Cure time

A floor finish goes through two stages. First it dries, which means the surface is no longer wet. Then it cures, which means it keeps hardening all the way through until it reaches its full strength. Drying takes hours. Curing takes days.

With the FloorIt finish, a two-part, water-based urethane, the timeline is simple. The family can walk on the floor in socks after 24 hours. Furniture can go back in about 3 days. The floor is fully cured, with rugs back down, in about 7 days.

Rugs wait the longest because a rug laid on a finish that is still curing can trap it and leave a mark. Heavy furniture waits a few days for the same reason. When it goes back, it should be lifted into place, not dragged.

Cure time is a big reason homeowners like a recoat. The family stays home the whole time, and a Saturday job means the house is back to normal by the middle of the week. A full sand and refinish usually takes several days.

At the end of every job, go over the timeline in the walkthrough. A homeowner who knows what to expect will not put a rug down on day two.

A buff and recoat brings back a dull, scratched hardwood floor in about 3 hours, without sanding. What it is, what it fixes, what it doesn't, and what it costs.