We are in the final stages of renovating our kitchen and had initially planned on painting the floor but my husband just confessed how the other painted floors in our house make him crazy with the wear over time. Currently the floor is wide pine and is situated next to the dining room which (we think) is narrow birch, stained very dark but with seemingly no sealant.

I will be staining the pine now but should I polyurethane it or is there another option? Is there a wax option that would work in a kitchen?

Thanks!