And over time the oil based poly will amber way more than water based poly will. Next, use a damp rag over the dried paint If the scraping doesn’t remove the drip, try rubbing the surface of the paint with a damp—not wet!—rag. So since we knew we were working with lead paint, we knew better than to start sanding the paint to remove it. That’s actually what the original plan was. Your dresser looks amazing! What can I use on the top to make it a bit more waterproof but hopefully not affect the color? However, not all projects turn out. You might have found a gorgeous piece of old furniture that you just can’t throw away. Just brush a thick layer of citristrip on it and let it go to work for you. This piece of furniture was made with wood veneers though, so I was very careful with the power sander to not sand too hard. Your articles are awesome! About two years ago I bought a vintage sideboard at an antique shop for only $50. How much citristrip does it take to cover a piece this size.? But don’t mess around with it for at least 8 hours. It’s the kind of thing that you add a color in preparation for a sure thing – the future yellowing. With some patience and careful work, you can transform old furniture after learning how to remove paint from wood. I typically use mineral spirits (poured into a plastic bowl) and some fine steel wool to scrub off anything that is left. **P.S. Just let it do it’s thing. Return to trouble spots or detailed areas with the heat gun and use a contoured scraper to remove the paint from narrow crevices. Consult your local building authority for more information. It also had a bunch of paint drips from its time in my college art studio. Scrape the paint from the finished wood using a plastic putty knife. If you only see yellow or orange, just test it on the little confirmation card to make sure the liquid in the tester is working correctly. We tried this lead test out on this dresser and found a mix of results. Any removal of lead paint may also be subject to Federal and State regulations. If you don’t want to use wax, you can do a whitewash instead. It’s super durable and is easy to use! Does wax ever cause yellowing? Local store prices may vary from those displayed. Hey Donna! notch out of the paint with a utility knife, snap the chemicals in the LeadCheck tube, mix them together and swab the paint. Cut a 2-in. Sandpaper and power sanders provide another quick way to remove old paint from wood. Natalie. Step 1 Scrape dried latex paint using a spatula or the edge of a credit card. Use a … Enough layers of water based poly will hold up to everyday use. Goodluck on your project! Anything that you use to protect the wood will change the color at least a little bit. Your email address will not be published. The lead test will just let you know if it’s lead based or not, telling you if you have to be careful or if you don’t need to worry. Hey Rhonda! I’m honestly not sure if you could do this on laminate. Yep, you’re right. I read about that for when I did the kitchen cabinets so I opted to not do the waxing afterwards. Once the poly was completely dry, I applied a really light coat of a white wax. Once this time is up, use a scraper to gently remove the paint from the wood. How To Remove Paint From Wood Furniture? Until we saw what the wood looked like underneath. So if you’re working with lead based paint, it’s best to remove it with a chemical stripper (like we did) instead of sanding it off. But once we saw the beautiful wood underneath all of that paint, we decided to stick with a wood finish. For a dining table I would use oil based poly instead of water based. No joke. I saw you recommend an oil based poly over water based for a table, but in the article you said it would pull more orange/amber tones. Best of luck! I have a very large kitchen table that I refinished 6 years ago. Yep! The heat makes it easy to strip paint from furniture for refinishing. Scrape off the paint with a plastic scraper 4. I repainted with a thin chalk paint, allowing the grains of the freshly-found wood … You can read my full disclosure here for more info.**. Is this true? The surface was really rough because of all the moisture that had just been on the wood. Heated air from the tool is directed onto the painted surface. When the paint is all gone, wash the surface with denatured alcohol or mineral spirits to prepare the wood for its new finish. Found 4 layers of paint and I am doing my second coating of Citristrip. Trust me, this is much easier! If the user wants to give a new look and color to the furniture then it can be done by removing the existing paint from the furniture. Because of the amount of dust generated when sanding to remove paint, wear safety goggles and a face mask. That dresser is absolutely stunning! Sanding cords work like dental floss to remove residue from crevices in turned columns and spindles. Always be aware of the ramifications when cleaning wood surfaces, because you don’t want to cause unnecessary damage if it can be avoided. I plan on stripping a similar old dresser that was painted probably in the 70’s or 80’s to make into a cottage bathroom vanity with a vessel sink on top. you have a beautiful piece of furniture. Thank you so much! If it is dry it up with a cloth or a hair … I have a second layer brewing right now and laid the Citristrip on even thicker…. But I’m not 100% sure. Avoid using sharp objects, such as a straight-edge razor, which will damage wood. Need Help? Remove Latex-based Paint If the Latex-based Paint drips or stains on the surface of your wooden furniture are still wet, then do not waste time and wipe it off with a clean cloth. Thank you for sharing how to remove paint from old furniture! Once the wax was dry, I buffed out the wax with another t-shirt rag. Hi! General Finishes has some really good and durable oil based poly! The trick with a raw wood finish is that it needs to be sealed. Citristrip will remove the polyurethane and the spray paint. And to see them in action, watch the video! Thank you! For the tight areas, corners or details, use the old toothbrush and toothpick to get the gunk out of the details. If you really don’t want it to amber, I believe your only choice is to use a water based poly. When all the paint is … I”m scared I’ll get to the last step and use the wrong color and type of paint and mess it up! I scrape all of the stripper and paint into empty and clean plastic containers like sour cream, cottage cheese, pasta sauce, etc. But the old finish was in really bad shape. They always want to remove the paint without harming the wood furniture.Is it easy to remove the paint without Sand the furniture. Sealed it with 4 pr 5 oats of water based poly. It’s an efficient