One of the greatest benefits of installing hardwood flooring throughout your home is its longevity. With a little love and TLC, it can last for decades.

As a part of the maintenance process, hardwood flooring will on occasion need refinishing. The problem begins when most homeowners don’t plan for the process, and therefore forgo it for when they have more time. Without planning for it in advance and making the time, refinishing is often one of those things that gets put off indefinitely, until the wood is too forgone to save. Then it becomes an even more expensive task as the only way to make it look great again is to replace it.

If you are wondering how long it will take to refinish your hardwood floors, here are some key points to keep in mind as you plan.

First, you need to decide if you will be using an oil based polyurethane or a water based polyurethane. Typically oil based polyurethane takes longer and lasts longer, but more people typically like the looks of oil based.

In general, it usually takes anywhere from three to five days to use oil based polyurethane to refinish hardwood flooring.

If you are going with a natural look with no stain, often three coats or polyurethane will do. After a coat is applied, it must have 24 hours to dry, assuming the weather is dry and humid conditions are not present. So for three coats of polyurethane, three days should complete the project.

If you will be staining the wood, it will depend on how dark of stain you will be using and how many coats will be needed. Dart stains typically need longer drying time, and your flooring should be dry before the polyurethane is applied. A dark stain may need anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, and when you add in the three days for the three applications of polyurethane, a full five days will typically complete the job.

Another factor that will add into your time frame of refinishing will be the square footage of your home. A 1000 square foot living and kitchen area can easily be sanded in one day. An entire home with 3000 square feet or more, plus adding in detail work like hallways and staircases, can add into the time needed for sanding and repair.

When the dry time is complete, its still a good idea to continue letting the polyurethane cure for as long as possible. Consider taking shoes off and only wearing socks for a number of days following the refinishing. Keep furniture off the floors for a few extra days, especially if it has tiny legs that will put intense pressure directly onto your flooring.

Water based polyurethane will cut your time both in application and in drying time. If you are in a huge rush, this can sometimes be a solution that will work for the shorter term. You can usually move furniture back onto the flooring within 24 hours,

Whether you are thinking of refinishing your current wood floor, have questions about your existing flooring, or are looking to replace your flooring, we can provide you with answers. Stop by or give us a call today.

For all of your Denver Hardwood Flooring needs visit our site today.