furniture during wood floor refinishing
Whether your hardwood floors are showing signs of wear and tear or you just want to refresh their color, refinishing is a great option. Refinishing can cost half as much as replacing your hardwood floors, according to The Spruce, and is a more environmentally sustainable option. However, refinishing can be an inconvenience, and you’ll need to move your furniture out of the room for several days while the work is being done.
Depending on the size of the room, you may need to relocate your furniture to another area of your home temporarily or put it in storage. Alternatively, you can cover the furniture with plastic sheets and use tape to seal off areas of your home that aren’t being refinished to keep sawdust from contaminating other rooms.
The first step in Wood Floor Refinishing is to sand the floor. The sander will leave behind a thin layer of dust that can scratch or damage furniture and other objects in the room. To avoid this, you should remove any furniture from the room before sanding.
What should I do with furniture during wood floor refinishing?
You can either reassemble the furniture or put it back in place after the sanding is completed. Then you’ll need to apply a stain, which can also cause a lot of dust. When applying stain, open windows and ensure the area is well ventilated, and consider wearing a respirator. It’s also a good idea to limit yourself to working with one three-to four-foot section of the floor at a time, HGTV reports. This will help prevent streaks and uneven application. Also, make sure you stir your stain every 10 to 15 minutes.
Once the stain is dry, you’ll need to apply a polyurethane finish. This step takes the longest and can produce a terrible smell—particularly with oil-based polyurethane. It’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the type of poly you’re using. It’s also a good idea for homeowners to use plastic sheeting, secured with painter’s tape, to block off doorways and vent ducts to keep sanding dust from traveling throughout the house.
Wood floor refinishing is the process of restoring worn, scratched, or dull hardwood floors to their original beauty. Over time, wooden floors can lose their luster due to foot traffic, sunlight exposure, and general wear and tear. Refinishing helps revive the flooring by sanding away the damaged surface and applying a fresh coat of finish. This not only improves the appearance but also extends the floor’s lifespan.
Determining the right time to refinish wood floors depends on their condition. Signs that your floors may need refinishing include noticeable scratches, dullness, discoloration, or unevenness in the finish. If there are deep gouges or water damage, refinishing might not suffice, and replacement of certain boards may be necessary. Generally, hardwood floors can be refinished every 7-10 years, depending on the level of use. High-traffic areas may need more frequent attention.
Finally, be patient while your refinished floors cure. It can take 24 to 48 hours for the finish to fully harden. In the meantime, you should try to avoid walking on the floors with bare feet or high heels to reduce the risk of damaging your new finish. It’s also a good idea not to drag furniture on the floors, as this could scratch or mark the fresh finish.