The wax floor requires anywhere between 6 to 12 hours for each layer. The drying time varies on different factors such as the number of wax coats, the floor and wax type, etc. It can take 4 to 24 hours to dry floor wax and 1 to 30 days to fully cure it. To shorten the drying time of floor waxes, you need to decrease the humidity and increase the temperature.
To know the critical details concerning “how long does floor wax take to dry” read the article till the very end!
Key Takeaways
- Wax drying time increases based on the floor type, wax type, and the number of wax coatings.
- You can decrease floor wax drying time by increasing the temperature and decreasing the humidity of the room.
- It’s very important to strip and clean the existing wax before applying a new layer of floor wax.
How Long Does It Take for Floor Wax to Dry?
Wax floors take around 6 to 12 hours to dry. The drying time will vary depending on the floor type, wax type, and the number of wax coating. I’ve elaborated on all of these factors below, give it a good read!
Number of Wax Coats:
The general rule is, that the more coating of wax you apply, the more time it will take to dry. As mentioned, generally each wax coating takes about 6 – 12 hours to dry.
If you’re planning to apply multiple coatings of waxes, Here are the things to keep in mind:
- Strip the existing wax before applying the 1st layer. Stripping the wax will create strong adhesion, display the natural tone of your floor, and remove the buildup layers.
Furthermore, the slip resistance will increase and the new layer of wax will provide better traction. It can take numerous hours and days to strip the wax off the floor. - Make sure each layer is dried and cured before applying a new layer. You have to ensure that the previous layer is fully dried and cured. You need to wait 8 – 24 hours for the floor wax to dry and cure.
Although the floor wax won’t be 100% dried and cured at this time, it will be ready for a new layer. And when the wax is cured, you can allow foot traffic and walk on it.
If you’re having trouble stripping the floor wax, use this video as a guideline:
Types of Waxes
Similar to different car waxes like paste waxes and spray waxes, there are a few types of floor waxes as well.
There are water-based, hard wax oils, and oil-modified Polyurethane floor waxes. The following chart contains the drying and curing time for these types of waxes:
| Type of Floor Wax | Drying Time | Curing Time |
| Water-based | 4 to 8 hours | 7 to 14 days |
| Hard Wax Oil | 4 to 24 hours | 1 to 7 days |
| Oil-modified Polyurethane | 12 to 24 hours | 30 days |
Firstly, water-based floor wax takes around 4 – 8 hours to dry and 7 – 14 days to cure. Secondly, hard wWax oOils take 4 – 24 hours to dry and 1 – 7 days to cure. Lastly, Oil-modified Polyurethane takes 12 – 14 hours to dry and around a full month to cure.
If you’re planning to use one of these floor waxes, you now know how long to wait before applying multiple layers!
Types of Floors:
The top 3 floor types that need waxing the hardwood floors, Vinyl (VCT) floors, and Terra Cotta floors.
Hardwood takes the highest time to dry, which can range from 3 weeks to 1 month. Terra Cotta dries faster than hardwood wax. Vinyl (VCT) flooring doesn’t require any time to dry off, therefore reducing the time for wax drying as well.
Note that, although each floor type has a different finish, 4 to 5 coats of wax are recommended for all floors.
How to Speed Up the Floor Wax Drying Time
Here are a few things you can do that will guarantee the floor wax drying in a short timespan:
- Apply medium coats. Medium coats dry quicker than thicker coats. It’s also essential to apply a thin/medium coat after removing Carnauba wax from plastic surfaces.
- Use an air mover. Air movers can help circulate the air inside the room and allow the floor wax to dry quickly.
Make sure you don’t direct the air mover directly on the wax flooring, it will cause a ripple effect and result in an uneven finish. - Avoid low temperatures. A hot environment will speed up the drying and curing process.
To raise the temperature, you can alter the thermostat and use spot/personal heaters. Wax your floors in summer for the best results. - Avoid high humidity. High humidity slows down the process of drying and it’s applicable for any type of materials and surfaces.
You can lessen the humidity and moisture in the air by using an air conditioner, dehumidifier, and a ventilation fan/blower.
| Product Details | Features |
| Air Mover | Lightweight and high-velocity Portable and stackable |
| Personal Heater | Multiple heat settings are available Easy to carry |
| Ventilation Blower | Humanized design and sturdy Large airflow and PVC ducting |
| Dehumidifier | Compact and colorful Smart functions like auto shut off and night lights |
Things You Have to Remember When Waxing Floors
Waxing the floors requires a lot of preparation and there are certain things you have to remember while doing so. Here’s a list of tips for waxing the floors:
- Clean the floor before waxing. We already know that we have to strip the existing wax layer before applying the new layer.
But cleaning the wax floor after stripping the wax is equally necessary; for both aesthetic and efficiency purposes.
This rule applies to other surfaces as well. For instance, it’s necessary to remove wax from chalk-painted furniture before waxing it again.
- Don’t overwax the floor. You should regularly wax your floors but wax less regularly in areas with low foot traffic. If the floor looks dull, don’t wax rather buff that particular area.
- Use the right tools to wax. Waxing requires tools like a polisher, dry vacuum, defoamer, etc. If you don’t use the right tools to wax, it’ll fail to last for a long time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
How Long Does Floor Wax Last?
Floor wax lasts up to 6 months in general. It depends on a few factors though. For instance, foot traffic, the material of the flooring, the location and atmosphere of the house, etc.
How Do You Make Natural Floor Wax?
Lavender oil, olive oil, beeswax, and carnauba wax can be used to make natural floor wax. Mix them into a pan with low heat and stir them with a wooden spoon till the whole thing uniforms into one mixture. Then you can use it as floor wax.
What Are the Disadvantages of Floor Wax?
Firstly, floor waxes can be very tricky and difficult to scrape off. Secondly, floor wax has to be applied by hand which requires a lot of work. Lastly, you need to make sure the floor wax is suitable for the floor type, or else it will cause problems.
The Final Words
This is the end of this article. Now you should know the answer to your question, how long does floor wax take to dry?
If you don’t feel like waxing the floors yourself, you can always hire a wax technician to do it for you. Have a great day!
