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I like Polyx because it's a piece of piss to apply. Brush it on round the edges and do the rest with a roller. 24hrs later give it a light rub over with a non abrasive pad (although I just used a new scouring pad from the kitchen), which will lift off any dust or hair that has settled as it dries. Be careful at this stage as it will still be gummy in places so do it barefoot and don't kneel on it with your trousers as it will leave a mark. Repeat 2 or 3 times as needed.
Floor sanders can be quite unforgiving/take a bit of getting used to. Edge sanders in particular can really gouge out the floor if you're not careful (which is a separate point, that you really need both an edging and a drum sander).
It all depends how level and even the boards are once they're down. If the whole thing is in good nick and there aren't any proud edges or bits of damage that need taken back, I reckon you could do it with a belt sander and a detail sander for the edges. I did my hallway with a belt sander and that was on reclaimed beech that needed a decent bit of sanding (and is more edge than open floor). Although in a big open room a proper drum sander may be more practical
How big is the floor? I hired an edge sander in the end as the beech was too tough to be sanded even with a random orbit round the edges.Main tips for sanding would be to work methodically through the grades of sandpaper and don't go too fine, as this will actually stop the Osmo absorbing - 180 grit should be plenty.
Sand with the grain, IE the sander should be going up and down along the length of the boards.I also much preferred using a belt sander because I had it hooked up to my extractor which massively reduced the amount of dust produced. The edge sander I used got dust fucking everywhere, even when hooked up to the extractor. Be prepared to seal off the rest of the house completely when sanding as it's a horrible and messy process. I don't know what the going rates are near you, but getting professionals in to do the sanding often isn't a bad idea just because they'll create so much less dust and mess (and it saves you faffing around hiring sanders etc).
Be aware that no matter how careful you are, you'll fuck up bits of it if it's your first time doing it.
Also, Polyx takes about 2-3 weeks to fully harden, and you'll want to be pretty careful about not walking on it for the first 2-3 days. Clean bare feet are pretty essential during this period IME.
Got any photos of the floor?
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Nef
@Cupcakes
Looks like I'll be spending Sunday finishing a new timber floor in my flat.
My plan is:
Hire a sander and give it a very light once over with a fine grade to take off any minor imperfections and footprints /other dirt
Osmo Polyx oil.
Anything I'm missing? This is for a hallway and kitchen, so high traffic areas with possibility of liquid spills. The floorboards are a softwood. There's many options of oils etc, what to choose - matt, satin, other? Should I varnish (I assume not)?Quick drying time is a priority.