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How to remove paint and varnish

 

House - general tips

The finish is only as good as the surface to which it is bonded. That’s why 90% of any repainting is surface preparation.



In Summer, block off the chimney as this inhibit the flow of hot air into the house.

Repair dripping faucets

Turn off appliances at the power point when not in use.

 

Professional Wood Stripping

Professional  wood stripping is done by dipping the piece to be stripped into a large vat of chemicals which remove all old finish right down to the bare wood in a matter of seconds. The piece is then quickly removed and hosed off with water. The chemicals are harsh so therefore this process is definitely not recommended for fine pieces of furniture for example. Always check with the service provider if you are unsure of whether this is the best stripping method for your piece.

 

Shellac & Lacquer

Shellac is thinned with alcohol and is therefore pretty easy to remove. To remove simply dip a pad of 000 steel wool and dip it in denatured alcohol. Start by moving the steel wool pad in circular motions on a small area of the wood. Give the alcohol plenty of time to soften the shellac.

To remove lacquer, follow the same procedure as for shellac except use lacquer thinners instead of alcohol to the thin the lacquer.

Alcohol and thinners are quite toxic and harsh on the skin. Always wear gloves when working with these materials and make sure you work in a well ventilated room.

 

Paint & Varnish - paint stripper

Spread remover over the surface with an old paint brush. “Lay” the remover on the surface as opposed to brushing it on like you would with paint.

Cover the surface with aluminum foil after the stripper has been thickly applied. The foil will held retard evaporation of the chemicals in the stripper and the stripper more removal power.

Use a tin to catch paint strippings when working on a vertical such as chair and table legs.

Make you sure you have adequate ventilation when working with paint thinners.

Roll out steel wool to make a string for removing finishing from turnings and grooves. (Use string as an old fashioned shoe shiner in the nooks and grooves to get rid of the paint)

Do not use paint and varnish stripper on an asphalt, rubber tile, or linoleum floor. Any stripper spills can damage this floor material immediately.

Polyurethane varnish can be very difficult to remove with paint and varnish strippers. Give it plenty of time work; you may need several coats.

A soft wire brush, steel wool, or an old toothbrush dipped in stripper is a good way to remove old finish from carved and irregular surfaces.

Abrasive Removal

Good old fashioned sandpaper or steel wool will remove any type of finish however usually use a lot of muscle power. You also have to be careful with abrasive removal as you run this risk of damaging the surface below.

Rules of thumb when removing paint and varnish

If the finish it clear, use paint remover, alcohol or lacquer thinner.

If the finish is paint or enamel, you can use abrasives. If by hand, use the abrasive over a flat sanding block to avoid digging into the wood below the surface. If using a sander, only use an orbital type. Do not use disc or below sanders; both remove finish too fast and you are highly likely to cut through the finish and ruin the wood below.

For the first abrasive cut on thick finishes, use open – coat sandpaper. Once the finish is “thin”, Switch to a finer, closed –coat paper.

Steel wool has a thin grease coating necessary in its manufacture. Be sure to wipe readied surfaces with solvent before finishing if you use steel wool.

Almost any surface must be sanded lightly after old finish has been removed.

Emery paper is used in metal finishing. It is not a wood abrasive.

Remove all sanding residue before finishing. Use a vacuum, or solvent such as turpentine.


Remove by heat

A heat gun will remove paint but must be used with caution as prolonged heat in one spot can cause scorching which is almost impossible to remove. Heat tends to work best with paint and not so much on lacquer, enamel, shellac and similar type finishes.

When working with heat, always have a bucket of water handy in the case of fire. Do Not remove paint from exterior timber siding with a propane or blow torch. The flame can ignite wood and construction paper behind the siding where you don’t immediately see it and can burn down the house.

Heat is a good finish remover, even it slow. Team a scraper with the heat and run the scraper just as soon as the finish has softened under the heat.

 

Scrapers

Scrapers by themselves are slow paint and varnish removers. They must be teamed with a solvent, with the exception of cabinet scrapers. Cabinet scrapers are so sharp that can cut through the paint to the wood. Be careful when using them as they are that sharp that they are sometimes used in woodwork as a woodworking plane.

Types of scrapers:

Putty knives:  Buy flexible bladed ones for finish removal and grind the corners of the blade round it won’t dig into the wood as you work.

Flat scrapers: Flexible bladed scrapers are best. Also round the corners.

Pull scrapers: Excellent for removing finish on siding, gutters and moldings. Don’t use them on fine furniture pieces.

Kitchen food scrapers: These rubber-like scrapers are great for flicking softened paint out of corners, carvings and gimcracks.

Red Fig Services - tel: 0415 090 672 – email: info@redfig.com.au – PO Box 459, Double Bay, 1360