Do Hardwood Floors Off-Gas After Refinishing?

Refinishing hardwood floors is the perfect way to give a space a new, fresh look. Also, since you're re-doing your current floors instead of purchasing new ones, it's a greener remodeling choice.

​If you read the label of the products you pick, you'll know how long you must let your floors cure before you can walk or put your furniture back on them.

There's one vital detail missing: how long do your hardwood floors off-gas after refinishing?

Knowing What's Off-Gassing
Water-based polyurethane can have a little offensive odor when compared to oil-based products. But floors require no more than four coats to get the right protection level. Even though oil-based polyurethane only requires two layers, the smell might be so powerful the house is uninhabitable for many days.

Uncured polyurethane can exacerbate various breathing problems like asthma, bronchial conditions, and allergies.

Also, those who inhale the fumes may get throat irritation, uncontrolled coughing, headaches, nausea, and vomiting. Isocyanates have compounds that are categorized by the EPA as possible human carcinogens.

Several varnish products have benzene, a common carcinogen that is very flammable. The solvents in varnish are highly pungent, and the fumes can trigger headaches, dizziness, skin irritation and drowsiness. At high amounts, a person might develop respiratory illnesses, pulmonary edema, or might become unconscious.

Knowing how long these toxins are present is a critical bit of info in protecting your health.

The Amount of Time Your Hardwood Floors Off-Gas After Refinishing
Studies show off-gassing is most severe when treating the hardwood floors and the drying period. Even well after these applications have dried, though, little amounts of VOC is still off-gassing into the house.

The length of the off-gassing period can differ based on the quantity and sort of finish used, environments in the home, and how much ventilation is present.

A Non-Toxic Product for Hardwood Floor Refinishing?
In a word: Yes! To tackle the toxicity problems linked with traditional polyurethanes and varnishes, a varnish product, Woodshield, was created for human health and has no aggressive odors. It is recommended that refinishing hardwood floors is done by a professional Rochester painter.

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