A review of methods for removing varnish from furniture

The process of restoring furniture is a rather difficult task, for which you can use several methods. The restoration procedure consists of several stages. One of the most important steps is to remove the old varnished coating. Therefore, you need to figure out how to properly remove the varnish from the furniture, and at the same time not damage the wooden surface.

Content:

• Choosing a varnish remover
• The choice of removal method
• Chemical way
• Chemical polish removal steps
• Mechanical methods
• First option
• Second option
• Thermal method
• Water method

Choosing a varnish remover

Before you begin to remove the paintwork from the wooden surface of the furniture, you should stock up with the necessary tool, which will vary depending on the method you choose.

The whole list of tools required for the procedure:

• sanding pad;
• sandpaper;
• latex gloves;
• glasses;
• special chemical composition for washing;
• respirator and mask for protection;
• brush;
• soft sponge;
• hard brush made of metal;
• blowtorch;
• hair dryer used in construction;
• polyethylene film.

The choice of removal method

Whatever method you choose to eliminate the paintwork, you need to remove it carefully and thoroughly.

The main thing is not to damage the wooden coating itself, otherwise you will ruin the entire restoration process. After this, you should decide which method you will remove the varnish from the wooden coating.

The main methods that are used today:

• chemical;
• mechanical;
• thermal;
• water.

Chemical way

The chemical method will effectively remove varnish from old furniture at home. To carry out it is necessary to wear a cotton suit, protective rubber gloves, a mask and glasses. This is necessary to protect against chemicals that contain acid. Therefore, if exposed to the skin, these chemicals can cause burns.

A complex of chemicals for removing varnish from old furniture is called a wash. It is a special powder or mixture that, thanks to its chemical properties, can freely corrode up to ten layers of paintwork. This tool can be purchased in specialized stores.

Chemical polish removal steps

1. Preparatory stage. At the preparatory stage, it is necessary to dilute the dry powder with the amount of water that is indicated in the instructions. All components of the solution should be mixed in order to obtain a paste with a uniform, dense consistency. It is important to remember that such a paste in the form of a gel can even stay on a vertical surface.
2. Flushing. This stage, which consists in applying a paste-like remover to furniture, is one of the key. The mixture is best applied with a regular brush, treating the surface with a thick layer.Brush movements must be carried out in one direction so as not to apply the mixture repeatedly to the same area.
3. Application of a special film. This stage is necessary in order to enhance the flushing effect. To conduct it, you should take a film of polyethylene and cover it with a surface with a wash. This film should remain on the surface for at least an hour. It is best to leave it for 3 or 4 hours. The time for which the film is applied depends on the thickness of the paintwork and the quality of the varnish itself. At the end of this step, the film is removed. It must be remembered that the removal of the film is possible only when the color of the wash darkens and becomes dark brown. In this case, the paintwork should swell.
4. Stage of varnish removal. If you did everything right in the previous steps, then you can easily remove the varnish from old furniture, even at home. To do this, you need to take a spatula and use it to carefully remove the exfoliated particles of the paintwork. Next, you need to take sandpaper and walk it several times on a wooden varnished surface. So you can remove all residual varnish that has not been removed with a spatula. In this case, it is advisable to use a spatula, which has non-sharp edges. Therefore, if you are dealing with a new tool, then you need to sharpen it a bit with the help of a grindstone. Otherwise, a spatula that is too sharp can damage the wooden furniture you are cleaning. Therefore, a plastic tool, which is considered less rigid, can be an excellent option.
5. The step of eliminating the flushing. To remove the remnants of the wash from the varnished coating, take at least 0.5 liters of ordinary water and dissolve 100-150 ml of vinegar in it. In the resulting solution, it is necessary to dip the sponge and thoroughly rinse the surface with it. Then wipe the surface with a cloth made of flannel fabric. Thoroughly cleaned furniture should be left to dry in the open air so that direct sunlight does not fall on it. This step should be carried out quickly so that the wooden surface is not exposed to excessive moisture.

Mechanical methods

There are several options for removing varnish from old furniture mechanically. Therefore, it is better to study each of these options and choose a suitable option.

First option

This method is better to choose if the paint material is peeled off by fragments. To perform this technique, you should take rough sandpaper or a steel brush. Use these tools to clean the surface with circular motions. Next, you need to take a screwdriver or putty knife, with which you can remove the varnish even in hard-to-reach areas.

Second option

This technique is more effective and is used if the varnish coating has not yet begun to exfoliate. Here you will need an eccentric grinding tool and hard sandpaper.

Before carrying out work, wear protective goggles and a mask. Then, using a machine filled with sandpaper with grit from 80 to 120, the surface as a whole should be carefully treated. After that, the previous version of sandpaper is changed to 180 grit material in the typewriter.

This tool should also be walked on a wooden lacquered finish. At the final stage, make sure that no pieces of varnish remain on the furniture.

In general, mechanical methods are recommended to be used if, after removing the varnish, you plan to apply enamel or other paintwork on wooden furniture. This is due to the fact that machining can lead to wood damage.

Thermal method

If you plan to remove the varnish using the thermal method, then for this you need a building hair dryer or blowtorch. The main advantages of the thermal method of removing varnish are the speed of work and high quality cleaning. However, in order to get good results, you will need to follow all the rules for performing this technique.

At the first stage, it is necessary to heat a certain fragment of a wooden surface from which it is planned to remove the varnish. This should be done with a hairdryer or blowtorch. After that, using a spatula or a sharp knife, carefully remove the molten layer of the paintwork.

It is advisable to work as quickly as possible so that the varnish does not have time to harden again. After removing the coating from one area, they proceed to the removal of varnish from the next fragment. So the lacquer coating is gradually removed from the entire surface of the furniture.

The thermal technique requires special care. To do this, strictly observe a certain firing distance and not violate the temperature regime. This will prevent blackening of the wood.

If you do not follow all the rules, then the wooden coating may become unusable. Therefore, when smoke or bubbles appear, you need to immediately stop and remove the tool from a wooden surface.

Water method

Waterborne nail polish remover is the safest and easiest. The main tool here is a sponge that needs to be moistened well with water. Next, use a sponge to wipe the surface that you plan to clean from varnish. Liquid that gets on the paintwork will gradually dissolve it.

On a copiously moistened surface, it is necessary to walk with sandpaper with large grains many times. These steps must be repeated until the paint material becomes slurry. After complete removal of the varnish, the wooden furniture is thoroughly washed and dried. At the final stage, the surface is treated with fine-grained sanding paper.

Thus, the removal of paint from old wooden furniture can be carried out by several methods. In this case, in each specific situation, you need to choose the most optimal way to eliminate varnish.