Hi Folks. I am refinishing a red oak kitchen floor. Installed by me in 2003 and because there are graying areas under the chair areas I am refinishing. I sanding the whole floor with a rented pad sander from HD with 120 grit paper (two full passes). I also hit the worn chair areas with 150 by hand sander. After I vacuumed and wiped floor down with Mineral spirits the gray areas really stood out. I have now put 1 coat of satin poly for floors (Minwax super fast drying satin) in hopes that it would build on the spots so when I do the whole floor 3 coats it will look ok.

After the first spot coat it looks terrible. The chair areas are splotchy.

Would the whole floor need to be drum sanded to get rid of this? Is that what a pro would do?

Anything I can do to lessen the splotchy look before I put 3 coats on whole floor????

Thanks for responses I'm in a bind.

Sounds like a resand is the only way to go here. Let me speculate for a moment. You have gray areas around the chair locations; my theory (without pics its only a theory) is that abrasion has worn the original finish right off, exposing raw wood. Repeated washings will turn red oak gray, or black in extreme moisture situations. Applying finish over this will not change it back to the colour you want.

the floor needs to be sanded thoroughly...2 passes with 120 isnt doing anything. yes, a drum sander is needed...actually...a PRO is needed... if you rent the machines enough days, and re do..and buy some more poly and paper...and do the job in the course of 2 weeks..

all the money you saved will have been worth it.........

I agree you need to have the floors completely sanded down. Your problem was probably not sanding off enough of the floor.