How to strip polyurethane from wood furniture. My choices to refinish the desk were simple. Maybe youre staring at a piece of furniture you want to refinish or perhaps your hardwood floors need a touch up. Scott strips it all off in this tantalizing how to about removing a botched polyurethane finish from a table top. How to strip paint stain polyurethane from furniture.
Either way youre faced with the challenge of taking off a coating of polyurethane which is a. Oil based polyurethanes are. Take the water and rags to a hazardous waste disposal unit along with leftover stripper. The result will be brilliant bare wood that can be treated with a new stain or finish that will keep it looking majestic for years to come.
Now your furniture or floor has been completely stripped with polyurethane and ready to be painted or finished with a brand new coat of stain. I love the style of the desk but i dont like the red finish. In order to revive wood furniture and return it to its natural beauty you will need to remove the original polyurethane finish. A polyurethane stripper can help accomplish this.
When using paint stripper for wood furniture not only do you need a brush a cheap chip brush will work a container to put the stripper in a scraper and neoprene gloves but i also always have a cardboard box nearby. Mix together 12 cup cold water and 1 cup cornstarch until it creates a thick paste. Boil 4 cups of water and remove it from the stove. Demonstration of stripping varnish and stain using 3m safest stripper.
The mix will serve as your polyurethane stripper strong enough to remove the finish but unable to penetrate the wood and disturb the stain if quickly removed. Paint it probably with chalk paint apply stain over the old stain strip it or leave it as is. Create your varnish removal mixture. How to remove polyurethane.
Polyurethane is available in both oil based and water based formulas. Step 2 apply the mixture onto the polyurethane finish covering the stained wood. Its a solid wood antique table with a cherry finish. Pour your 4 cups of water into a bucket and add 34 cup baking soda and 1 tbsp of vinegar.
How to remove polyurethane from wood without chemicals step 1. Soak discarded rags and steel wool in water.