How to strip wood finishes

Things You'll Need

• Putty knife or plastic scraper
• Denatured alcohol
• Paint brush
• Steel Wool
• Plastic sheet
  
• Eye protection (splash goggles)
• Lacquer thinner
• Wood stripper
• Rubber gloves

Step One

Set up your workstation in a well-ventilated area. Put down a plastic sheet or large piece of cardboard to keep your stripper and the old finish off your floor.

Step Two

Start by testing the finish to determine whether it is shellac or lacquer rather than varnish.

Step Three

Use both lacquer thinner and denatured alcohol. Spread each on a small section of the surface, give them 15 to 20 seconds to work and then wipe the surface. A shellac finish will liquefy when denatured alcohol is applied, while a lacquer finish will come off with lacquer thinner. If either of these solvents removes your surface, you will know what kind of finish you're dealing with, and you won't need to use a chemical stripper. If the surface remains unchanged after your test, you have a varnish finish and will need to use a chemical stripper.

Using a Wood Stripper

Step One

Choose a wood stripper. These are readily available at your home store and come in both liquid and gel form. The gels work better on vertical surfaces (like table legs), while a liquid stripper can often get into crevices in a pattern better than a gel.

Step Two

Use an old paintbrush to spread stripper on a section of your furniture surface. Don't spread it over the whole surface, as strippers dry out and become hard to remove.

Step Three

Allow the stripper enough time to do its work (usually about 15 to 20 minutes, but follow the manufacturer's directions), and wait for the surface to bubble.

Step Four

Use a small putty knife or plastic scraper to carefully scrape the old finish off the furniture (the stripper will also soften the wood, so be careful not to gouge the surface). On stubborn finishes a second application of stripper may be necessary.

Step Five

Clean away any finish that is ingrained in the wood by soaking a piece of steel wool in stripper and rubbing it directly on the surface.

Step Six

Repeat the process on the next section of the piece of furniture.

Finishing Up

Step One

Neutralize the chemical stripper by cleaning the piece of furniture with the manufacturer's recommended chemical (usually naphtha gas or lacquer thinner). Dispose of the accumulated old finish and chemical stripper mess on the floor.

Step Two

Allow the surface to dry thoroughly (at least overnight) before you stain or refinish your "new" piece of furniture.