I’m excited and I’m going to try this with a couple of pieces of furniture I have that have an orangey stain. Furniture repair. nice blog, very information to how to fix furniture easily. I like to let it sit for 12 hours. saran wrap (I still couldn't believe I would be using this), brillo pad or steel wool (a couple of these), electric sander (not necessary, but helpful), Mineral spirits - to clean up paint stripper, Cover the desk with saran wrap (there isn't an easy way to do this, just make sure the saran wrap is up against all those curves and crevices), Remove the saran wrap and use your brillo pad or scraper and scrape away the residue. That’s really all the sanding needed after this method, anyway. . It's amazing what a coat of gel stain can do to restore a tired-looking piece of furniture. These items could be ruined by the chemicals used to strip the furniture. Wait, so you didn’t apply a protective coat over it when you were done? I used a little bit on the legs of the table below to help with the hard to sand places. Blend the repair into the surrounding veneer by painting on gel stain to match the color and pattern of the existing grain. I am about to build a house and need some great ideas that me and my wife can do to decorate it. I hate when people paint over pretty wood! Kevin demonstrated the tip on this round oak table. I love the style of the desk, but I don’t like the red finish. Stripping antique wood furniture of its old or original finish is the first and vitally important step in the refinishing process. Good luck! continue sanding until you have reached your desired finish! I may also say imaginative. Then use the edge of a straightedge razor to scrape the surface almost level with the surrounding veneer. I have small kids too so I understand the need to seal all furniture . Before you start any repairs or touch-up on your furniture refinishing, wipe on mineral spirits to help you decide what your next steps should be. I am going to subscribe to your blog so I can keep this handy. Very helpful tip for my future project!! In my experience, just patience and persistence is what works with stripping furniture. Take off the knobs, pulls, hinges, and other metal hardware to prepare the furniture to be refinished. You'll find it at home centers and specialty woodworking stores for about $9 a tube. I’d check it in 3-4 hours, which is often enough time to lift 6-7 layers of paint. After I finished stripping most of polyurethane and stain off the wood, I applied the after wash.  You can use “after wash” or mineral spirits. Roseann from http://www.thisautoimmunelife.com, I am a big fan of flipping furniture and I love the idea of doing this – the finished table looks fab! it works for clothes, and as far as I know it works on anyting. Find the best Furniture Refinishing near you on Yelp - see all Furniture Refinishing open now. It’s a solid wood antique table with a cherry finish. See more on my disclosure page. I don't have a handyman in my back pocket or mad craftsman skills, I'm just a girl with a desire to create. Thank you so much! This looks like a much easier way than all the scraping! What an awesome tip! I struggled to figure out a way to seal it without bringing the red tones out. Pinned to my Hacks&Revamps boards, because I’m so going to try this. He loaded a soft cloth with dark gel stain and worked it into the surface. Let me show you what it looked like. I was happy with the transformation so far, but the red tones on the drawer and the top still bothered me. Works wonders and doesn’t scratch the wood at all. I strip furniture often, and discovered wood bleach early on when to my horror stain color did not always look the way I thought it would. Love how it turned out! Great tip! Refinishing is an easy, low-cost way to bring out natural beauty in wood furniture and make fine details shine. Oh good, glad my post helped! Your options for staining are limitless. Mix in the same proportion you would to wash dishes. Easy DIYs, Furniture Flips, Home Decor Tips, How to Strip Furniture with this Easy Tip, Chalk Paint and Chalk Painted furniture Projects, Milk Paint and Milk Painted Furniture Projects. I love simple DIY's, budget friendly home projects, refinishing furniture and scoring vintage finds, all on a budget of course! He also consults in these areas. ft. shop to cater to all of your needs. I heard some positive reviews about heat guns, but I wanted to know your opinion. Dip a sponge into the solution, wring it out, and use it to gently scrub the surface. I’m wondering if that was normal and should of waited or did I do something wrong? Often I just spray the garden hose on it to rinse, but then run my (plastic) scraper along the grain to press out excess moisture. Makes me feel less wasteful for using plastic when I use them for something like this. Is there a trick with the deglosser? Thanks for the tips. Now you can use an artist's brush to create the grain. If it looks good, all you have to do is clean the surface and apply an oil-based wipe-on finish. When the two parts are completely blended to a consistent color and the epoxy putty starts to get sticky, it's ready to use. What a great article chockful of tips, for sure pinning it to my furniture DIY board! You had me at easy! Why are you using unnecessary chemicals to neutralize Citristrip, when you can do it with water? Choose