I've posted this question in general hardwood flooring section and no replies so i guess i've posted in wrong one.

I am in the next step of my project and I just want to confirm that I am planning to do the right sanding procedure. I installed (for now only two bedrooms about 300 sf) Owens PlankFloor and very impressed with quality (precision cutting) I barely can find any planks that are razed or lowered then the rest of the floor (if any can find then the difference is about 1/64 or even smaller), simply touching floor with your hand you feel that it's a one big board and not a peaces of wood put together (I am very picky on it). I am planning to rent random orbit floor sander from HD (U-sand), not a belt or drum cause never used them and afraid that can screw my floor, with random orbit it will take probably 3, 4 times longer but I am not limited in time. So here my questions:
1. I'm planning to start with 80 grit and finish with 120 grit skipping any lower grit or should I start with 120 and skip others or should I start with lower (like 60) any way?
2. I'm planning to water pop grain in order to apply stain (learned from this forum that it will add more color to the wood so the contrast will not be that big between summer rings and rest of the wood) so in this case: sand, water pop, apply stain (Bona DryFast stain), screen and first coat of finish (Bona Traffic) or apply first coat of finish and then screen?
3. What is the screening? Is it to use floor buffer with mesh sanding screen 150 grit and higher? (like this Sanding Screen)
4. What grit should I use for screening in my case between coats?

greatly appreciate your advice.

There are finishers here that can give you the details, you may want to search around the site though, I am sure it has been addressed before.
Onecomment I can make before you get started though is after you apply the stain, you dont buff it. That occurs after the first (or if you are using BASIC product, the second) coat of finish.
Would give you more details, but the pros here would be much more able to help you.
Oh and one other thing, I think the jump to 120 grit from 80 is too far. If the floor is so precisely milled as you indicate, you MAY be able to start with 80, but should then proceed after with 100, finishing at 120 if you wish.

Thank you Dennis, that helps a lot. So it's following sand 80, 100, 120, water pop, stain, first coat of traffic and buff. I did searched before and could not find any specifics about buffing between coats but searched today and came across Paul's post (i guess i missed it first time) Buff and Re coat of Bona Traffic
you guys rock.

The Usand is an excellent tool. You might want to consider starting a little lower on the sand paper or it might take you a very long time to complete your rough sanding. I would start at a 60 grit then 80/100/120. Make sure you systematically go across the grain then with the grain to insure that you've removed all the sanding marks from the previous grit. Also, make sure that you thoroughly vacuum between all grits.
With the usand, you can expect small squiggly lines about 1/4 long randomly cut into the wood. : this is the normal signature of the usand. You can only see these marks if you are looking very closely.

Good luck!

edited by admin: read the rules

the usand is not that agrresive and I would probally start with 60, then 80 then final with 100. No need to go to 120 you wont be able to tell any diffrent than just finishing with 100 except for the extra work. When you pop the grain the floor will get a little rough to the touch, I typically put the first coat of finish on before I would buff the floor. screening or buffing will nock down the raised grain that was created by the water pop and the first coat of finish, it also gives the floor a mechanical tooth to aid in adhision of the next coat. On three hundred feet If I didnt own a buffer i would just do it by hand with a drywall pole sander, it doesnt take a lot of work to do it by hand and it wont leave circular scratches in your fresh coat of poly. Just get some 220 paper and go for it.