My refinishers are putting on the first of 3 coats of oil based poly as I write. My A/C is set at 72 as the contractor said cold is better and KEEP IT ON as that will help with curing. We aren't expecting any rain in GA--good for me bad for all the lakes. I want to do EVERYTHING I can to make this finish last as long as possible. My questions:

How long before we can walk on the final finish?

How long before we can/should replace furniture?

How long before we should replace area rugs?

How long before cats and dog can walk on floors?

Any other words of advice?

Thanks for all the wisdom on this message board.

All these questions and the proper answers depend on the type and brand of finish that is being used. You should ask your flooring contractor.

I have always been instructed to run the AC, up to the point the lid is opened on the finish and then turn off the AC and anything circulating air movement, as you don't want the top to skin over, making for a soft finish that scratches easy.

Like I said, depends on the finish. Both Glitza and Basic recommend "air transfer" to carry off any solvents and excess moisture that could be airborne then settle back down on the fresh finish, causing problems. Run the AC up to the point of applying the finish, then turn it off while applying the finish and until the finish has become non tacky, about one hour. Then open doors windows, etc. and turn on HVAC to circulate air and bring fresh air in and carry moist, solvent laden air out. OMU's are a different story as they take much longer to become tack free, typically about four hours or so.