Different Methods of Stripping Wood
Stripping Wood: Is Sanding or Stripper Best?
When planning to strip a piece of wooden furniture of it's existing stain and protective finish, you’ll need to consider that there are different methods of stripping wood of it's previous topcoat. We’ll explore a few different methods af stripping wood of its old topcoat, such as sanding the finish off, using chemical or low VOC varnish strippers, or manually scraping the existing finish off, to help you determine which is the best method of stripping wood for you. So, if you're questioning if sanding or stripping is best for your project, read on as we examine the options; you may find that one will suit your preferences or task, more than the other.
**Note this article does not cover which strippers to use for removing paint from furniture. Also this article does not focus on the topic of ‘wood finish restoration’. There are different, more targeted approaches for restoring and preserving an antique finish that aren't covered in this article.
Common Finishes on Wooden Furniture
Common finishes on wooden furniture are Polyurethane, Polycrylic, Shellac, Lacquer, Oils ( such as linseed oil/ Tung Oil/Danish Oil etc’) Varnish and Wax (for for information on the various topcoats read my blog post here)
Whatever the finish of your wooden furniture, if you’re wanting to strip it back completely so that you can re-stain it, with traditional oil-based or water-based stains, or achieve a natural wood look, you’ll need to strip away the existing old finish. So here we'll consider the different methods of stripping wood to ensure the old finish is completely removed before you move onto the next step. of your project.
*(if you want to restain the wood with a GEL stain you don't have to strip it back to raw wood. Gel stain sits on top of the wood, so read the brand you purchased for their instructions).
Removing an Existing Topcoat/Varnish with an Electrical Sander...
Removing an existing finish with an electrical sander can be a great, time-saving and relatively labour-saving way of stripping your wooden furniture. However if the finish you want to remove is wax then this is not the best method. Read on further for how to remove a wax finish.
There are a variety of electrical sanders that can remove old stain and finish. I use a combination of a Random Orbital Sander, and Detail Sanders to sand into corners and tight crevices.
Electrical sanders do the majority of the work and you just need to guide it along. It’s not a totally mess-free option as sanding results in sanding dust, which can irritate the eyes and lungs, so be sure to wear protective eye goggles and a sanding mask.
NOTE: Electrical sanders work great for solid wood, but if you want to remove the existing topcoat/finish from wood VENEER then stripping the wood is best. Read further on to find out how more about what veneer is and to strip an existing finish from wood veneer with stripper. For now...let's carry on taliking about electrical sanders!
Some sanders such as some random orbital sanders and the 'Corner Cat sander' come with attached dust-bags. They don’t catch all of the dust but definitely help reduce the clean-up!
Going one step further; If you’re thinking of taking up furniture refurbishing as an ongoing hobby, or you want to flip old furniture to resell it, you’re best investing in purchasing a sander that can attach to a ‘shop-vac’ as that will massively reduce your dust clean-up!
To totally remove old finish from wooden furniture (as opposed to merely scuff-sanding it) you’ll need to start off with a lower grit sandpaper (80 grit or 120 grit). Remember to change out the sandpaper for a fresh sheet once it gets too ‘cloggy’.
Once the finish is removed, you can work your way up the grits to smooth out the wood so it’s ready for stain and/or topcoat. To do this you pass over all the wood with 180 grit, followed by 220 grit. It’s best to work in the direction of the grain. Be sure to wipe all the sanding dust away with a lint-free cloth followed by a TACK cloth to pick up the final lingering dust specks. Once all dust is removed you can move onto your next step.
**(If your existing finish is wax then read further on in this article for the best wax to remove a wax finish)
When using an electrical sander, be careful not to push down too hard, and avoid pressing at an angle on a flat surface, as this will leave dents in your wood. Also be careful sanding trim, ledges and detailing as electrical sanders are powerful and can take off corners and blunt-down edges. Go carefully.
If you’re using a 'corner Cat Sander' or a 5 inch random Orbital Sander you can use foam interfaces and attach them to the face of your sander, before applying the sanding disc/paper. The foam will lend some cushioning when sanding edges and trim, so the vibration won’t have such a harsh effect. Although you still need to be cautious sanding these areas.
For parts of the wood that you can't access with your electrical sander, you can use sandpaper and sand by hand.
Removing an Existing Finish with a Carbide Scraper
A carbide scraper is a very handy tool that has a carbide blade, which is great for scraping off old finish, particularly varnish and shellac.
It does require a bit more manual labour than using chemical or non-toxic liquid strippers, but if your piece is large, then you can take little breaks from scraping as and when you need.
Removing an existing finish with a carbide scraper is a great idea, but a couple of pros and cons to consider are:
The Pros of Using a Carbide Scraper: it is a non-toxic and relatively less messy way to remove a finish compared to applying strippers. You just need to clear away your scrapings. No gloopy mess to clean up!
The Cons to Using a Carbide Scraper: You need to watch your scraping technique, as if you put too much weight onto your scraper, or lean in at an angle too hard, then you can scratch or gouge the wood. So keep the scraper level at the surface of the wood and don’t dig down. Assert enough level pressure to remove the existing stain and finish as you scrape, working with the direction of the wood grain.