two colors of stain that match the light and dark areas of the wood. Kevin says it's hard to believe, but it's perfectly OK to wash furniture with soap and water. dowel with an angle on the end. I know I just published a post showing you how I used two household items to refinish scratched wood,  but even after I removed the scratches I still wasn’t happy with the antique desk. You did a great job. My go-to sealer is this: Yes, water on wood. Either way, I had to give it a try. I’m going to check this out now! Paint spatters are common on old furniture, and most of the time you can remove them easily without damaging the finish. remove the saran wrap and use your brillo pad or scraper and scrape away the residue. You'll save tons of time. I found you from the link party on Organize 31. I’ve never used a heat gun to strip anything so I can’t tell you first hand what I think. A paintbrush works great for cleaning carvings and moldings. (I have pictures on my tiny blog.). If that doesn't work, you can try a product such as Homax White Ring Remover or Liberon Ring Remover. We have a lot of experience stripping and refinishing furniture. 920-731-7117 - FREE estimates. But Kevin prefers a wipe-on gel finish like General Finishes Gel Topcoat Wipe On Urethane. Place the hardware in labeled bags so you remember where everything goes when it's time to place it back on the furniture. Shabby look, but they look awful. You can see where the bleach has already dried on the wood, and where it is still wet. Furniture Stripping At Furniture Rescuers, we specialize in furniture stripping and refinishing. Good luck with your rehab. My choices to refinish the desk were simple; paint it (probably with chalk paint), apply stain over the old stain, strip it, or leave it as is. I tried this process for the first time. Did I miss that? I look forward to new updates and will talk about this blog with my Facebook group. Remove old paint and varnish by sanding or through the use of chemical strippers. you are very welcome and I sure hope it works! Yikes. Another reason I run that plastic scraper down along the grain when I’m done. Don’t forget it also removes old dried paint from brushes…. Removing decades of dirt and grime often restores much of the original luster. I’ve stripped a lot of furniture and every piece is different as far as how long and how much effort it takes the remove the layers. I’ve used the cling film w CitriStrip and it works great! Hi Tani, See why you wanted to keep it straight wood. A thorough cleaning is an important first step in any furniture refinishing renewal project. Then wipe off excess finish, going in the direction of the grain. This is beautiful! Lately I’ve been finding it hard to paint over solid wood. It’s wonderful what can be done nowadays, which won’t eat your flesh, destroy your lungs, yet yield incredibly revived furniture, isn’t it? I’ve been stripping polyurethane, paint and stain off of furniture for years…. Very interesting process. Ha, I didn't think so but it has to be done. After bleaching the areas of the wood that still had “red tones,” I sanded a little more, and then I was almost done! Moisture must penetrate the wood for this to work. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you’ve been inspired to strip a piece of furniture the easy way! I love the natural wood look! Right now it looks unfinished. I have also used it where I applied it with a brush which honestly works better because you can get a more even coat on. Custom Furniture Stripping, Refinishing, Restoration and Repair serving Vancouver, Washington and the greater Portland, Oregon area . There is 5 coats of paint on my WINDSOR chairs the thought exhausts me too. We understand that your pieces of furniture are valuable to you – whether it is an heirloom with sentimental value or just one of your favorite pieces of furniture. You can often get rid of small dents by wetting them. - Request Fast Quotes - Find Qualified Contractors In Your Area Fill out our simple contact form and we will connect you with someone who can do the job in your location. I would use the spray can for smaller jobs and the gel form for larger ones. Wescott's Furniture Stripping, Quality Refinishing. I am about to strip my dining room table and it will help me so much. Most paint strippers have harsh chemicals and create super strong fumes. Furniture Stripping & Refinishing. I’ve tried that for my kitchen cabinets and it didn’t seem to do anything. And sometimes the results aren't as great as you had hoped. I have never heard of bleaching wood. It is very subtle and has to “sit” a while before wiping back or it does not leave a white residue. Hey there, Was wondering though how you got the bleach smell out? What grit of sandpaper did you use? After you clean your furniture piece and do any necessary repairs and stain touch-up, wiping on a coat of finish will restore the sheen and protect the surface. First I tried using a stripper which worked but the blood stains were still there so I got the bleach out and poured it on, OMG. With just a little elbow grease and not too much money—$50 to $75 in supplies—you can easily remove old paint or other finish and give an old piece of furniture a new lease on life. I’m just wondering what you used to seal your project? Why not paint or restrain? The crystals sure burn if you get them on your skin, at least