method for flat surfaces but must be done carefully to avoid wood damage. While the pieces have good "bones" I have no idea how to remove the chalk paint and the wax coating off of the piece (especially around any details). Step 2 Cover the spray paint with a cloth rag. © 2000-2020 Home Depot Product Authority, LLC. haha. You might be onto something! I haven’t had any problems in putting oil based wax over water based poly. Sanding is best kept for small projects unless you want to hire an industrial sander to remove paint and varnish from your floor. I’m looking to do something similar to my boys bedroom furniture. If the liquid stays a yellow orange color, then you most likely don’t have lead in your paint. (It’s totally affordable, easy to use, and always provides a brush free, streak free finish.) I love when you share my work! And there were at least 3 layers of paint on it when it made it’s way to me. You should then leave the stripper on the paint for the amount of time specified by the manufacturer. Once the paint is removed, sand it down. My question is, did you have any problems with putting an oil based wax on top of the water based poly? I’ve never stripped anything so was curious as to how much stripper to purchase. If the paint doesn't come off easily, don't force it, as you can scratch the furniture's finish. I just learned so much! We fixed those issues with a couple of simple tricks. I have been painting since my childhood, and have always had a love for anything crafty. We really wanted to make the wood grain look as good as possible. I like to put the brush attachment onto the hose of the shop vac to brush the dust into the vacuum. It's the safest and easiest way to remove the paint without damaging the surface of the wood. If the liquid turns red on the confirmation card, then you know that your tester worked properly. Can you skip the lead test and go ahead with the citristrip? Read More…. Do what you need to do. (See step 2). Thank you. Every product is independently selected by our editors. Then I just move the stripper around with the paint brush until it’s everywhere. You can find these little lead paint testing kits at your local hardware store. I used to use lint free rags and thought that was good enough. With your other hand, hold a paint scraper at about a 30-degree angle to the surface. Removing Paint from Wood Furniture. If the stripper and the old paint or stain comes off easily, then it’s ready! Hi, love this! Creating anything with the suggested tools, products or methods, is under your own risk! Even so, use stripper outdoors or in a well-ventilated area with drop cloths because it can be smelly and messy work. 1. Denise at Salvaged Inspirations has a great little post all about tinting and using wax. Its gorgeous. The best way to apply the poly is by a paint sprayer. Learn how to remove paint from wood furniture using a Wagner heat gun. She had stumbled upon the base, or someone had it given to her… or something that memory does not serve anymore and her parents built the top for it. Hey Linda! That’s such a good question! Once all the paint had been scraped from the surface of the wood, I wiped down any excess stripper so it didn’t leave behind a film. If you have multiple layers, you may need to reheat a bit to get the layers all the way to bare wood. It might have been the color Heavy Cream in latex paint from home depot. Begin Removing Paint After about 2 hours of letting the Citristrip lying on top of the wood, begin removing the paint. Using enough pressure to remove the paint but not so much that it damages the wood. Is there any way to tone the red down? You want to get that wood all clean and fresh. Would you recommend mixing in more cream paint to offset this? Denatured alcohol, a clean rag, and a lot of patience can remove latex paint without damaging wood. Hey Leslie! Hi Natalie, loved your post! To finish up the raw wood furniture look, we updated the hardware with modern oil rubbed bronze hardware. Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. Stripping furniture and removing old paint from wood can definitely be a process. If you have ever tried to brush on water-based poly, then you know what I’m talking about. But these tack clothes are my new favorite tool for refinishing furniture. I’ve always loved it. So, just leave it. I then did a light hand sand with fine grit sand paper over the entire surface and cleaned it thoroughly with vinegar and water. Dip the paintbrush in the container of stain stripper and apply a thick … Question though… with the wax process afterwards… i thought one would have to re-wax it a year afterwards and so on. Basically all over! If you liked this dresser makeover, please share with your friends and family by pinning it to Pinterest! Apply four to five drops of olive oil to a dry, clean rag and wipe down the spray paint, lubricating the finished wood to prevent scratches. They work great on painted furniture too and can be used a few times before needing replaced. Just proceed as you would if it was lead based. (I pick mine up from Home Depot a lot). The brush really helps with the corners and details… and the flat surfaces. All Rights Reserved. This guide outlines how to strip paint from wood using a chemical stripper, how to remove paint from wood using a heat gun and how to take paint off wood using sandpaper. The trick to sanding is to follow the direction of the wood grains. But the plastic makes the stripper work for longer. The Home Depot delivers online orders when and where you need them. Also, the stripper will eat up foam brushes in a second. When satisfied with paint removal, wipe the entire surface clean of dust with a damp cloth. Lead is toxic and can make you sick if it’s not removed properly. And then it’s time to let the wood dry completely. They're available as a liquid, gel or paste and are effective at removing paint from wood on large projects, curved shapes and fine details. (Hoping to keep it similar color to yours – like a natural wood/white wash/grey undertones). Apply enough alcohol to a clean rag to dampen it without making it dripping wet. How to Remove Paint from Wood Furniture. Use a plastic scraper instead of a metal one because the metal scraper can easily scratch the wood. Furniture doesn’t get as much traffic and abuse, so you’re more safe to use wax on it, and it will last longer than on a kitchen. Tear a kitchen table that I refinished 6 years ago a plastic scraper 4 mixed in paint ) or wax. Return to trouble spots or detailed areas with the wax with 1 part of your paint contoured. 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More than water based years ago I bought a vintage sideboard at an antique shop for $!