Evening all, I've been lurking here for a week or two following a decision to do the floors at our place in Murgon. There are a few queries that I would appreciate some feedback on. It's mostly basics re finishes and floor maintenance. Here goes... (and thanks in advance for any assistance)

We think our floor is either Cypress or Hoop Pine. I'll attach a photo if it'll let me.

At the moment it's possible that it has some remnants of a previous oil-type finish on it. There's a slight sheen to it when the light is at a certain angle but it's possible that it's just the patina from years worth of foot traffic. Again, the photos might help.

We want a low sheen, matt very dull satin at the shiniest type finish.

I've got a couple of reasonable quotes from local companies to do the sanding and I'm plannnig to do the finishing...any excuse to buy some more power tools my wife tells me...little does she know how true that is to a degree! I could almost justify a Fein Multimaster but it'd have to be the kit with the dust extraction unit too and that's $1000 that would be better coming off the mortgage right? It'd be a mighty useful bit of kit though. Go on, try and talk me into it. Please!

Anyway, the choices are looking like:
- F/W China Wood Oil
- Synteko Solid or Natural
- Bona Traffic

I'd prefer to avoid the Solvent based poly products and go with something more "green" (yeah right) or tung oil based.

What I'd like to know is:

- is the Synteko likely to be more expensive than the Traffic? If so, is the extra cost justified?
- are either of the Synteko products as easy to do touch up maintenance on as the China Wood Oil would be? Or the Traffic for that matter?
- which putty/filler can people recommend the most to go under any of these products? Any compatibiliy issues?
- I'd be looking at 2 coats of each of these, maybe 3?
- It's worth sanding lightly with 120 or higher after each coat? This can be with a random orbital sander?

There's a photo in that bunch that shows a board that has a small (30cm) split. Anyone reckon it's worth trying to replace or just sand the roughness off the edges where the split is? It's right next to the carpet sealing strip and has never been an issue for us yet, ie. I hadn't noticed it until I got on my knees to take the other photos.

Cheers for any assistance/replies folks.

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