How to Use a Chemical Stripper on Wood Furniture

Old or damaged finishes can be removed from your wood furniture using a chemical stripper. Strippers are available in cream, paste or gel forms, and often work in as little as 15 minutes. Most chemical strippers contain methylene chloride, a chemical that causes the old finish to soften and bubble up. Once the stripper begins working, it can be scraped off, leaving the bare wood behind. Furniture can then be re-stained or painted, depending on your preference.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paintbrush
• Scraper
• Wood block
• Brush or twine
• Sandpaper

1. 
    

   Pour a heavy coat of stripper on the furniture and work it into the grain with a paintbrush. You will need a heavy coat for the stripper to work, so resist the urge to spread the stripper out too much. Keep the piece you are stripping horizontal, if possible, to prevent the stripper from dripping off the edge. Be sure to put a layer of newspaper under the furniture to catch drips.

2. 
    

   Follow package instructions and allow the stripper to work for the time indicated in the instructions. Remove the softened finish with a putty knife or scraper. Use a putty knife with rounded corners to prevent gouging the wood. Scrape with the grain.

3. Reach small or detailed areas with a plastic pad, steel wool or burlap. You’ll want the pad you choose to conform tightly to the hard-to-reach areas in order to remove all of the finish. Fold the cloth from time to time to make sure you are rubbing with a clean area.

4. Take a brass brush and scrub the finish from any carved designs or grooves on the furniture. If you don’t have a brush, try using twine. Move the twine back and forth in the desired area to remove stubborn areas of stain.

5. Wrap a sheet of sandpaper around a block of wood to remove the finish from corners and right angles. You may need to use different sizes of wood blocks depending on the areas you need to sand.

6. Try a heat gun if nothing else works. The heat will blister the finish, making it easier to scrape away. Don’t overdo the heat gun or you could damage the wood. A heat gun is not recommended for use on wood veneers.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are concerned about damaging the wood with your scraper, try using a plastic scraper rather than a metal one. Even if the plastic scraper slips, it will be less likely to gouge the wood.
• Make sure that you use the chemical stripper in a well-ventilated area and keep the stripper away from open flames or heat sources.
• If chemical stripping reveals water stains or areas where the stain has been retained, you may need to sand or bleach the area before refinishing.

Resources

• Refinishing Furniture
• DIY Network