You could end up with a big groove !

Pros aren't necessarily going to be familiar with sanding pine either. Don't try to sand out all the imperfections, because your floor will continue to get more dents and scratches due to the soft surface.

In our area, sanding and finishing hardwood floors costs around $2-$2.50/sq ft - more for dark stains, additional finish coats or more expensive finishes.

Linda, well done and true!

Ha! In California, my quotes for oak were starting at $4/sq ft! I'll take your $2!!!

I've had to have wood floors sanded twice in a former house. It was awful because of the furniture and the dust . Unless it is a small space I'd leave it to the pros but get recommendations.

Thanks for your comments. I think i'll go with the pros. And even though i'd prefer a dark stain, i think we'll go the natural color of the wood route instead since we got 5 pets.