other area of the house until one part is unfinished.

However, refinishing the floors of a house, you are settled in can be very difficult.

It would be as if you’re re-experienced shifting and resettling as the floors need to be cleared of any items, and you can’t use the room or the area for some time before it has been cured.

Unless you’re moving into an empty and unfurnished space, you should expect furniture to be moved around as different floor areas are refinished.

This can lead to many inconveniences, and daily chores in the house can sometimes become impossible. Hence, vacating the house while the floors are refinished is best.

Time Duration

If the process of refinishing required only a few hours and things could’ve gone normal after those hours, everyone would have been happy.

However, this is not the case; although the exact time required for refinishing is determined according to the size and the condition of your hardwood floors, the usual time ranges from anywhere between 2 days to a week.

If the floor has received damage to some areas that need fixing, this time will increase accordingly.

Therefore, the activities in the house become restricted, and waiting for the situation to settle can be irritating.

As stated earlier, the task wouldn’t have been too difficult if it was a matter of hours but having to bear these inconveniences for days might not be acceptable for all the members of the family.

Therefore, it is only wise to relocate or go on a vacation for a week or two while the floors are being refinished.

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Furniture Needs To Be Moved Around

If you have moved into an unfurnished house, it might not be a problem, but in a furnished home, you would have to move a lot of furniture and other items around so that your hardwood floors can be refinished.

Moreover, if you are settled in a house, and the refinishing phase has arrived, you will face even more problems.

When floors are refinished, they demand that nothing be placed on them and that they are clear of any traffic.

Living in a furnished house means that there will be beds, cupboards, dressings, drawers, sofas, chairs, and a lot more present all around the house.

If you want to refinish your hardwood floors and if your flooring is spread across the house, you must constantly remove furniture from all areas for the floors to be refinished.

If you have a lot of furniture, there might even come a time when you won’t have the space to put your furniture, as all the floors will be going through the refinishing process.

Besides, how would you stay in the house with all the beds, sofas, and chairs moved to some other place such as the storeroom?

Hence, let the process go smoothly and vacate the house for some time to allow the refinishing to go smoothly.

If you don’t know what you will do now, try to plan a staycation or visit a friend or family member who lives in a city.

If you’ve run out of ideas, try asking your kids a place that they want to visit and plan a trip over there. A professional finishing service can take care of your hardwood floors in the meanwhile.

How To Decrease The Time Required To Stay Off Hardwood Floors?

To decrease the time required to stay off hardwood floors after refinishing, improve ventilation, use air purifiers, and utilize materials to absorb toxic fumes.

These measures help speed up the drying and curing process, making the area safe for occupants and pets sooner.

Ventilate The Area For Better AirFlow

Ventilation is integral if you want the toxic fumes to be warded off and the finish to dry quickly.

Ventilation allows for airflow in the room, exchanging the toxic air with fresh air and quickly making the area safe for use.

Hence, ventilated rooms are always preferred for poly finishes, while enclosed rooms with no windows or open space are often frowned upon.

You can open windows and doors and turn on fans to promote airflow in and out of the room, allowing the finish to dry faster and for fumes to leave the area.

Install Air Purifiers In The House

Another wise option is to install air purifiers in the room and other house areas. If you are someone who wants to keep the environment clean and wants to play their part in an eco-friendly environment, this option is going to appeal to you the most.

An air purifier can go down the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air and neutralize them.

They are usually fitted with ozone or charcoal filters which purify toxic air for you. Installing an additional air purifier in the affected room and one near the room is best to ensure the best results.

Keeping them running until the fumes have gone completely would be best.

However, if your flooring is in a commercial setup that receives too much traffic and it is hard to limit the traffic for a long time, or the area is too big to be countered with an air purifier, you must get an air filtering system.

This will solve most of your problems as a commercial setup can work up to 20x faster and give you results immediately.

Related: Will Buckled Hardwood Floors Go Back To Normal?

How Long Before You Can Walk On Refinished Hardwood Floors?

You must wait at least 2-4 days before walking on your refinished floors again.

Understandably, you want to visit the refinished floors and bring in furniture for that purpose; however, you must wait a few days before doing that.

The time to wait can vary on the type of finish that you use on your floors. Mainly, polyurethane finishes are used, which have two types; oil and water.

If you apply a water-based poly on your hardwood floors, you can bring the furniture in almost 2 days.

However, in the case of oil-based poly, you would need to wait for at least 4 days before placing any object on the floor.

In fact, it is better to check the surface for hardness before you decide to move anything on it. It is best to wait a little longer rather than risk the finish on your hardwood floors.

Therefore, always do your due diligence before you decide to move anything into the room. Besides, remember not to drag any object on the surface as it might leave scratches or scuff marks.

If you move any object on the floors before this time, you might even scratch or scuff the surface.

Depending upon the type of finish, you might need help spot-repair the area and would have to redo the finish all over again to fix the damage or bear the damaged area for another 2-3 years before it can be refinished again.

