Hi,

My floors were finished at the end of October 2011, and it's now Feb. 9, 2012. There were 2 coats done using an oil only based poly ((Minwax), and then 2 coats done using Bona Woodline oil modified. So, 4 coats total. (There were issues with the finish, that's why 4 coats were done). The first 2 coats were done mid-September. The last two coats were done at the end of October. Last 2 coats were spaced 4-5 days apart.

There is still a noticeable poly smell in my house. Does not smell pleasant. When guests come over, they ask if I've just had my floors done.

Is it possible that one of the coats never dried? What's going on here? Since the weather started to get cold at the end of October, the windows have not been open at all. Is it a ventilation problem?

Thanks for your help....

Hey,

Definately a ventilation issue. Solvent vapor needs to be evacuated out a building by positive ventilation.

The finish is likely cured on the floor, however, if finish puddles have been pushed in large amounts in the expansion gap around the floor it still may emit vapor and odor. Same can be if puddles were moved in other areas like in the heating ducts. Extensive gapping between floorboards/strips would create similar problems.

If there are rooms adjacent with carpeting/padding or furniture (furniture padding) or similar materials that can absorb solvent vapor it may emit vapor/odors for an extended time period.

If you have such materials present get close-up and sniff, you will know quickly if it is the cause.

If it is only noticed when you enter the home and "goes away" when you are inside for a while it may not be a serious issue.

Anyhow, only ventilation will help. Open windows just a crack and air the space out for a bit.

Another problem is sometimes if the heat is kept low, I often suggest to crank up the heat to say 72-74 degrees to help get the finish to cure out and gass-off for a week or so. Make sure to allow the space below (basement) to heat up also for a while so the floor stays warm for a bit.

If the odor comes from adjacent carpeting sprinkle some deoderizing powder out and allow it to sit for a while and vacuum up, that may help also.

Johannes.

Thanks Johannes.

I do only notice it when i first walk into my home, and then it pretty much goes away. But, I wonder if I'm just used to the smell, and that's why I don't notice after a few minutes.

The floor is very old, and there are some gaps in between the planks. I don't think there is any puddling.

I will open the windows and turn the heat to see if that helps.

When you buy a new car, with zero miles, how long does it take for that new car smell, to leave?

This is why I started my business!

They will OFFGAS for over a month, sometimes more!
They might have coated over a wet coat too. But you said its been several months?

Change the house heater filter. Vacuum out all heat registers. The smell may be stuck in your heating system?

Fumes can persist for many months. The only solution for that is to lightly sand and recoat with a water-based polyurethane to seal in the oil-based fumes. The water-based fumes will be gone in a few days and are not too bad even while they are around.

We just built a new house in 2014-2015. We had the first-floor floors done in November and the smell was gone in 3 weeks. We had the second-floor floors done in March and now it is July and the smell persisted and we had comments from guests and we didn't like it either. The windows were open most of the time and we had fans running. But as soon as we closed them because of rain, or a hot day requiring air conditioning, the smell would be back. It was clearly still off-gassing. So, we sanded the floors lightly with a pole sander and fine sandpaper to break the gloss and promote adhesion and then recoated with 2 coats of a water-based poly. Problem solved.

Note: Even though the pole sanding does not appear to do much, it is important to do.

Apply water-based poly with a pad applicator on a long pole to make it easy on your back and fast to do. Don't do it in bare feet and do be careful where you step as you will definitely fall if you step on wet poly, especially in bare feet.

The first floor and the second floor were done by the same company with the same number of coats. I am not aware of what they did differently between the two floors, other than not waiting as long between coats when they did the second floor. Maybe it was the shorter waiting time between coats or maybe they used a different poly or sealer and didn't tell me. Visually, it was a spectacular, glass-smooth, high-gloss job. Sealer and 3 coats.

We had our former house's floor refinished to get it ready for sale, using oil-based poly and a different company, and the fumes were gone in about a week.

Neither house is old. Neither house has gaps in the flooring. The heat vents are not in the floors, so it wasn't a matter of getting poly in the heating system. The smell was bad even if the system was not running (say, rainy spring day with windows closed and heat/AC not on). We never had zero ventilation -- even if the windows are closed, we would ventilate with our ERV.