Stripping and refinishing

Overview

Stripping removes a failed or unwanted finish down to wood. Bob Flexner argues you should strip rather than sand old furniture: sanding cuts unevenly through stain and patina, while stripper lifts finish and leaves the surface intact. Most of the skill is in choosing the stripper and not rushing it. Check Repairing finish damage and Troubleshooting finish defects first: a spot repair is often enough.

When to use

• Finish is crazed, alligatored, tacky, fish-eyed or built up over detail (Troubleshooting finish defects).
• Catalyzed or conversion varnish damage, which cannot be dissolved or abraded in place (Flexner).
• Not for veneer you can't afford to wet, or for old painted pieces until lead is ruled out (see Safety).

Materials and tools

Stripper (see step 2), old brush, plastic scraper, wide dull putty knife, #1 steel wool or Scotch-Brite pad, paper towels or planer shavings, thinner or naphtha for the wash, butyl or neoprene gloves, eye protection, a coffee can for hardware.

Steps

1. Identify the finish. Fine Woodworking's test: denatured alcohol softens shellac, lacquer thinner softens lacquer; if neither does, it is probably varnish. Shellac and lacquer can simply be dissolved off with their solvents (one blogger, Start Woodworking Now, says as much and warns water-containing gel strippers can lift veneer and soften PVA glue; treat that as a single opinion).
2. Pick a stripper. Fine Woodworking sorts them into five classes: methylene chloride, methanol/acetone/toluene, NMP, dibasic esters and lye. This Old House describes "benign" citrus, soy-ester and dibasic-ester types as slower and needing longer dwell, helped by covering with plastic. A gel or paste stays on verticals. Lye suits milk paint (Flexner). Start Woodworking Now adds that caustic strippers can darken tannin-rich woods.
3. Set up. Work outdoors or with cross-ventilation, away from flames; remove hardware; wear butyl or neoprene gloves and eye protection (Flexner).
4. Apply thick and keep it wet. Brush on a heavy coat, leave it, and add more or cover with plastic wrap as it dries; strippers are slow below 65F.
5. Lift the residue. Use a plastic scraper, paper towels or planer shavings; #1 steel wool for mouldings. Repeat for stubborn layers.
6. Wash. Wipe with mineral spirits, naphtha or lacquer thinner to remove wax from the stripper (Flexner), or water if the stripper is water-washable.
7. Dry fully, then sand lightly and refinish (Sanding schedule). Wash off all residue first; Flexner's wax-removal wash exists because leftovers interfere with the new finish.

Common problems

• Methylene chloride products on the shelf. EPA says consumer paint and coating removal with methylene chloride was prohibited in 2019, and its April 2024 rule prohibits all consumer uses and most industrial and commercial uses including paint and coating removers. Don't use old stock.
• Residue or tackiness after refinishing. Cause: stripper wax or leftover solvent. Fix: wash again with thinner.
• Stripper stops working. Cause: it dried or is too cold. Fix: add stripper, cover, warm the space.
• Veneer lifting or glue softening. Cause (per Start Woodworking Now): water-containing gel strippers. Fix: use a solvent type and limit wetting.

Safety and environment

Strippers are chemical hazards: ventilate and wear butyl or neoprene gloves and eye protection (Flexner); follow the can. Lead: EPA says lead paint was banned for homes in 1978 and about 75% of US homes built before then still contain some; its Renovation, Repair and Painting rule applies to paid work. For HUD-covered housing, 24 CFR 35.140 prohibits open flame, heat guns above 1100F, machine sanding without HEPA and dry scraping with limited exceptions; that is a housing rule, not a universal law. Flexner notes paint over 40 years old may contain lead. Test before you strip.

Related

• Repairing finish damage, Troubleshooting finish defects
• Dust removal and tack cloths, Sanding schedule: after stripping.
• Degreasing oily woods, Milk paint, Shellac
• Oily rag safety: solvent-soaked rags.