One downside to using a carbide scraper though, is that if you have arthritis or a chronic injury that affects your hands/arms/shoulders, it may prove a struggle, and you may find this method uncomfortable or taxing. You could try and see if it's for you, and just work in short bursts if you find it too labour intensive, or if it brings you discomfort.
Remove Old Finish from Wood Using A Low Toxic or Non- Toxic Stripper
Using a stripper to remove an old finish is a popular choice. Sometimes using an electrical sander or carbide scraper isn’t the best option, this is especially true if the old finish that you want to remove was applied on top of a beautiful wood veneer as opposed to solid wood. If I think I'm working with a wood veneer then I often remove old finish from wood using a low toxic or non-toxic stripper.
Wood veneers are thinner pieces of wood that can often have a beautiful grain pattern. The veneers can vary in thickness; some are super thin and relatively delicate.
They're usually glued on top of a cheaper wood or pressed wood. The cheaper wood makes up the structure of the piece of furniture, while the wood veneer gives the furniture its higher quality wooden aesthetic.
If the veneer is thin then it’s best to minimise the amount of sanding you need to do. The best way you can do this is to remove old finish from wood using a low toxic or non-toxic stripper. That way you are lessening the risk of potentially blowing through the veneer with your electrical sander and damaging it.
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are present in higher amounts in standard chemical strippers, so you may prefer to try a stripper that is more environmentally friendly and less hazardous. I have worked with both types of stripper and if I have a non-toxic one in my supply cupboard then I prefer to use it, especially if the weather has me stripping the piece of furniture indoors. In these cases especially, I use my ‘go-to’ stripper as it’s a much safer option. It claims to be non-toxic which I find a huge plus.
QCS non-toxic stripper has worked an absolute treat when I’ve used it to remove an old finish. I protect the floor under and around the furniture with a thick drop-cloth and get to work. When I spray the stripper on, I cover it over with cling film/saran wrap to keep it from drying out. I check after 20 minutes to half an hour, and if it starts to lift off easily then it's time to scrape it off. Sometimes you’ll need to apply a second coat as it may not lift all of the old finish in one go. You can use 0000 wire wool and either more QCS or Mineral Spirits to lift the last of the stripper. Detailed instructions are on the spray bottle.
Removing an Old Finish with Chemical Stripper
I'll occasionally use chemical strippers as they do a great job, and if it's a really thick, tough varnish job then the chemical solvents in the stripper work wonders at breaking it down.
You can apply chemical stripper with a cheap chip brush that you can dispose of later. You’ll need to read the label of the brand of stripper you purchase for their instructions.If the stain and varnish job is super thick, and/or if I've run out of my supply of non-toxic varnish stripper, you'll find me in the garden, where I'll be removing and old finish with chemical stripper, protecting myself with goggles, a respirator mask and chemical resistant gloves.
**Be sure to take the health warnings on the label seriously. It’s hardcore stuff!!
It's preferable to work outside whenever possible, otherwise have all windows/doors wide open to avoid inhaling noxious fumes and VOCs as they are a health hazard. After you’ve stripped the finish off you’ll need to remove the stripper residue according to the brand instructions. Most brands sell their version of an ‘Afterclean’ solution.
How to Remove a Wax Finish from Your Wooden Furniture:
I had initially applied a 'Cerusing Wax' to this bowl. But I wanted to remove the wax so that I could apply a paint-wash to neutralise the orange tones.
You can usually tell quite easily if the finish is wax. If it doesn’t have much of a sheen (wax is not a high shine finish, although it can be buffed to have some sheen it’s not reflective) and if you scrape it with your nails, then hardened scrapings of wax will accumulate under your fingernails.
The wax needs to be broken down and dissolved with Mineral Spirits. Your best bet is to scrape off as much wax as you can with a carbide scraper first. When approaching how to remove a wax finish from your wooden furniture, it helps to do it in two steps...
Step 1: Remove as much wax as you can using a carbide scraper. When using a Carbide Scraper, keep the scraper blade level with the surface of the wood and assert enough pressure to remove the top layers of wax as you work along the piece. Don’t dig down into the wood with the scraper as you can scratch and dent it.
Step 2: After you have scraped off as much wax as you can, just pop- on some protective gloves, take some super fine (‘0000’ grade ) wire wool, pour some Mineral spirits onto the wire wool and rub it into the surface to loosen and dissolve the remainder of the wax. If there is wax embedded in wood knots you can tease it loose with a toothbrush. Reapply and repeat until you’ve thoroughly cleaned the whole surface.
Once the wood is dry then clean it with a degreasing agent such as Krud Kutter and rinse off. This ensures that there is no oily residue left. Leave the wood to dry. Once the wood is dry then you’re ready to sand it if that’s your plan. If you try to remove a wax finish with sandpaper it will just gloop-up your paper really quickly, and will still leave wax behind.
Remember, Mineral Spirits is a petroleum based solvent, so protect yourself from breathing in the vapours with a respirator mask and protect your skin with gloves. Additionally you must ventilate your work area well if you're working indoors, so throw those windows open!!
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