Using sandpaper It's also a natural and chemical-free way to remove varnish. It can however be labour-intensive: Start with 150-grit sandpaper and sand the entire surface. Then, move onto 220-grit sandpaper and repeat.
Spray down the entire piece with paint & varnish remover. Use a paint brush with natural bristles within detailed crevices. Set a timer based on manufacturer's instructions. Using a dull-end scraper, start scraping off the old varnish.
Good for shellac and lacquer
Shellac can be removed with denatured alcohol. If alcohol doesn't work, try lacquer thinner. If your piece was manufactured by a quality furniture maker after 1930, a thinning product is the best place to start, since your furniture is likely finished with shellac or lacquer.
Best Overall
Our top recommendation for removing paint is Citristrip. This paint remover is effective at removing several types of paint and varnish, including latex-based paint, oil-based paint, shellac, varnish, and polyurethane.
Whatever product you want to use, as a general rule, you will have to completely remove any existing varnish, waxes, oils, wood stains, dust, dirt, grease, uneven areas and sticky stuff before applying a wood varnish.
A heat gun works similarly to a stripper, by softening and loosening the varnish to make it easier to remove. A heat gun won't scorch the wood but you will still need to scrape off the varnish or paint.
Typically when you repaint furniture, it is important to sand off any varnish or sealer so that the new paint will stick to it properly.
Methylated spirits, also known as denatured alcohol, is a commonly used cleaning product. While its strength makes it great for removing permanent marker and tough stains from metal surfaces, it is not a good mix for wood surfaces. This product can also remove wood finishes such as varnish and wax.
It's almost always better to strip than to sand. To begin with, except in cases where the old finish is flaking off, it's a lot more work to sand than to strip using a paint-and-varnish remover.
Yes, you can use WD-40 to remove wood stain and varnish from carpet.
Technique. Starting in a corner of the painting, dip a lint free cloth into the turpentine and gently rub the surface of the painting. The varnish should come off on the cloth – but remember to keep a close eye on the cloth and stop if you see colour coming off.
Just like hardwood floors, vinegar can eat away at the wax finish on wood furniture, leaving it looking dull and cloudy. But, you'll frequently read that vinegar is ideal for cleaning all types of wood. If you would like to use vinegar on finished or waxed wood furniture, use it extremely infrequently and at your risk.
Add directly to oil colors, mediums or varnishes for thinning; soak brushes well to remove color or varnish. Turpentine is considered to be a better solvent than mineral spirits, and the best solvent for natural resins, such as damar and mastic. It readily dissolves most of the natural varnish resins.
Citristrip is a good alternative to Minwax If you're looking for a less toxic varnish stripper. Aside from Minwax, Citristrip was the best for removing finish. While the manufacturer recommends leaving it to soak in for at least 30 minutes, I noticed the finish bubbling up after only about 12 minutes.
Acetone is regularly used within the woodworking industry to strip wooden furniture of old paint or varnish remnants, so a new coat can be cleanly applied. Wood floor refinishers often use it before sanding to remove the upper layer of finish from the wood prior to adding a new finish.
Removing Varnish by Sanding
You would use medium sandpaper (150 grit) to remove the top layers of varnish and then as you get closer to the original surface you want to remove the varnish from you would use finer sandpaper (220 grit).
Leave for 5 to 15 minutes (DO NOT ALLOW TO DRY) and test scrape at intervals. Remove with a stripping knife or shavehook, using a stiff brush or coarse wire wool to scrub out difficult corners. Should any paint or varnish remain repeat the process.
Turpentine is also used in softening varnish or shellacked finishes on woods. When it is applied to the surface, you can easily wipe away the varnish or any finish.
Step 1: create your varnish removal mixture
Mix together 1/2 cup cold water and 1 cup cornstarch until it creates a thick paste. Pour your 4 cups of water into a bucket and add 3/4 cup baking soda and 1 tbsp of vinegar. Stir it all together and then add in your cold water and cornstarch.
White spirits are a major ingredient in some popular automotive fuel/oil additives, such as Marvel Mystery Oil, as they are capable of dissolving varnish and sludge buildup.
Many people believe you can't paint over varnished wood. This however is false. In order to paint over it you will need to use either oil or water-based paints. However, it the process is time consuming and you will have to complete all the steps if you want it to look professional.
Yes, you can paint over polyurethane or varnish, so long as you properly prepare the surface. Paint won't stick to polyurethane directly, so if you skip this step, the paint can peel off.