"BuckK" wrote in message
...
Greetings,
I have about 400 sq feet that I'd like to strip and re-poly. The high
traffic areas are down to bare wood.

First, I can rent both a vibrating square sander and an orbital buffer
with sandpaper. Which is best?

Second, will I have to evacuate the house for a few days when I re-
poly due to smell/ fumes?

BTW, I looked at having a professional strip the floor for me - it'll
be about $320. I can rent a sander + paper for about $120. If
there's anyone in Southern Maine you can recommend for around $200
I'll gladly call. I'll poly it myself...

Thanks!

You may find the vibrating square easier to handle and better for corner

This time of year with windows open, it should not be a big deal for most
people. Others are highly sensitive to odor and may be bothered. While the
odor may linger, the majority of the fumes are gone quickly. I saw some
stuff touted on Pitchmen called "What Odor". It may eliminate the smell
completely from the demo I've seen, but I never tried it. Billy Mays says
it is OK.

After you get started, you may find that $320 is not such a bad price after
all.