Why not a specialty hardwood floor finish, like Bona Traffic HD? Water based, and tough. No matter what type of finish, you need to decide on gloss, semi-gloss, or satin. Semi-gloss is the most forgiving while still producing a beautiful floor. You need to use a buffer between coats.
Most floor finishes are applied with something like this T-bar applicator or a flat pad applicator.
https://www.greenbuildingsupply.com...tings-Brushes-Trowels/Floor-Finish-Applicator
I'd recommend going on Youtube and watching a bunch of videos. This is a starting point.