SAND THE EDGES
After completing each step with the floor sander, install the same grit disc you just used in the edge sander. Be sure to start sanding next to the baseboard and work from there out to the area you just sanded.
SMOOTH IT OUT
The second sanding is intended to remove the scratches left by the previous sanding, as well as any remaining finish or blemishes left on the wood. Switch to 80-grit paper and repeat the steps of the previous sanding. Start the machine close to the wall, but this time at the opposite end of the room so you're not starting in the same spot each time. If sanding in the same direction of the grain is not improving the floor finish, try smoothing it out by making one pass diagonally across the grain (never directly across) with a medium grit. When the floor is completely sanded, use the edge sander to sand the areas near the walls that you couldn't reach with the large machine. After this step, the floor should look like freshly milled planks.
A FINE FINISH
The third and final sanding will remove the scratches left from the previous sanding. Install 100-grit paper and start in the same place in the room as you started your first sanding.
When you get to the edge sanding, add a couple of extra sanding discs under the 100-grit pad. Stacking the discs will provide a bit of a cushion. The cushion will let the sander conform to any irregularities in the floor and help to minimize swirl marks. Sand up to the baseboards and try to feather the edges into the main section of the floor.
BUFF IT OUT
Fit the floor buffer with a large 100-grit sanding screen. The motion of the buffer, as you move it back and forth across the floor, will help to even out any blemishes and scratches left by the previous grits.
Move the buffer slowly and overlap each pass. The buffer may seem hard to control, but keep your feet planted and the buffer moving. As with the floor sander, don't run the buffer in any one place for too long or you'll oversand. To finish up, switch to a random-orbit sander with 100-grit paper. Sand up to the baseboards and blend into the main floor.
A GOOD DUSTING
Let the dust settle in the room for about 45 minutes, then vacuum the room thoroughly. If you're going to apply an oil-based polyurethane, go over the floor with a tack cloth. If you're applying a water-based finish, go over the floor with a lint-free rag that's damp with alcohol instead.
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