We are first time home owners and remodelers. When we pulled up our carpet, we discovered, just as you, that we had hardwood floors. After much research, we chose the varathane floor finishing system found at Lowe's. It took about three to four days and has turned out beautiful. The sander is simple, an applicater makes staining easy and they have a nice selection of stain colors. do your homework and watch the video as well as read the brochure. since I have completed the project, you can always e-mail me with questions.