Refinishing hardwood floors

[Anthony Pollachioli]

We tore up carpet this past weekend and while the hardwood underneath looks good, the previous owners used not only tack strips, but also decided to staple the carpet padding directly to the hardwood in "rows" throughout the floor. Nail holes need to be filled where tack strips where, but ripping the staples from the hardwood resulted in several rough spots that need to be sanded down.

We have no experience with hardwood refinishing- what are our options to avoiding a full scale hardwood refinish? Could we get away with running the 100 grit once and then finish? We are needing ideas to smooth out the "rows" of rough previously stapled hardwood sections. 

For background info, this is going to be a rental to students at a local grad school who will prioritize function over aesthetic. While we are not truly concerned with making it someones dream home, we do want it to be smooth/safe with a modest level of eye appeal and without a massive time or money investment. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[Matthew Paul]

What you have is normal . All you need to do is pull the staples and tack strips . Have someone come in and sand the floors  and  finish them . Sure you can rent the equipment and do it yourself , but Its back breaking work .  The nail holes will not be noticable when sanded .  A good poly finish will last  years