One of the first questions homeowners ask when planning a hardwood refinishing project is whether they need to leave the house while the work is being done.
In many cases, you can stay home. But it really depends on how much flooring is being refinished and how the home is laid out.
Refinishing one bedroom is very different from refinishing an entire main floor. If the work includes the kitchen, hallway, stairs, or main entrances, living around the project can become much more difficult.
For larger refinishing jobs, the important thing is to understand what areas of the home will be unavailable and for how long.
It Depends on How Much of the Home Is Being Refinished
If only one room is being refinished, staying in the house is usually fairly straightforward. The room can be closed off and the rest of the home can continue to function normally.
When several connected rooms are being refinished at the same time, things become more complicated.
A typical main-floor project might include the living room, dining room, hallway, kitchen, and the area around the stairs. Once those floors are being sanded and finished, there may not be an easy way to move through the house without crossing the work area.
That is why we usually recommend looking at the floor plan before the project begins. Sometimes homeowners can stay comfortably on another level of the home. In other cases, especially when the staircase or main entrance is involved, staying somewhere else for part of the project may simply be easier.
What Is the House Like During the Sanding Process?
Sanding is the most active part of the refinishing process.
Professional equipment is used to remove the old finish and prepare the hardwood for stain and new protective coatings. Modern dust-control systems make the process much cleaner than older sanding methods, but the area is still an active work zone.
There will be sanding equipment, hoses, tools, and people moving through the space.
This is one of the reasons larger projects are easier when the rooms are completely cleared before work begins. It allows the crew to move efficiently and reduces the chance of delays.
You should also expect some noise during the sanding stage, particularly if you are working from home or spending most of the day in another part of the house.
Once the Finish Goes Down, Access Becomes More Important
The biggest restriction usually comes after stain or finish has been applied.
At that point, the floor cannot simply be walked across whenever someone needs to get to another room.
The exact drying time depends on the products being used, but freshly finished hardwood needs to remain undisturbed until it is ready for foot traffic.
This is where the layout of the home really matters.
If the refinished area separates the bedrooms from the kitchen, blocks the main staircase, or sits between you and the only entrance, it may make sense to arrange somewhere else to stay during that part of the project.
For homeowners refinishing an entire main floor, this is something worth planning before the work starts rather than trying to figure it out once the finish is already down.
What Happens to the Furniture?
All furniture and rugs need to be removed from the areas being refinished.
For one or two rooms, that may simply mean moving furniture into another part of the house.
For an entire main floor, it takes a little more planning.
Some homeowners move furniture upstairs, into a basement or garage, or use temporary storage. What you want to avoid is moving everything into another hardwood room that also needs to be refinished later.
If several connected areas are being completed, clearing them all at once usually makes the project much smoother.
Pets and Children Need a Little More Planning
Pets should be kept away from the refinishing area while work is taking place and while the finish is drying.
Even after the floor can handle light foot traffic, it may not be ready for pets running across it. Your contractor can tell you when it is safe based on the finish being used.
The same applies to young children.
A refinishing project involves equipment, cords, freshly coated floors, and areas that cannot be walked on. If the home layout makes it difficult to keep children or pets separated from the work area, staying elsewhere for a short period can make the whole process easier.
When Can Furniture and Rugs Go Back?
One thing homeowners are sometimes surprised by is that “dry” and “fully cured” are not the same thing.
A floor may be ready for careful foot traffic before it is ready for heavy furniture or area rugs.
Putting everything back too quickly can interfere with the curing process or leave marks in the new finish.
The timing varies depending on the finish system, so it is important to follow the specific instructions provided for your project.
Do You Actually Need to Leave the House?
Not necessarily.
For smaller projects, most homeowners can usually remain at home without much difficulty.
For larger refinishing projects, especially those involving an entire main floor, stairs, or several connected rooms, spending a night or two elsewhere can sometimes be more convenient.
It really comes down to access.
If you can still reach your bedroom, bathroom, entrance, and other essential parts of the home without crossing the refinishing area, staying home may be perfectly manageable.
If the project effectively cuts the house in half, temporary accommodations may make more sense.
Planning Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Toronto or the GTA?
A good refinishing project should be planned around more than just the condition of the floor.
The layout of the home, furniture, stairs, access between rooms, pets, and drying time all need to be considered before work begins.
Toronto Restoration Services specializes in professional hardwood floor refinishing and restoration throughout Toronto and the GTA.
Whether you are refinishing several connected rooms, an entire main floor, a staircase, or hardwood throughout the home, we can help you understand what the project will involve before the work starts.
Contact Toronto Restoration Services to discuss your hardwood refinishing project and the best way to plan it around your home.
