How to clean old varnish from furniture?

How to clean old varnish from furniture? - This question arises when you need to put in order interior items. The reasons for this can be completely different. Sometimes, under some circumstances, the lacquer coating on a completely modern cabinet or shelf deteriorates. It happens that you want to remake even a new thing. And there are people who love antiques, rare chests of drawers and sideboards, complementing the interior in a vintage style. In this case, when updating furniture, the question naturally arises of how and how to remove the lacquer coating from the interior. With possible safe and effective ways, we will introduce you in this article.

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How to remove old varnish from furniture?

We have not yet come up with a single method, each thing requires an individual approach, since:

• the furniture can be different - an array, veneer, chipboard and more;
• varnish can be of different composition - old alcohol-based, based on natural resin, modern multi-component quick-drying varnish and others.

In addition, the choice of the method of removing the old varnish depends on how important it is for you to maintain the structure of the top layer of the wooden thing:

• You can remove the varnish with a grinder and cover it with paint. In this case, the main thing is to clean the surface cleanly and evenly.
• And if you are updating, for example, an old solid oak wardrobe, then you will probably want to choose a gentle method in order to preserve the picture of a real tree to the maximum.

Based on your goals and capabilities, choose the best way for you to remove the old varnish from the list below.

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How to clean old varnish from wood furniture?

There are not so many ways to implement the task:

• Chemical. Its essence is that a substance is dissolved on the surface of the object, which dissolves and softens the old varnish, after which it can only be scraped off.
• Mechanical. The varnish is removed from the furniture by erasing with sandpaper, a grinder, a metal brush and other similar tools.
• Thermal. The varnish is exposed to high temperature with a building hair dryer, gas burner or blowtorch.
• Water. The varnish is moistened with water, which softens it, then its residues are removed with sandpaper.

Important! The first and last are the mildest methods, which do not damage the top layer of the processed wood thing, but the second and third are more aggressive to the furniture surface.

Consider all the methods in more detail in order to have a complete understanding of the procedures.

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Chemical way

So, how to remove old varnish from furniture in this reliable and gentle way?

Required Inventory:

• Protective cotton suit, rubber gloves, glasses, mask.

Important! You will work with aggressive substances, therefore it is necessary to protect the skin, eyes and respiratory organs.

• Capacity for dilution of the mixture.

Important! It is advisable to use glass containers.

• Brush for applying a wash to the surface of the furniture.
• The wash itself or the solvent.

Important! Select a chemical preparation according to the type of varnish.

• Spatula in order to remove softened varnish from the surface.
• A plastic film to enhance the action of washing.
• A stiff little metal brush if the furniture surface has protrusions, curves, curly edges, etc.
• Water, vinegar, a soft sponge and a piece of flannel will be needed at the final stage of work.

How to choose the right polish remover?

• Varnishes based on natural resins, also called shellac, experts recommend removing with the help of methylated spirits.
• Spray varnish thinners are only suitable for thin coat of varnish.
• A liquid wash will help remove varnish from the surface of the furniture, if it is no more than three layers. It quickly erodes from the surface and does not have time to act deeper.
• Paste-like washes are the best option for multilayer varnish.

Important! For some types of varnishes, you can do with a conventional solvent, for example, acetone.

Procedure:

• First you need to prepare everything you need and protect yourself from getting a wash on the body.
• Dilute the substance (usually it is sold in the form of a powder or mixture) according to the instructions to a paste-like state. Stir thoroughly.
• When everything is ready, brush the paste with a thick layer on the surface to be treated.

Important! Move in one direction to capture all areas and cover them with an even layer without missing anything. Such a wash is also easy to apply on vertical surfaces, it will not drain down.

• In many cases, the manufacturer recommends covering the surface after applying the rinse with a plastic film to enhance the effect.

Important! The duration of the “wrap” can be from 30 minutes to 4 hours - it depends on the thickness of the varnish coating and the type of wash. Usually an indicator that the substance has acted is the color change of the applied paste - it darkens to a saturated brown color.

• When the color has changed, and the varnish has swollen in places, we proceed to the next step - scraping the old varnish. If you did everything right, it should be easy to remove with a spatula.

Important! If you do not want to seriously harm the surface of the tree, then use not a sharp metal spatula, but a plastic one.

