From your link describing using the tung oil, I'd go with that. I would stay away from polys at all cost as they are so difficult to repair without redoing the whole thing. I am hoping to do my kitchen floor--don't know what's under the vinyl tiles or the several layers underneath, but the rest of the downstairs is oak--white I presume? I think my trim is red oak--is that possible? My house was built in 1908. I would replace the registers also, but don't go to the expense of the linked site--they seem to only sell ones to fit modern ductwork; check out salvage shops/antique shops...there is one in my town where I've bought a couple registers from their large pile--all the good old cast iron black, some with louvers, some without, but all with varying designs of patterns for the grate. I put in an additional duct to my living room, and absolutely had to have the large register if I ever move furniture to match the one in the open near the dining room doors. Your idea of tung oil has given me another and easier option than sanding insanely and doing smelly chemicals. Thanks!

My daughter had new #1 unstained, site-finished, red oak installed in her kitchen. Her kitchen opens to her den and dining room. Both of those rooms had 90-year-old red oak which she refinished a few years prior. A threshold was installed between the dining room and kitchen where both rooms' butt ends adjoin the threshold. No threshold was installed between the den and kitchen where the length of the board in both rooms adjoins the two rooms. Six months later, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between the new and old floors. All of her floors were finished with an oil based poly. You could use a different width if you insist, but your home will harmonize better if you are consistent.

If that $1300 includes three or more coats of the finish, the amount is a little high. Water based finishes are from 1&1/2 to 2 times more expensive than oil based finishes. The major esthetic difference is the added color. Oil based finishes add an amber color, which is usually pleasing. Water based finishes add no or very little color, which can sometimes look drab or washed out. Oil based finishes used to be tougher and longer lasting. Research and development of newer water based formulas bring that variety closer to the performance of oil based. And, finally, water based floor finishes take much less application/drying time, sometimes 2 days and have much less odor until dry.

While yes, it would be possible to use a different sander in those areas, I wouldn't head that direction if I had other options. First, the price quote was for doing the entire interior of the room with the big machine. If a smaller machine was used, the labor cost would increase and the refinishing will be more money. If you are looking to use stain on the floor, different machines remove material differently and if the surface isn't machined with the same equipment, it won't absorb stain consistently. It isn't just the grit used, it is the brand of paper, the type of abrasive, the speed and direction of movement, and any other seemingly unimportant detail that actually will impact the finish surface. If you have ever seen a floor with a darker or lighter perimeter, that is the result of trying to stain two unequal materials. I had noticed the picture frame effect on floors over the years and didn't know the cause the first few times I saw that, typically in properties for sale with listings touting newly refinished floors. The darker the planned stain, the more noticeable those surface irregularities that become glaring issues. Without stain, those issues will not be nearly as obvious and perhaps not visible at all to the untrained eye. Another concern is movement of the floor while being sanded. If the floor has boards not securely attached, the sander will bounce slightly and leave horizontal lines or longer waves in the surface. That is usually described as chatter and is sometimes visible on wood moldings as well.