How to Remove Lacquer With Solvents

Many wood surfaces have wood lacquer on them.

Refinishing an old piece of furniture usually requires that you strip the old lacquer finish off so you can touch up the wood and then apply a fresh finish. Lacquer is a hard coating of shellac or plastic resin that protects the wood from scratches and moisture. You can sand lacquer off, but on tight places or detailed woodwork this can damage the wood. In these cases, you can use a solvent called lacquer stripper to remove the hard coat finish.

Things You'll Need

• Drop cloth
• Lacquer stripper
• Glass bowls
• Paintbrush
• Rough rags
• Wood scraper

Instructions

1. Place the wooden object into a well-ventilated area, preferably outside. When you use stripping chemicals to remove lacquer or paint, the chemicals put off a noxious odor that can make you sick. Place the object on a drop cloth to prevent the floor or workbench from getting wet with the chemicals.

2. Pour a small amount of the stripping chemical you plan to use into a glass bowl.

3. Dip the tip of a paintbrush or paint sponge into the bowl and then paint the surface of the lacquer with the chemical. The amount of time needed to allow the chemical to work depends on the brand and type of stripper you plan to use. In many cases, you must wait between 2 and 12 hours, but some work right away.

4. Wipe the surface clean with a dry, rough textured rag in small sections, using different parts of the rag to avoid spreading the old lacquer around. Wipe the excess on the rag into a glass bowl. This will help lessen the number of clean rags you will need.

5. Use a wood scraper to lightly scrape away left over lacquer, going with the grain of the wood and being careful not to dig in to the wood's surface.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not throw your wet rags into a pile. Many strippers produce heat as they work and a pile of rags can ignite into a fire. If possible, hang each wet cloth on a clothes line to dry or place the cloths in a bucket of water to neutralize them.

References

• Canoe Shop: Refinishing a Wooden Canoe; Mike Elliott