There are several ways to remove a previous finish on a piece of furniture you are working on. If you are like me you want the most effective method. Unfortunately most effective is not always the quickest or easiest. And it usually takes a couple of differed methods to completely remove everything. I am going to share my experience with all the options I have used.
Paint Stripper
Using paint stripper is a great way to get through layers of paint. I recommend applying the stripper to the surface with an old paint brush. The chemical reaction will burn you if it gets on your skin so I recommend using long rubber gloves. Once the stripper is applied, let it “work” according to the instructions on the bottle. Once the appropriate time has passed, use a paint scraper to remove the paint and stripper. Since the pain stripper introduces some moisture into the wood you want to be careful when removing the stripper not to gouge the wood.
I don’t have one product that I have found to be better than the other. Paint stripper works well in small areas and crevices but will require something such as a wire brush to get in there and remove the paint in those hard to reach areas. After the paint is stripped, you will need to cleanse the wood to remove the residue from the stripper. You can use acetone a commercially prepared product. I have used Klean Strip Paint Stripper After Wash and it worked very well.
Heat Gun
A heat gun is a great option if you have large flat surfaces that need paint removed. It doesn’t work well in small areas or crevices. I have used this Wagner Heat Gun for several years without any problems and I have used it a lot! Of course the heat gun will burn you if you point the heat at your flesh and it will burn the wood if you leave it in one spot too long. Choose the amount of temperature and fan you desire (I usually use medium to high heat with medium to high fan) and point to painted area of furniture. The paint will bubble. When bubbling happens, use a scraper to remove the paint. Any time you use a scraper, you will want to be careful and not to gouge the wood. Of course the scraper must be metal. The heat reflecting off the metal scraper and the heat gun blowing toward your hand, will cause your hand to get very hot. I use leather work gloves on the prevent your hand from becoming too hot. A heat gun does not work well with varnish or polyurethane removal. It will remove some of it, but it is very sticky and leaves a lot of it behind.
Sanding
Sanding is something you will need to do even if you use paint stripper or the heat gun. It can also be used to remove paint but it will take quite a bit of work and time. If you are wanting to just sand the paint so the new paint will stick well and be smooth, then sanding only is what you want. But if you are hoping to take it down to the wood and possibly stain it and let the wood grain be visible, you will need to use a different method for paint removal.
Sanding is also great for removing the top layer of varnish or polyurethane and reapplying the poly. If you were hoping to darken the color of the stain without removing all the color of what was previously there, you can use a product called Minwax PolyShades. There are several different types of sanders on the market. I have 3 different types I use, but I find that I like this Ryobi sander the best. It has will get in corners and has a faster motor to sand more effectively. But a sander will leave “marks” on the wood that will show if you plan to stain the wood. If you are planning on staining your project and leaving the wood grain visible, I would recommend hand sanding to prevent these marks. Unless you have tremendous endurance and upper body strength, you will not be able to hand sand and remove paint… When sanding to strip paint or varnish/poly from the surface start with a 60-80 grit sandpaper. After you have stripped down to what you wanted, then increase the grit of the sandpaper to 120 and re-sand. Once that is done increase to 240 for the finish sanding. This should be the last bit of sanding you need to do. Be sure you remove the dust from the surface before painting or applying the finish. My preferred method is using the leafblower. I know it sounds odd, but it really gets most of the dust off.
Removing Varnish or Shellac
If you have an older piece of furniture or wood that has been stained and varnished but is aged and needing updated, I have found the BEST product for this. It is so easy to use! It is Minwax Antique Furniture Refinisher. It says that it dissolves the old finish in minutes without stripping and it DOES! It is magic in a can…. I love it. If the finish is thick, you will need to wipe it down 2-3 times at least, but this is such an easy process. I also used the paint remover clean up afterward to assist with removing any that was left on the wood.
