How long should finished floors cure

Q: I am moving into a new home that has just had the hardwood floors finished, how long should they cure and dry before moving furniture in?

A: That depends on the drying conditions in the home and the recommendation of the finish manufacturer. I recently re coated my floors and placed the furniture back in the room the next day. Carefully. Their recommendation was light traffic after 24 hours. Heavy traffic after 3 days. Most finishes will continue to get slightly harder as they head toward full cure over a period of a week or 2. Area rugs should not be put in place for at least a week.