Can I Stay in my House While Floors are Refinished? (Find Out)

can i stay in my house while floors are refinished

The flooring of a building is one of the first things that attract attention whenever you walk into a place. This is why many homeowners invest time and money into maintaining their home’s flooring.

However, regardless of how well a floor is maintained, they are bound to age and wear out over the years. Depending on your type of floor, it can be refinished to restore its look.

But the question is, can you stay in your house while the floors are being refinished?

No you can’t, It is a bad idea to stay in your house while your floors are being refinished because the dust and the strong smell can trigger your allergies or even result to migraine.

Read: What to expect when refinishing hardwood floors

Why you Should not Stay in your House While Floors are Refinished

Dust 

If wood dust triggers your allergies or you suffer a fit of sneezes whenever your nose is irritated, even at the slightest, staying in your house while it is being refinished is definitely going to be worrisome for you.

You may think refinishing one portion of the house at a time while the area is sealed off will keep the dust away, but it won’t. The only solution to prevent you from suffering severe reactions and illnesses is to completely evacuate the area.

Read: How to clean dust off wood floor

Strong Smell 

Floor refinishing can also cause migraines to previous sufferers or those with a really strong nose. This is due to the strong smell of polyurethane, stain, and finish, which lingers in the atmosphere for a very long time.

Even if it does not cause you migraines, you are going to find it uncomfortable living in a house as the floor is being refinished; this is due to the strong odors that linger in the air.

If the floor being refinished is in a professional space, it can affect work quality and productivity as well.

Read: When can I put furniture on refinished floor

Time Duration 

Depending on how large the flooring being refinished is, it can take anywhere from a day up to a week for the area to be fully finished.

If the floor has suffered many damages and is completely worn out, that also adds more hours to the time it takes to complete the work.

If your floor is being refinished, movement will be greatly limited, and staying in a house where you are unable to move around normally for a long time can become inconvenient.

This is why it is suggested you evacuate your home as the floor is being refinished, especially if the project is large and time-consuming.

You Also Need to Move your Furniture

Unless you own little furniture, you will need to move and shift your furniture before you can begin refinishing. If you own one too many pieces of furniture, this is the time you have some regrets.

You would need to move everything out from drawer chest to bedroom sets and entire dining area furnishings while the floor work is being done. This also makes it hard for you to stay in your home as the floor is being refinished because no single piece of furniture will be in place.

Read: How to refinish distressed hardwood floor

Conclusion

Staying in your house while the floors are refinished is not a great idea as you are not only exposed to dust and strong smell, you may also find it difficult to navigate your way around the house or do basically anything, as the furniture will all be displaced to clear out the floor.

Scroll to Top