I've definitely been there with the humidity issue. A couple summers ago, I decided to refinish the hardwood in a small house I was flipping. Thought I'd save some cash and do it myself—how hard could it be, right?
Step one: Sanding. Easy enough, rented the big drum sander, felt like a pro. Step two: Cleaning. Vacuumed like my life depended on it, wiped everything down meticulously. At this point, I'm feeling pretty confident.
Then came step three: Polyurethane application. Checked the weather app—clear skies, moderate humidity, perfect conditions. But of course, Mother Nature had other plans. Halfway through applying the first coat, clouds rolled in out of nowhere and it started pouring rain. Humidity shot up instantly, and I swear I could see the finish getting cloudy right before my eyes.
I figured I'd wait it out, maybe it'd clear up overnight. Nope. Next morning, floor looked like someone spilled milk all over it. Had to sand it all back down and start from scratch. Lesson learned: never trust the weather forecast when refinishing floors.
Since then, I've become a bit obsessive about checking humidity levels indoors—not just outside—before applying finishes. Bought one of those cheap digital hygrometers off Amazon; best ten bucks I've spent in a while. If it's anywhere near 60% or higher, I don't even bother opening the can.
But yeah, DIY kits can definitely work if you're patient and don't mind a little trial and error. And honestly, even with occasional mishaps, it's still cheaper than hiring pros every time your floors start looking dull. Just keep a sense of humor handy... you'll need it.
Humidity can definitely ruin your day when refinishing floors. I've found that using oil-based poly instead of water-based helps a bit—it dries slower, giving you more wiggle room if conditions change suddenly. Also, running a dehumidifier indoors for a day or two before starting can really stabilize things. Learned this the hard way myself after refinishing the floors in my 1920s bungalow...twice. Patience and prep are key, but sometimes you just gotta roll with the punches.
Interesting take on oil-based poly. I've actually had better luck with water-based finishes myself, even in my old Victorian. Sure, they dry faster and humidity can be tricky, but I found the quicker drying time means less dust settling into the finish—especially helpful since my house seems to generate dust from nowhere. Maybe it's just me, but running fans strategically seemed to help more than a dehumidifier did...though your mileage may vary.
I've flipped a few houses and honestly, water-based poly has saved my sanity more times than I can count. Oil-based might give you that richer color, but the drying time drives me nuts—especially when I'm on a tight schedule. Fans definitely help with dust, but I've found sealing off vents and doorways with plastic sheeting makes an even bigger difference. Sure, it feels like prepping for a crime scene, but hey, whatever keeps those pesky dust particles out of my finish...
Totally agree on the plastic sheeting—feels like you're about to film an episode of CSI, but it really does the trick. I've also found that lightly misting the air with a spray bottle before applying poly helps settle dust particles. Sounds weird, I know, but it actually works. And yeah, oil-based poly looks amazing, but waiting for it to dry is like watching paint dry...literally. Water-based all the way for me too, sanity intact and floors shiny.
