What product or technique is best for removing paint from wood?

[treitz3]

Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen of the forum. I have a strange question for such a board but I thought I would ask anyway, due to the diversity we have here.

What I'm looking for is a way to take a Maple desk and remove 3 or 4 layers of paint from it. I do believe that the desk has a layer of Poly over the stain, as the paint comes off rather easily through just normal wear and tear. I bought this after my lovely wife nudged me to get rid of all of my Oak furniture in the office and spotted it in an Estate sale, realizing the potential. I got it for a steal as it was custom made and everything in it was made from Maple. Apparently, the owner before me didn't like stain so she decided to paint it Pink. Then Purple. While I have no idea what she was thinking, she just wanted someone to get it out of her house. Maybe she had a bad divorce and this reminded her of her ex. I don't know and I really don't care as I was the right guy at the right place. To make it look good enough to introduce into my house, I painted it semi-gloss black. That said, I'm wanting to start the project to full restoration sometime soon. Should provide me with some fun .

The entire unit weighs in at about 250-300 pounds, so good recommendations are really appreciated. There are no intricacies that would require a toothbrush and months of tedious work besides the normal corners. I have many tools that the common man wouldn't have and if I don't have one? I'll get it. What I am lacking is the knowledge of how to remove the paint without harming the Polurethane or stain.

Throw me some ideas if you have ever encountered a project such as this or have extensive knowledge in this particular type of project. Any advice or suggestions are welcome and thank you for taking the time to read this.

Tom

 

[amirm]

You would need to do fair bit of detective work to find the nature of each as to know what solvent dissolves which. is there a reason you want to preserver the stain and poly? It may be a lot easier to strip it all and then stain and finish again.

If you want to learn about the science, the best expert I know in this space is Bob Flexner. Here is one of his books: http://www.amazon.com/Understanding...4&sr=8-1&keywords=understanding+wood+finishes

If you don't , I would buy some chemical stripper with citrus oil. Use it in a well ventilated area and treat a small portion underneath. Leave it there long enough to strip the top layer. Make sure it doesn't gum up the layer below.

My best suggestion is to not do this . Other than taking down wall paper, this is the worst kind of project . If it were not so heavy I would have suggested that you have someone else do it. It would cost a few hundred dollars but then it would get done and behind you.

 

[treitz3]

Thanks, Amir. Wallpaper is a specialty of mine and I have taken down tens of thousands of feet of it. That's no big thing to me. Getting into removing paint on wood? Eh, not so much. I can take graffiti off of brick bringing it back to it's original glory, even if it's Kilz or enamel paint. I can remove layers upon layers of whatever kind of paint, even industrial from metal without damaging or even scratching the substrate but when it comes to removing paint on wood, I'm at a loss. I have already talked to my woodworker and he said he avoids this kind of project to all extremes. Not a good sign .

I have heard that since it's a hard wood, apply the stripper, wait a bit and pressure wash it in an area outside that doesn't need to stay pristine. No problem, as I have a generator and a pressure washer with all kinds of tips and tools that can get into the nooks and crannies without damage to the substrate but the issue arises when it comes to the water source out in the middle of nowhere. The woodworker professional I know only charges $34.00 an hour, which is good IMO for his expertise but he is not willing to do the paint stripping. Hence the question.

FWIW, I have a garage I can do this project in. I just don't want to take the computer desk and have it turn into a month long project or longer because I wasn't properly prepared with the correct knowledge, tools, products or procedures. The layers of paint that has worn off on the shelf where my palm rests near where the mouse slides reveals a beautiful woodgrain finish.

 

[mdabb]

N-Methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) based strippers are less toxic but take the longest. However the waste/sludge (paint/stripper waste) is still toxic to the environment.

Methylene chloride & ATM based strippers are quicker & more effective. Work outside in the shade or well ventilated area. Brush on a thick layer of stripper in one direction rather than back & forth, this helps to lay on a thick coat & reduce solvent evaporation by not disturbing the wax that has risen to the surface of the stripper. Allow time for the stripper to penetrate, you can cover the stripper with plastic wrap to slow solvent evaporation. Test with a clean dull putty knife to see if the film can be lifted. Use a sharpened stick or wood skewer to pick the paint out of cracks. Coat the wood with more stripper & scrub any paint or stain left in the wood pores with a soft brass bristle brush. Scrub with the grain of the wood.

Some synthetic bristle brushes will dissolve in methylene chloride based strippers, but basically any old or inexpensive paint brush will work.

You can sand lightly with 120 to 280 grit sandpaper if need be to remove any leftover finish on the wood.

 

[Matt193]

I stripped all the paint off of the side of my house using Zinsser's Power Stripper and it worked really well. There was at least 5 layers of paint plus primer and it took it all of to the bare pine underneath without hurting the wood. I brushed it on, waited until the paint wrinkled (5 min max) and scraped it off with a putty knife. I was able to strip one end of my house in about 3 hours. After I was done I hosed it off, let it dry a few days, primed, and painted it.

Zinsser makes a lot of different strippers and I'm sure they would have something that would work well for you.

I inherited a few pieces of nice maple furniture from my grandma but it had a few finish problems as well as some mold. My parents had a place in Milwaukee called Graybar refinish the pieces and they did a fantastic job. I'm not sure what it cost but there has to be a similar refinisher in your area that you could go and pick their brain about products ect.

 

[DonH50]

I have used a variety of strippers; not sure any stands out. i agree with what has been said. One caution: older paints may contain lead, so if there's any doubt you may want to pay a pro to do it. we went that route for an old Hoosier cabinet and the results were outstanding. After seeing the set-up used to handle lead paint I am glad I did not try.

 

[amirm]

I have heard that since it's a hard wood, apply the stripper, wait a bit and pressure wash it in an area outside that doesn't need to stay pristine. No problem, as I have a generator and a pressure washer with all kinds of tips and tools that can get into the nooks and crannies without damage to the substrate but the issue arises when it comes to the water source out in the middle of nowhere.

Oh, I would not at all use a pressure washer. Yes, maple is hardwood and tough but pressure washer is a blunt instrument and will surely cause damage. One deep gouge and you won't be able to save the table. The water will also swell the wood and will cause the layer you want left to peel potentially.

FWIW, I have a garage I can do this project in. I just don't want to take the computer desk and have it turn into a month long project or longer because I wasn't properly prepared with the correct knowledge, tools, products or procedures. The layers of paint that has worn off on the shelf where my palm rests near where the mouse slides reveals a beautiful woodgrain finish.

Unfortunately there is a good chance this project will take a while. The fact that you want to leave two layers of finish on it but remove the others puts you in no man's land. If you try to remove it all as I recommend, I suggest using a stripper and then sanding off the remainder using a power sander. Get yourself a lot of sandpaper. Search for type that is "non-loading" meaning it will clog less with paint. And even with that, buy a dozen or more as you will need to keep replacing them.

 

[NorthStar]

---Tom, follow Amir's last post advice, just above mine.
* My ex-girlfriend was a pro wood furniture reviver.