I mean the one going upstairs to our bedroom and the music room and the bathroom. I started removing it today, revealing old hardwood floor underneath. We’ve decided to exchange carpet for painted floor in this area of the house.

Today I took off the section of rug at the top of the stairs. That was easy enough. Then I removed those strips of wood with all the little nails that hold the rug in place. The underpad was stapled to the floor with many more staples than one might imagine. I removed them with pliers.

Tomorrow I’ll take off the rug going down the stairs as well as on the two landings, and then I’ll remove all the staples and nails. The next step will be to give the floor a light sanding, fill in the big cracks and holes, clean that up and then prime the whole business. If the universe unfolds as it should and I avoid temptation to take the dogs to the woods, work on a painting, practice accordion and what-have-you, it’s possible we’ll paint the stairs on Sunday.

I’ve always liked painted wood floors. There’s something that just feels right about them. When I tell people I like painted wood floors, they often look at me funny, as if I have some responsibility to refinish the hardwood instead. We’re negotiating the colour choice, and I’ll pick up the paint sometime tomorrow.