Stripping wooden furniture is a time-consuming task. But, the results are worth the time once all the paint has been removed. If you are revamping a piece of wooden furniture around the home or garden then we have listed the process to help you succeed.
Page Contents
Paint Stripper Warning!
When it comes to stripping paint from wooden furniture you must keep it simple. Using paint strippers are good for the first layer of paint but after that, they do more harm than good.
Paint strippers will ruin your furniture especially if you have a softwood piece. You will notice the paint stripper will remove the wood fibre between the grain. This will make your piece look stressed and you will find yourself having to sand out the damaged sections.
Health And Safety
Before starting to tackle your piece of furniture you must always wear protective equipment. This is because paint flakes and sawdust will affect your breathing and make your eyes sore. Always sand in a ventilated area, wear a mask, goggles and protective clothing.
The Process Of Removing Paint From Wooden Furniture
Stripping your wooden furniture is a three step process:
- Apply paint stripper (one coat)
- Use a hand Sander or wooden block
- Finish with fine grade sandpaper to smooth your piece
Apply Paint Stripper – We recommend you only use a paint stripper for the first layer of paint. Once you have broken down the protective layer of paint you are ready for coarse grade sandpaper. When you start to scrape away the bubbled paint never us a metal scrapper because this can scratch and dent your piece. Use a hard plastic scraper to remove the excess bubbled paint.
Initial Coarse Sand 80/120 grade – Once you have removed all paint stripper you need to grab some coarse sandpaper. You should use a small sander with various attachments to get into the awkward sections. A sanding block is also better than just using sandpaper because you can put more pressure when sanding. Continue sanding until you have exposed the wood below. At this point, your wooden furniture piece will feel furry because you have used coarse grade sandpaper.
Finish with fine 500-grade Sandpaper – Switching to finer grade sandpaper will remove the furry surface and help smooth out the wooden fibres in the grain. You will know when your piece of wooden furniture is ready by rubbing your fingertips over the surface. It should feel smooth and ready to be treated to your preference.
Top Tip: Avoid using a heat gun on wooden furniture because it can warp and burn deep in the wood. If you still want to use a heat gun for quickness then we would advise you to only use it initially to remove the protective coat.
Conclusion – Removing Paint From Wooden Furniture
Do not fall for the chemical approach because it can do more harm than good. Good elbow grease is a must and will make you more proud of your wooden piece of furniture once completed. There is no quick fix for removing paint from furniture unless you send them off to be professionally dipped and stripped which costs upwards of £300/400 for a big piece.
Happy Sanding 😉
Leave a Reply