it did for me. You need to use a lot. I love the way the desk turned out! You do some amazing work. We’ve proudly served hundreds of residential and commercial customers throughout the valley including Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Paradise Valley and more for over 40 years, and take pride in our high quality of work and outstanding customer service. One coat is usually all you need to rejuvenate an existing finish. The curved blade allows you to adjust the depth of the scraper. Talk soon. I wondered how you feel about using heat guns for stripping furniture? Welcome to Wescott's Online! Furniture stripping. Do you think it would work as well on PAINT. When it's hardened, the epoxy is light colored and about the density of wood. Simply cut the bags down the seams and open them up. WOW I love this. I’ll have to try oxalic acid! I’m about to strip a piece of furniture that had a “shabby white” finish too. This is a fantastic post. I will try regular household bleach on a piece of wood to practice. Not only does it require lots of physical labour, but it often also requires the use of toxic chemicals that can leave varying results. Gotta try that bleach trick! Found you as I was scanning pinterest and I am so glad. Kevin showed us the process he uses (watch a video of him patching a piece of chipped veneer with Quickwood), and the resulting repair is so realistic that it's hard to spot. Furniture refinishing is an easy and very satisfying DIY project. We are fully insured and have a 3,000 sq. Thanks for stopping by and leaving some insight! So I sometimes will stain a “mistake” then put the wood bleach on, and the result is always beautiful. Pickup and delivery available. They are unbelievable. I’m just learning about painting and stripping furniture and you instructions and videos are awesome. Your kindness means so much. The finish was worn and faded. The Master's Touch furniture restoration service, 540-845-9068, Fredericksburg, VA & Luther OK 540-845-9068 To use this type of epoxy, you slice off a piece with a razor blade or utility knife and knead it in your gloved hand. I made up my mind that I would keep the desk as it is. Thank you Jauquetta, it was a labor of love but worth it in the end! We are getting ready to rehab an 1870’s farmhouse and want to incorporate some different finishes on the furniture we own. Kevin sticks self-adhesive sandpaper to tongue depressors or craft sticks to make precision sanding blocks. I know, that might sound silly, because I love to refinish and paint furniture. If you are planning to bleach a piece of wood or furniture I would highly suggest buying wood bleach. I use Zinsser Wood Bleach. She also painted the drawer pulls instead of removing them! We also provide what is called “Strip & Go” Furniture Stripping Services. Also, since it doesn't soak in quite as readily as thinner stains, gel stain is somewhat reversible. A thorough cleaning is an important first step in any furniture refinishing renewal project. The cool part is that you don't need to strip the old finish for this to work. And I hope it works for you one day! Let me tell you friends, this is a game changer. Why Use Our Service? Then dry it with a clean towel. Kevin says it's hard to believe, but it's perfectly OK to wash furniture with soap and water. If the surface looks bad even when wetted with mineral spirits, you'll have to take other measures to restore the finish. Find useful information, the address and the phone number of the local business you are looking for. Oooo eeM Gee Lindsey, she turned out so gorgeous. Wow thank you so much! All i’ve done so far is seal the top of it with a matte polyacrylic. - Connect With Top Local Pros. I’ve been stripping paint from furniture for years, and to be honest, it’s not my favorite thing to do. Kevin recommends liquid Ivory dish soap mixed with water. I did see your post on instagram and I was wondering what you did. I tried using a dark wax, a “weathered” stain, and a clear furniture wax with no luck! This is new, I had never done this before, but I’m so glad I did. What exactly did bleaching do? I’ve shared my favorite furniture and wood sealer with a list of other sealers too. Every piece of furniture is different and requires a little different technique, right? Letting the paint stripper sit overnight with the saran wrap made it easy to remove the extra stain without much effort. Like I said earlier I was about to give up on my plans to refinish this desk due to, well, my desire for a quick fix. First, smooth and shape the epoxy with your finger. We have a lot of mahogany and cherry finishes on our furniture, most of which was given to us by parents and grandparents. THIS is the aff link to the product. Good idea. That's why you should only slice off as much as you can use quickly. Thanks for a great idea! The moisture swells the crushed wood fibers back to their original shape. Leaving spots will yield an uneven surface when you finally start finishing it. If you tilt the blade a little, the curved center section will come closer to the surface to allow for removing really thin layers of paint for your refinishing furniture project. I would apply clear polyurethane varnish on the bare wood. Can that be done after this stripping process? Kevin's expertise is the result of more than 20 years' experience working with and learning about wood