How Long for Wax Paste to Harden on a Wood Floor?

Time Frame

• Apply a thin coating of paste wax to the floor with an old T-shirt or sock. Wait until the wax starts to harden before buffing it. In humid climates, this may take 30 to 45 minutes. In dry areas, the wax may harden in as little as 20 minutes.

Buffing

• Once the paste wax hardens slightly, buff it with an electric buffing machine, or use a clean T-shirt or sock. Rub the wax in a circular motion until it's glossy and smooth, but not slick. Buff the floor monthly, or as often as weekly, to restore shine and luster and prevent the floor from becoming slick.

Frequency

• Depending on the amount of foot traffic in your home, your floors should only require waxing two to three times per year. Paste wax slowly wears away under your feet and doesn't need to be stripped before applying new wax.

Considerations

• New wood floors are usually finished with polyurethane and don't need waxing. In fact, waxing a floor sealed with polyurethane creates dangerously slippery conditions. To determine if a floor has been waxed or varnished -- rather than sealed with polyurethane -- drop a bit of water on the floor and wait 10 minutes. If white spots appear on the floor, the floor has been waxed. Scratch the floor with a dime in an inconspicuous place. If the finish flakes, it's varnish or shellac, and requires waxing. If the finish neither spots nor flakes, it's coated with polyurethane and requires only wet mopping.