What kind of wood are you dealing with? Are you doing the sanding yourself? I have refinished a fir floor with varathane and the finish itself was too hard. Whenever the wood received enough of a blow to dent it the finish wouldn't flex, it would just pull away from the dent leaving a cloudy spot. While it may seem insignificant, over time, with several of these blemishes it becomes unsightly. Had I used a finish more compatible with the wood those dents would have become part of the patina, as it is the floor just looks abused. Another mistake was using a gloss finish. In my opinion semi-gloss looks much better on an older floor and doesn't show surface inconsistencies such as sanding mistakes.
Sorry to take so long to respond--been away. Anyway, the existing floors are white oak, which I will refinish myself. I will also put down white oak in rooms that do not have wood floors already. I am considering using Waterlox. Anyone have any experience with it?
Low-gloss/satin overcomes the problem mentioned above. Satin finish hides LOTS of wear, keeping the floor looking consistent and fresh from wall to wall.
I've never had the problem with cloudy scars, but I've never used the glossy urethane, either.
I'm sure you already know that for a nice finish you should always do at least three coats. I would recommend A polyurethane of some sort it seems to be more durable than what was mentioned before. I also recommend using a top dollar filler particularly a two part. This will be sure to keep the finish from cracking and avoid the chance of chippage. Good Luck.
