I have gotten started installing the wood finally after much reading on this site for the past year as we built our house. 3 1/4" red oak and 4" maple are the woods I am using, 3/4" thick and there is about 1000 sq ft all together. I have kind of a game plan (lots of gaps still) and wanted to run it by you guys first. There will be no staining.

The floor is looking pretty level as it is being laid, some edges stick up a slight bit, but not much.

I will rent a U-Sand Machine. Planning on the following:

U-Sand 40 grit -- shop vac -- tack
fill with Woodwise filler
U-Sand 80 grit -- shop vac -- tack
spot fill with Woodwise filler
U-Sand 100 grit -- shop vac -- tack
U-Sand Maple only with 160 grit -- shop vac -- tack
one coat of bonaseal
1 coat of traffic and then buff with U-Sand
2 coats of traffic

What changes would you make to above?

This is a new construction and we have baseboards and hand rail (which is on the oak) to put down after flooring is finished, then cabinets installed, and painting (including the trim). When would you sand the floors?

Should I buff again between the 2nd and final coat of Traffic?

I am thinking that I would like to go ahead and sand the floors now due to the staircase railing. I have some ridges where pieces of stair nosing meet and it would be much easier to do now insted after the railing is put up.

Lots of questions. Thanks for any advice given.
Keith

I would suggest renting a drum sander, edger, and floor buffer. Trowel fill the entire floor, then drum with a 60 grit, then edge with a 60 grit, then drum with a 100 grit and edge with 100 grit. Then buff the floor with a 100 grit sanding screen, vacuum, tack and finish. It is best to use a seal coat prior to the finish coat with waterbased. I would do a coat of Bona Sealer, then a coat of traffic. Then buff with a 220 grit sceen, then apply another coat of traffic, buff again and then one more coat.

I have to drive a ways to rent the drum sander, edger and buffer. What would the disadvantages be to doing all of the sanding one day and then waiting a few days, going to get the buffer and doing the rest. That way I would not be "hurrying" because I had all of the tools rented at once. Just a thought.

The main thing to watch for would be to keep the floor very clean and dry while waiting to get the buffers to avoid any contamination on the bare wood. Also be sure to buff prior to applying any sealer or finish.

You can get a lot of info from BONA site how to refinish hardwood flooring. There are How To videos as well.
PS! do not ever rent a sander, they are piece of crap.

ALL rental sanders are cr*#?

Is there a more nuanced version of that, for somebody who was about to go look for a rental sander?

I probably could invest a couple grand in a sander, given how much I already have in my floor, but I would prefer not to!

Thanks!