Finish: Pacific Strong, a discontinued Bona waterbased urethane finish in two coats was applied over Duracraft stain. Chipping: small 1/8th" or bigger pieces of wood individually chip out from the wood floor upon light contact by shoes, full plastic laundry basics, kitchen garbage cans.An opening is left in the floor which is blond, like bare oak. It's not flaking off as I've seen can happen with drums during refinishing, nor are their wavy lines periodically. Rather it's chipping off with contact, as when a tree limb is placed in a chipper/shredder machine outdoors. As to the stairs, well both the stain and the finish are gone on the edges of the steps (the rounded part at the stair end). Bare wood remains and is very slippery compared to the rest of the step, where stain and finish give it a rougher surface texture. You can see the difference on the step and you can feel the lack of any finish on the edges, precisely where it is needed most. We keep the house humidified and run house temp at 64 in the winter. We don't abuse our floors. Thanks for your response. In all my many years owning several homes, I have never encountered anything like this.

Thanks so much for posting that - I really want to paint my cabinets, but I've been afraid to do it. I don't want them to look like I did them myself - I want them to look like they came that way. Yours look great. Did you use an oil base paint and urathane? Priscilla

Wow thank you both so much for your insights! I did not know maple Is so hard to stain! Does painting maple still have the same outcome as staining it? I chose maple because my contractor said that would be a more durable choice :/ my vinyl is shaw floorte vinyl and it snaps together. if I chose to do vinyl on the stairs my my guess is I could glue it to the maple stairs? sorry for all of the questions but know that your help is very appreciated! I am new to this! Thank you

Imho painting them white would loose their connection with stairs and doors, which really ties the rooms together. Trying to give the interior an "updated look" by painting only the trim will likely look kind of off with an gigantic staircase and oak doors in the same room ;) Granted, I've never stripped mouldings myself, but I don't think that sanding is your only option. There are ways to chemically strip poly from wood.