import { finishSchedule } from ’../../data/site’;
Every floor is different, but after 40 years of sanding and refinishing around Southbury, the rhythm of a job barely changes. If you are wondering how long your floors will be out of commission, here is the schedule we actually work to.
The short answer
Most rooms take 3 to 4 working days from first sand to final coat. Which of the three finish tracks your job lands on decides the exact count:
- A polyurethane finish is three coats over three days.
- A stain plus polyurethane job runs about four days, because staining takes the first day.
- A water-based or acrylic finish can move faster, since those coats need only about 2 hours between applications instead of overnight.
Cure time after the final coat is separate from the working days, and we give you the specific walk-on and furniture-back timing with your estimate.
The day-by-day schedule
This is the same table we print on our project schedule page, and it is what a typical installation or refinishing project follows:
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Drying times and humidity
Two things move drying time more than anything else:
- Oil-based polyurethane needs about 18 to 24 hours between coats. Humidity is the variable we watch closest. We recommend air conditioning during summer jobs, or a dehumidifier, but skip the fans.
- Water-based and acrylic finishes need about 2 hours between coats, which is how some jobs compress to a single long day of coating.
One more thing homeowners with white baseboard trim should expect: some touch-up painting afterward, because the edger rides along the baseboards as it sands.
When you can walk on it
The finish is dry enough to walk on in socks after the final coat cures overnight, usually within 24 hours for oil-based finishes. Furniture goes back a few days later, and rugs wait about two weeks so the finish can harden fully. Your estimate comes with the exact windows for your finish choice.
If you are weighing refinishing against new floors, we will tell you honestly which one your floor needs. Sand and finish estimates are valid for 30 days, and every estimate is free and in your home. Request one here or call (203) 264-5574.