How to Sand Furniture Lacquer

Furniture lacquer is similar to a stain applied to the surface of the wood, but this material is usually a little thicker and darker than a regular stain. You may find it on newer pieces of wood furniture or applied to older furniture by a novice. For years, people have disregarded furniture covered with lacquer because they thought it was too hard to remove. This is, quite frankly, the wrong way of thinking. It’s very easy to sand furniture lacquer as long as you follow a few steps.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Electric sander
• Sandpaper
• Cloth
• Varnish or stain (optional)

1. Run an electric sander over the surface of the piece. This will give it a smooth and flat appearance and feel.

2. Rub the surface of the furniture with a piece of small grade sandpaper. This helps even out any rough spots you may have missed.

3. Wipe the area with a clean, dry cloth to examine the wood. This also gives you the chance to decide if you like the way it looks, or if there are areas that need more work.

4. Repeat the steps above until the piece of furniture looks the way you like. You can repeat the sanding several times as needed.

5. Cover the furniture with a coat of stain or varnish, and decorate as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• You can skip the electric sander and stick with the sandpaper if you like, but you should start with a rougher grade of sandpaper and work down to a smaller size. This process will take longer.
• Remember to wipe off the piece every few minutes with a dry cloth. Otherwise, you may eat through the lacquered parts and sand into the wood grain.