First, there's a lot of really good information here on some of the nuances of floor installing.

I'm installing a 2 1/4 x 3/4 red oak floor on the diagonal in my living and dining room... just a bit more than 300 sq. ft. I just finished sanding yesterday. The floor looks really good. I sanded with a U-sand 40 grit, then 80 grit then 120 grit. It took forever but the floor is super smooth and flat now. Now it's onto applying the final finish. This is where I'm not sure what to do. I know that I want a satin finish and want to use a water based polyurethane (I don't want the color of the floor to change much, I like it just the way it is). I see so many different water based polyurethanes out there and I'm not sure which is the best to use. Do I need to apply a sealer first or can I just put the polyurethane down? I've read about Bona Traffic here, but is it hard to get a smooth non-streaky finish with that (I am going to be spreading diagonally across the rooms since the boards are on a 45 angle)? Is that even the best product to use?

Thanks in advance

In my opinion Traffic is the best. You do need to use a sealer. If you don't want the color to change much I would suggest Bona Seal. Just apply the bona seal using an 18" t-bar applicator. Let it fully dry, buff with maroon pad, vacuum, dust mop, apply finish also with t-bar, let dry, buff again with a maroon pad, and finish again. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply, that does help. What kind of applicator material is best to apply the seal and polyurethane with? Lambswool for oil based from what I've heard... but what about water based? The Bona website mentions flocked foam pads and sleeves. This would probably be best to use with their products? Since I've never done this before, I worry leaving streaks or marks or debris in the finish. I got past what I thought was the most dangerous part of the job (the sanding) and would hate to mess it up on the home stretch. I know the results depend mostly on the application. Even if you apply the best product wrong, you'll get crappy results, just like paint or grout or just about anything.

Bona Traffic is not the best..but they sure will have you believe it..there are many top finish companies making finish
and with many great products.
traffic was developed t compete wiht Basic coatings Street shoe..what does that say? did they beat it? dont know..
I use it also but it is way too pricey and in my opinion, probably needlessly.

there are finishes you can apply less per sf and achieve the same results.

that said....applying waterbase and finish in general is NOT as easy as you would like to believe.

professionals working with finish have problems frequently..

frequently meaning things can go wrong and worked out..sometimes "issues" end up not showing in the finish result.

Most complaints with a floor pertain to the finish..very rarely does a sanding concern raise an issue form a homeowner.

i suggest you work with an easier finish especially considering you are working with a 45 angles..

T Bars are best to apply in my opinion.. however, for you , maybe a plat 10 or 12 inch synthetic applicator or padco cut in flat pad applicator may work best.. if you really are not experience, waterbase may prove a challenge for you

Thanks for the reply James. What are some other high quality finishes out there? What are some of the easier ones to apply to the floor?

I would pick a quality single component finish..

Don't get me wrong..traffic is a great finish... i just don't like putting labels on things as the best when many are doing it and doing it well.

but it will a be a tough finish for you to work I suspect.

I would suggest one of Last n last products..

maybe their 700 or 1500 series...

dependant upon traffic pattern,their Absco grand line is very easy to work with..sealer and finish

I read up on the Last n Last products and I saw some reviews. It generally gets very good reviews. I've read up on some other polyurethanes such as Duraseal. I like your recommendation of Last n Last though since it seems like a quality product and you say it's easier to work than the Bona Traffic. There's a distributor near me so I think I'm going to go check it out.

Finished the floors yesterday. Thanks for the recommendation James. I used the Last n Last 1500 finish and it turned out really nice. Used the 100S sealer first. Knocked it down with a 150 grit screen and a square vibrating buffer. Then put down a coat of the 1500. Then scuffed it again with a 180 grit screen. Then I put down the final coat. The Last n Last is pretty forgiving stuff. Putting the sealer and first coat down I was learning the technique and made some small application mistakes, but that stuff really evened out when it dried. The final coat is almost perfect. I can see a mark from the foam applicator at the edge of the room where I lifted and tried to feather it out as I was exiting the room. It's almost not noticeable, nobody else can see it unless I point to it standing in a particular spot in the room with the light coming in a particular way. Oh well, not bad for the very first time I ever put in hardwood floors.

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r488/billyb351/20120604_064634.jpg

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r488/billyb351/20120604_064739.jpg