Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

Everyone knows that cleaning paint is not easy. This article will show you 5 methods to clean paint from wood and finish with paint or varnish. Try the methods below and see which one is better.

Steps

Method 1 of 7: Get started

1. 

   First, you need to make sure the furniture doesn't get wet. If it is wet, use a rag or a hairdryer to dry it, and you can even use a heat gun located a safe distance from the door to avoid scorching or accidental fire. Always wear protective gloves to avoid blistering or getting a splinter in your hands, and wear a mask and use other necessary protective equipment. advertisement

Method 2 of 7: Sanding method

1. 

   
   
   Buy good sandpaper with two options: coarse grain for the first step (to remove unwanted paint) and fine grain (to complete the sanding step, then polish the exposed wood below). Use rough sandpaper first, then fine sandpaper. Do not rub too hard, as friction will generate heat!

2. 

   
   
   You can even do much better with an electric sander. Sanding is a very arduous and daunting task as sandpaper will soon become covered with paint. Once you have removed the old paint, it is most appropriate to re-scrub it. Be sure to scrub the wood grain, otherwise you will scratch the surface of the wood and damage the job.

3. 

   
   
   After finishing sanding and polishing wood dust, use a cloth soaked with solvent to clean it before starting painting. Make sure the wood surface is smooth. If it's a small object, just brush it off with a brush. Wipe off if wood dust gets on the floor. advertisement

Method 3 of 7: Heat gun method

1. 

   Now you can use an easier but quite dangerous method. You will need a heat gun. Be sure to wear gloves, goggles, and a mask and be prepared for work with water to prevent fire. After turning on the heat gun, you need to place the gun about 15-20 cm above the painted wood surface.

2. 

   Warm small areas of the wood (but don't get too hot to keep the wood from becoming brittle or darkening). Slowly move the gun over the wooden surface. Switch to the working surface. Continuously move to the sides and from top to bottom.

3. 

   When the old paint softens from the heat - scrape off the wrinkled paint. Use a wide flosser to scrape off when the paint begins to bubble and wrinkles. Continue shaving small pieces until the entire surface of the furniture is completed.

4. 

   Now you can clean everything up and turn off the heat gun so you don't get caught in it. And here's the tricky part: the final sanding and polishing step mentioned above.
   • Stay calm if caught on fire. Usually these are just small flames. If ignition occurs, unplug it first, remove the gun to blow heat and sprinkle water on the fire.
     
     

5. 

   Now you can sand the surface of the wood - use the right sandpaper to scrub. Sandpaper will help you smooth the surface of the furniture and remove remaining paint. advertisement

Method 4 of 7: Chemical paint removal methods

1. 

   If the surface of the furniture is too rough, you can use paint remover. Choose the right product because some have different purposes than you need. Read the directions carefully before use. Although paint removers have the same basic usage, the exact details can vary. Always use according to the specific instructions on the product.
   • Liquids are often used in the form of sprays to clean the outer coating or several lower layers.

2. 

   Shake the flask and pour all of the solution into an open container.

3. 

   Dip a sufficient amount of solution with a paint brush and apply to medium-sized surfaces. You can also spray onto wooden surfaces from a distance of 10 cm.

4. 

   Use a paint brush to apply paint remover to the surface of furniture. Scan in one direction. Do not scan scanned areas.

5. 

   Leave it on for a while (about 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the amount of solution you use), and you should notice the paint "softens".

6. 

   Try to see if the solution is working. Use a paint scraper to scrape the surface of the furniture in a circular motion. If you can scrape it off, it means the chemicals are working.

7. 

   When you find the paint is soft enough, you can use a paint scraper to scrape off all the "soft" paint. If it's a door - do the same thing over and over until you complete the entire door.

8. 

   Continue scrubbing the surface of furniture with sandpaper or with a sander (on flat and wide surfaces) or by hand (for dents or difficult to machine).

9. 

   Use a rag soaked with enough solvent to remove paint on the wood surface. Sand, polish and proceed to the painting step as described above. advertisement

Method 5 of 7: Shave method

1. 

   In the event of thick paint or paint spots, you can use a paint scraper.

2. 

   Sharpen the paint scraper by honing the metal surface in the direction so that the blade is sharper. Grinding both sides. Now it will be easier to remove the paint.
   • If shaving is still difficult, apply a little vinegar, alcohol or water to the paint. You will notice that your tongue scraps the paint blunt after each shave, so you have to sharpen it again.

3. 

   Note that you must be careful with these steps, as the paint scraper can scrape off the wood underneath the paint. This method is only good when applied to polished wood furniture or laminate flooring.
   • To avoid scraping the wood under the paint, you need to shave straight and handle with care.
   advertisement

Method 6 of 7: Chemical method

When performing all these steps, it is recommended to wear a mask and gloves to avoid accident. You should also wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

1. 

   Prepare all the chemicals used to remove paint, make sure nothing interferes with the work. This method is most effective when removing paint from polished wood.
   • You can try using detergent, flaxseed oil (and boiled flaxseed oil), acetone, and paint thinner. Remember that paint thinner is very strong. You should also avoid exposing your skin to the laundry detergent, as the detergent can dry, slippery, or wrinkles your hands. Wash hands after use.
     
     

2. 

   Use a cotton ball to apply chemicals to the paint. You can then scrape off the paint with a scraper or clean a rag.
   • CAREFUL: If a poisoning occurs, have someone call a poison control center or call an ambulance if the problem is severe. However, this will probably not happen if you use protective gear as mentioned above. You just need to be very careful in all operations.

3. 

   Use a rag to clean when finished. When work is done, make sure to clean everything up to avoid any mishaps, such as accidentally drinking bottles of solution by children. Don't forget to wash your hands! advertisement

Method 7 of 7: Refine furniture

1. 

   If you want to varnish, simply apply a layer of wood polishing varnish or varnish to the furniture.

2. 

   Don't scan too much. Remember to scan the three layers in the following order:

3. 

   Apply a layer of varnish.

4. 

   Sanding wood surface.

5. 

   Apply another layer of varnish.

6. 

   Sand the wood surface with a very fine grained sandpaper.

7. 

   Apply the last layer of varnish. Do not sanding after scanning!

8. 

   If you like to paint the surface of furniture, paint in one direction. In addition, only apply another coat on top when the lower layer is dry. Choose the right paint and apply an extra layer of protection if desired. advertisement

Advice

• Finish with a layer of varnish for a shiny finish.
• Use Foam sandpaper (A variety of particle sizes can be purchased at the paint supply store) for a lighter and more efficient sanding job.
• You can also use a propane gas torch instead of a heat gun. This will be faster, but you must be ready to put out the fire.
• Use coarse sandpaper to shave faster, but if you want the surface of the furniture to be smooth, you need to use a finer sandpaper.

Warning

• Be careful when using heat guns and any other equipment. Paints and paint solvents are highly flammable substances. The possibility of electric shock is not excluded; You must be on guard!
• The varnish applied to the surface can make the defects more visible (remember to sand along the grain of the wood).
• Wear gloves and do not sand too hard. If not, you will get blistered and ruined your job.

What you need

• Gloves
• Mask
• Goggles
• paint
• Wood polished varnish (optional)
• Heat gun (used only in the heat gun method)
• Water (used only in the heat gun method); Power out first! High risk of electric shock !
• Sandpaper (with different particle sizes, if you want a smoother surface, try using more sandpaper with a higher number of particles; if you want a faster job with a coarser surface, use sandpaper. have a smaller seed quantity. Refer to the instructions at the supply store!)
• Electric sanding machine
• Chemistry
• Bleaching chemicals