I live in house built in/around 1955's I pulled carpet found hardwood floors in pretty good shape just areas were coating covers and protects staining also staining color varies in tint due to aging
But my question is that I want to change stain color to a much darker stain what is involved in changing the stain ? Does anyone know a link that explains compelete process?

You would need to sand the floor, restain and put down two coats of poly. A pro could tell you if they could get away with just screening instead of sanding.

You asked about links. Here are some for you. Staining should be described on all of the links. I hope that you find information on them that is helpful to you.

Do It Yourself: Refinishing Hardwood Flooring (http://www.mainlyarticles.com/Article/Do-It-Yourself--Refinishing-Hardwood-Flooring/14892)

Refinishing a Hardwood Floor (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=Improve/RefinishHardwdFlr.html)

Refinishing Hardwood Floors (http://www.a1-wood-flooring.com/refinishing-hardwood-floor.htm)

Do You Know How To Refinish A Hardwood Floor? (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/do-you-know-how-to-refinish-hardwood-floor.html)

Refinishing Hardwood Floors Yourself (http://tropicalhomeimprovementideas.com/refinishing-hardwood-floors/2006/12/17/)

I appreciate the info & links... thank you very much:)
Since I found this site maybe I will be single longer relying on you guys! Jj

I just did my homes hardwood, had never done it before, I went to the rental center and rented a floor sander and the edger sander for along the wall and corners. It was so easy and simple I can't believe I had never done it before. ( a small corner sander will help) also be sure you get all of the carpet tacks out.

But I had the entire house sounded in a matter of 5 or 6 hours. I did the darker stain and now wish I had done a lighter shade.

Why did you wish it were a lighter stain?

Btw- is the floor sander which I found out I need to use a straight one to go w/ grain and edger hard to use? I'm only hesitant because I have seen TV shows where they get the sander turn it on and it flys across the room! Very dangerious I'm told if you never done it what's your thoughts?

What is screening? I put a sample stain over existing color to test the wood soaked up all the stain wondering if I can skip sanding..

Sometimes a darker stain makes the room feel smaller than it really is. Fr_Chuck may be in this situation. The sander that took off across the room was not being properly held in the raised position. If you start then with the sand touching the fllor it will try to pull out of your hands, push down on the handle before starting. It is easier than most people believe but it does take patience and a small bit of skill. You do save a lot of cash.

I refinished my hardwood floors a couple of years ago. I sanded the floors all the way down and started with fresh wood - if you will. I used the large floor sander that was rented from my local hardware store and the smaller one for edges and corners. Just make sure that the sanders are moving when you turn them on. Otherwise you end up "waves" sanded in your floor.

I did three passes of sanding, starting with the lower grit and working my way up. I started going with the grain on the first pass and went against the wood grain on the second and with the grain on the third. When I researched floor sanding, that was a recommended process.

Good luck!

Just a update and another question... I finally sanded only my living room and one bdrm the last grit I used on flr was 60 is this OK to go and stain now? The flr sander was very easy to do but the edger was too powerful for me had to get help... does anyone know where the best prices for stain & poly are? Also how do I stain what supplies do I need I can't even figure how much a gallon covers -btw- I saw a outdoor wood deck/furniture stain I love can I use that on hardwood floors?