• When finished with the main part, brush all hard-to-reach spots and curly bends with a metal brush. Remains of varnish can be removed with sandpaper.
• After removing the varnish, you need to wash off the rest of the paste and dust from the surface of the furniture. To do this, dilute 150 ml of table vinegar in 0.5 l of water. Using a soft squeezed sponge, go through the treated area, trying not to wet it much, as the tree, as we know, does not really like water.
• After this treatment, you need to dry everything with a flannel and dry the piece of furniture in the fresh air, avoiding direct sunlight.

Important! Only after complete drying can you start further work.

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Mechanical way

This method of nail polish removal is not as fast as the previous one, and it also requires a little more physical effort, but financial expenses are less - you do not need to buy a varnish remover. Its minus is that the outer layer of the tree can be damaged, even very significantly. So keep that in mind if you just want to upgrade vintage furniture.

Important! It is also worth remembering that in products made of chipboard, only the outer layer imitates the structure of the cut of the tree. If you damage it by machining, you just have to paint the surface.

Inventory necessary for work:

• Sander.
• Emery paper of different grain size (from 80 to 180).
• Spatula, screwdriver.
• Metal brush.
• Safety glasses, clothing and gloves

Procedure:

• How to remove varnish from a chair, for example, if it has already begun to peel off in fragments? First you need to go over the surface with a coarse-grained sandpaper to remove the base layer.

Important! Make circular motions.

• Then go through hard-to-reach places with a steel brush, spatula and screwdriver.
• After you get rid of most of the varnish, sand the surface with a fine-grained sandpaper.
• If the varnish is still holding tight, then a grinder will help you get rid of it. First, use a nozzle with a grit of 80, and in the end - with a grit of 120-180.

Important! The tool will do this tedious job quickly and minimize physical effort.

• At the end, brush away the remaining varnish from the surface with a damp sponge, let the furniture dry before proceeding with further processing.

Important! As one of the options for removing the old varnish, experts suggest using cycles (sharpened steel plate, which is mounted on the handle at an angle). It is convenient to handle flat, large sized surfaces. For lack of cycles, you can even remove the old varnish with a shard of glass, but, of course, this requires a certain sleight of hand and a love of risk.

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Thermal method

We say right away that this method is also not the most “tree friendly”, as accidental overheating of a site can lead to the appearance of dark spots. In addition, you need to be very careful during operation, so as not to get burned or to bring everything to a fire.

Required Inventory:

• Protective clothing, glasses, thick cotton gloves.
• Construction hair dryer (blowtorch).
• Putty knife.
• Metal small brush and screwdriver for hard to reach places.

Procedure

Surface treatment is necessary in areas. Immediately heat everything and tear off the varnish will not work. You need to act quickly:

• Carefully, observing the desired distance, we warm up the area, quickly we begin to scrape off the varnish with a spatula, until it has hardened.

Important! Edges and bends will be more convenient to handle with a steel brush or screwdriver.

• After heating, the varnish is very easy to remove, the main thing is to act promptly and do not allow the wooden surface to overheat, otherwise it will turn black, or it may smoke.

Important! Do not forget that such a treatment of furniture is necessary in the fresh air or in a well-ventilated area.

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Water way

It is considered the most simple and safe, although it may not work with some types of varnish. In addition, this method is the least expensive.

Required Inventory:

• Capacity with water.
• Soft sponge.
• Coarse and fine sandpaper.
• Flannel or other soft cloth.

Procedure:

1. Sponge abundantly dampened with water on the furniture surface.
2. Water gradually dissolves the varnish (though not all types). It becomes loose after a while, and it can be scraped off with coarse sandpaper.
3. The old varnish turns into slurry. For best results, rub with a fine emery.
4. After you have finished the entire surface, completely rinse off all dirt and wipe dry with a flannel or other soft cloth.
5. Dry thoroughly, and after that you can apply a new varnish or paint.

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Stock footage

When updating old lacquered furniture or damaging some areas of a new one, knowledge is required to remove old lacquer from furniture. There are several ways, so it is possible to choose the best option for a particular type of product and type of coating. In any case, it is necessary to act very carefully, since it is easy enough to damage furniture. Using the useful recommendations from the article, you will surely achieve the desired result.