finishes and furniture repair and furniture refinishing. Does anyone really enjoy stripping furniture? It makes sense, that it will just sit and cook and give the stripping compound time to work. I suppose for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. This disclosure statement refers to the rest of the Amazon links in this post. Why had I not heard of this? Hi Christine, You’ve made a lot of good insight here! Is it a new product? Furniture refinishing. Thank you. Kevin recommends liquid Ivory dish soap mixed with water. Solvents are used to clean-up the remover residue. That was totally awesome. Thanks so much for your post! You will never completely get rid of the red tone but by incorporating more brown into the wood with a darker stain you would be able to stain it then seal it with a tung oil which would bring ou the luster of the wood. Good luck with your project! The old finish is taken off with remover that is safe for fine furniture. I think they both do practically the same thing. This little furniture stripping tip is a game changer. Citristrip does not. Thank you for sharing with us at Celebrate Your Story, and have a great weekend. Briefly. I’ll try that next time. Thanks! And since you'll preserve the patina and character of the original finish, your furniture will retain the beauty of an antique. Next, fill the dent with water and wait until it dries. this technique works BETTER on paint than stain actually! I’ve never stripped furniture before but I’ve wanted to. Love this information! cover the desk with saran wrap (there isn’t an easy way to do this, just make sure the saran wrap is up against all those curves and crevices) Your project. How to strip furniture of paint, stain and sealer spray the desk with Citristrip or any other paint stripper. I chose to leave the wood stripped because I like the look. I love the Saran wrap trick. After a couple of hours I pulled back the saranwrap and checked it. Stripping furniture is a messy, time-consuming process. Your email address will not be published. We show some of these in the following steps. I will try this! Removing decades of dirt and grime often restores much of the original luster. When you need a paint stripper, you can depend on Furniture Stripping Pros to connect you with professionals in your area. Thank you for sharing! It's thick, so it's easy to put on with a rag. Don't worry; this won't harm the finish. http://diybydesign.blogspot.com, I love this tutorial. Of course, gel stain won't eliminate dark water stains or cover bad defects, but it will hide fine scratches and color in areas where the finish has worn away. So glad you enjoyed it. The table came out great, such pretty lines. I love the look of solid wood and I hate to hide solid wood with a paint color that I might not like in the future. Thanks for stopping by! The directions tell you to rub the stick over the defect. Kevin Southwick specializes in the conservation and restoration of antiques and in custom wood finishes. The masking tape holds the blade slightly off the surface so you can knock off paint spatters without the blade even touching the wood. Did you cake it on the surface? I hope this helps! LOL I’ve been there. Thanks so much. Furniture Stripping We use a waterless stripper to ensure that we do not damage the wood or raise the grain in your furniture piece. Whether you need your cabinet doors, antique furniture, exterior doors, interior doors, mantels, bedroom sets, dining room tables or any type of wood furniture stripped we can handle it. I painted my kitchen cabinets about 5 years ago, and I wanted to change the color on the bottom ones to something darker. Why waste Saran wrap when you can cut open some of those millions of plastic grocery bags and press them into the Citristrip? Downsview Furniture Refinishing Limited is a family-owned company established in 1975 in Toronto, Canada. My 1st piece did –in a nice, magenta color. To apply wipe-on finish, first put some on a clean rag. Thanks for sharing your project at #fridaysfurnturefix Lindsey! Here are a few things you can do before the putty starts to harden to reduce the amount of sanding and shaping later. Occasionally, heat guns can also be used for stripping and are sometimes helpful with the removal of a stubborn finish. Please do tag me and let me know how it turns out. It was a surprising transformation. Just when I was about to give up on the idea of refinishing the desk, I got a tip from a friend on Instagram on how to strip the paint and sealer off of furniture with minimal sanding. Oh, and I have LOTS of different projects going on at once…story of my life. Love the final result of the table!! It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! It looks amazing! I’ve returned 15 antique doors to their raw wood state. I’ll have to give it a try! Thanks so much for linking up! By the time I went back on instagram, I couldn’t find it again. Silly, because Citristrip is wet and easy to get rid of, or they can be real... Be featuring this tonight at my Sizzle into Summer party saran wrap and leave it overnight before wiping back it. A sponge furniture stripping refinishing the Citristrip off, either about heat guns can also use adhesive. The defect refers to the rest of the original luster do before the putty starts to harden weathered! 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