Paint and varnish removal. Oy vey!

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I am currently removing years of paint and varnish off woodwork in our very old farmhouse. I'm using a gel remover and it takes the three layers of paint off, but the varnish is like scraping concrete off. Is there a product out there to soften and remove very old varnish? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I can't use a heat gun as my lungs couldn't take the fumes.

-- Ardie/WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), March 04, 2002

Answers

The Tightwad Gazette books advocate the use of a paint scraper tool. Supposedly, it's very effective; just need to sharpen the blade periodically.

-- Liz Rhein (merhein@shentel.net), March 04, 2002.

If the gel remover isn't getting it off then you're probably out of luck going the chemical route. Maybe a soft wirebrush wheel on a drill, used gently. That wouldn't make as much dust as a sander would, though you'll probably have to sand it all anyway no matter what you use to remove the paint.

-- Dave (multiplierx9@hotmail.com), March 04, 2002.

Ardie, I am not at all sure that this would work but maybe try a baking soda paste. I say this because I spilled some on my old oak harvest table once and it took all the varnish off. Might be worth a try.......cheap enough.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), March 04, 2002.

heat gun. quick but requires close attention. easy to get carried away and or burn your house down. once you get the hang of using one there's no going back.

-- B. Lackie - Zone3 (cwrench@hotmail.com), March 04, 2002.

Ardie,I used to strip a lot of furniture I always used cheap stripper and steel wool,just dipped the steel wool in the stipper and used a circular motion old varnish would come right off with this method,dont know if it safe though if you have breathing problems,best to do it out side.Dosent work for paint.

-- willa in Il. (goodall6@hotmail.com), March 04, 2002.


We strip tons of old woodwork. Try straight lacquer thinner with a small wire brush for the varnish layers. It works for us. Unfortunately, there are fumes from lacquer thinner too, but not as bad as from heat gunning (we only do that outdoors) or some chemical strippers.

-- Scott McAlpine in Ohio (scottmcalpine@juno.com), March 04, 2002.

Mixed lime for plastering will also take it off,We plastered a house one time where all the trim work was done(stained varnished),some splattering of finish coat plaster (basically lime)got on the trim and as fast as I could wipe it off the varnish was gone.The owner was not impressed and had to re-do all the trim in that room. Dave (central WI)

-- Dave (duckthis1@myboguse-mail.com), March 04, 2002.

if it is the old old varnish with the stain in it, it can often be removed with rubbing alcohol, period...or it can be redistributed this way, and then look as good as new, with a fine brushing of steel wool. also, the alcohol and paint thinner mixed together.

-- marcee (thathope@mwt.net), March 05, 2002.

I don't know how good it is for the wood, you might check into it, but I actually resorted to using straight Acetone on mine once. You know, the kind they use to take fake fingernails off with? I had some around because it takes nail polish off tons faster than regular polish remover. But, like I said, I'm not sure if it would be too harsh on the wood, and you want to wear rubber gloves, because it dries your skin out lickety split!

-- Christine in OK (cljord@mmcable.com), March 05, 2002.

I've seen this oy vey thing a few times. What does it mean?

Alison

-- Alison Homa (alisonhoma@hotmail.com), March 05, 2002.



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