- Before you can lay your new finish, the old finish has to come off. Floor sanders come in several styles. Rent a drum sander, which is like a large belt sander, rather that a rotating disk sander, because the spinning disk can damage your floor if you're not experienced with it. Use rough stripping sandpaper to take off the varnish--36-grit for heavy, shiny varnish, 60-grit for lighter varnish--and follow up with 80- and then 100-grit paper to remove the stain and smooth out the bare wood. Sand in the direction of the floorboards, taking it down to the naked grain and no further. Vacuum up all the dust.
- Stain the floor by brushing the liquid stain on, letting it sit for a minute, then wiping it off with paper towel. Wear rubber gloves for this part. The longer you let the stain sit, the darker it will be, so start with short times and adjust to longer ones if necessary. Choose a stain partly on the type of oak you have. Light white oak works best with a very light-colored stain to show the intricate grain. A darker, big-grain wood like red oak can handle a darker stain, perhaps (but not necessarily) one with a red tint to it. Experiment with some scrap wood if you're not sure what you want.
- Wood floors should always be sealed with floor-grade varnish, polyurethane or some other gloss to protect them from moisture and dirt and to give the floor a nice shine. How much shine is up to you (glosses, like paints, come in varying sheens). Don't shake the can to mix it, as that will cause bubbles; stir it gently. Apply finish with a finishing brush. Start in the far corner of the room and work in small, steady strokes. Apply one thin layer, let it dry for a day, then gently buff the shine off it with 220-grit sandpaper, by hand, to allow the next gloss coat to stick. Vacuum up the dust and apply the second coat in the same manner as the first. A third coat is a good idea to ensure a long-lasting finish.
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