Can I Stay In My House While Hardwood Floors Are Refinished?

Staying in the house while your hardwood floors are being refinished is not recommended.

Not only does it pose risks and threats to your health, but you might also have to face too much inconvenience along it.

Some of the health risks involved with staying in the house include:

• Toxic Fumes Contain VOCs which can be harmful to humans and fatal to animals.
• Excess amounts of dust can trigger allergies or asthmatic attacks.
• The pungent smell around the house makes breathing difficult and might cause problems such as migraines.

Besides, many troubles are also involved in staying in the house while the floors are refinishing. Firstly, a lot of furniture has to be moved around as the space on the floor needs to be cleared.

This piles up all the furniture in one spot, which might need more to contain all the furniture.

If there are hardwood floors in the kitchen or the bedroom, you can’t visit the area for a few days for obvious reasons.

This leaves you with no place to sleep, cook, or bathroom in which you could go. Moreover, if hardwood floors exist in the gallery or the hallway, moving around in the house would become nearly impossible.

Therefore, it is best to stay out of the house or move to a friend’s or a relative’s place for a few days until your floors are being refinished.

This will allow you to move back into a house with new and newly finished floors with an extremely lush look.

Can I Sleep In My House After Refinishing Hardwood Floors?

You should not sleep in your house after newly refinished hardwood floors as all hardwood finishes have a VOC content which is harmful in liquid and gaseous form for humans and animals.

You expose yourself to those fumes when you sleep in a house with freshly refinished floors. However, it also depends on how much of your house is getting refinished.

For instance, if one room is finished, you can sleep in another room that is a bit distant from the first and keep the windows open for fresh air.

Another factor is the type of finish used. If you have used water-based polyurethane, you can easily sleep in another room in the house.

They do not emit as many VOCs as other finishes and have less odor. Besides, the toxicity level of these odors is also very low compared to the oil-based counterpart.

However, it is strictly against recommendations to stay in the same room for a long time as the toxic fumes might not be safe for your health.

But if your hardwood floors are finished with oil-based polys, you must avoid staying in the house.

They have a very high VOC level and are considered to be highly dangerous for your health. It is not advised to stay in the house without a respiratory mask, let alone sleep in the house.

This is one of the main reasons that most of the oil-based poly treatments for hardwood floors are done immediately after installation during construction, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to stay in your own house.

However, if you get a hardwood floor installed late after the construction or decide to refinish the floors after they have shown signs of wear and tear, you would need some precautions.

Moving to a friend or relative’s house for a few days is best as it is unsafe for you and others in your family to be exposed to toxic fumes.

If it is not feasible for you, you must turn towards the water-based counterpart or any other type of sealant.

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Can You Refinish Hardwood Floors Without Moving Out?

If your house is big and only a small portion is getting refinished, you can stay there while your floors are refinished.

However, if your house is not that big or the area to be refinished is quite extensive, you must refrain from staying in your house due to obvious health reasons.

Staying in a big house with a small portion to be refinished allows you to maintain distance from the area under treatment, and you can stay protected from the dust, the toxic fumes, and the pungent smell.

In addition, you won’t have to move too much furniture around so there won’t be much inconvenience.

Hence, it is possible to get your hardwood floors refinished while staying in the house if there is ample space and only a small portion of the house will receive the treatment.

How Long Should You Stay Off Newly Refinished Hardwood Floors?

Depending upon the time of finish you have used, you should wait for at least 2-4 days before you can move on your refinished hardwood floors again.

In most cases, polyurethane or wax finishes are used on hardwood floors.

In wax finishes, you would need to wait for 2-3 days, depending on the coats your hardwood flooring has received. The higher the number of coats, the more time you would need to wait before it is dried or cured.

As for the polyurethane finish, you can choose between oil and water-based finishes. Both of these require a different number of coats and have varying times to dry.

As for water-based finishes, they have a thin viscosity and must be applied in a higher number of coats.

However, you would need to wait at least 2 days before the hardwood floors have been cured properly and the finish has hardened so you can walk or place any furniture on it.

Lastly, oil-based finishes have a thicker viscosity and require a smaller number of coats. However, they need more time to dry and harden before you can step on them.

How Long Before Dogs Can Walk On Refinished Hardwood Floors?

You can allow your dogs to walk on the refinished hardwood floors after 4 days. Regardless of the finish you have used, the floor will be dry in 4 days and cured; hence, you can allow your dogs to walk on them.

However, it is still preferred to check the area for any dampness and smell it for any fumes before you let your dogs inside.

Bottom Line

Staying in the house while your floors are being refinished is not recommended. It is not safe for the health of your family members or your pets to come in contact with the area that is being refinished.

While many homeowners think that they should take up the task of finishing their hardwood floors, they must not do so unless they are qualified enough.

The reason is that they might expose themselves to harmful chemicals and toxic vapors which can lead to further health problems requiring medical attention.

Therefore, it is best to let the professionals do the work and vacate the house until the floors have been finished and cured.