How to remove the varnish from a wooden surface at home?

Every time, changing old furniture to a new one is far from universal, as it can be expensive. Therefore, the favorite dining table, comfortable chairs or a spacious wardrobe do not really want to throw it away. But this is not necessary, because you can give the furniture a second life.

It will be enough to remove the varnish, which gives the furniture an untidy and shabby look., and cover products with a new layer of varnish. And all this can be done at home. But you need to know in advance how you can wash off the old varnish from the wood, and how to quickly and effectively get rid of the old coating. There are several proven methods by which you can remove an old coating from a wooden surface.

Popular mechanical method, through which you can achieve excellent results and perfectly prepare the surface for repair. This method has one significant advantage - the absence of any chemicals. But at the same time be prepared for the fact that the process can be long, and it requires special care.

To conduct a mechanical removal of the old coating, you need tools. It is quite possible to take as a tool a metal plate, which should be pre-sharpened. This needs to be done in order for the tool to better cope with the task.

Sandpaper of various types, too, may well help in this matter. A brush with metal bristles is useful at the very beginning of the preparatory work. You can also use a grinder or even a grinder, which will need to be equipped with a special nozzle.

All of the above tools will help to cope with a small layer of varnish. When using tools such as a grinder or grinder, it is recommended to be extremely careful not to damage the structure of the product itself.

Do not forget about the methods of personal security. Work should be done in gloves, in a respirator and goggles, as during cleaning there will be a lot of fine dust, which is not recommended to breathe.

Before you begin the process of removing old varnish, you need to prepare the furniture. An old table or sofa will need to be disassembled so that every detail can be carefully processed. With the door to remove the old coating will be easier.

Prepare a special place at home, cover the floor with a film, so as not to spoil the surface. It is advisable to carry out all the procedures on the street, but if there is no yard, then you can do it at home.

The surface of every detail must first be subjected to coarse processing., necessarily using a special brush, which was mentioned above. Next comes the turn of application of coarse sandpaper, which also needs to be thoroughly treated the entire surface to remove the entire old layer.

After removing the old coating, the surface of the furniture should be treated with fine-grained paper in order to carry out the so-called polishing. After this procedure, you should get a smooth and clean surface, which must be relieved of fine dust.This can be done very quickly, especially if you have a large and soft brush.

For example, if it is a large closet or table.

Many are afraid of a mechanical cleaning method only because in this way it is possible to spoil the surface and damage the wood. In this case, it is recommended to pay attention to the chemical method, which is also effective so that you can easily do it yourself. This method is perfect if you need to remove the old coating from a rough, grooved or carved surface.

To date, there are many special tools, which are called washes. It can be a liquid, powder or gel. The liquid is perfect if the product has a maximum of three layers of varnish. Gels are suitable for multi-layer coatings. And a nail polish remover in the form of a powder will be ideal for a surface with a large area.

If you choose a powder as a nail polish remover, it is recommended to dilute it with water before use.Thick gruel will be easier to evenly apply to the surface, and so the tool will more effectively cope with its task.

The general algorithm for working with chemicals includes the following steps:

• Put on gloves and a respirator before starting work to reliably protect yourself. Remember that you are not dealing with aggressive chemicals. The rest of the preparation process is similar to that which is recommended in the case of applying the mechanical method.
• On the prepared surface evenly with a regular paint brush should be applied evenly to the washing liquid. Apply it only in one layer, and after the product should be covered with a film. After a couple of hours it will be possible to open. In that case, if the varnish layers are more than three or four, then under the film the product should be left for four hours or more.

• After the film is removed, you need to carefully remove the varnish layers using a regular spatula. Try not to work with pressure and do not take an overly sharp trowel, otherwise the wooden surface will be seriously damaged.
• Then you can wash off the remaining varnish with plain water.In order to clean the surface, you can add a little table vinegar to the water. Only one tablespoon of vinegar essence is used per liter of water. After this, the product will be ready for you to cover it with a new layer of special varnish.

• In that case, if the above method did not help completely get rid of all the layers of the old coating, it is worth repeating the procedure. If on the surface of the furniture there are only small areas with old varnish, then they can be easily removed with sandpaper.

In addition to the methods described above, there are other cleaning methods that are commonly called thermal or thermal in professional circles. Using this method, the old coating from the furniture is removed by heating the surface. The varnish starts to melt a little from the high temperature and easily lags behind the material.

Undoubtedly, such a method requires more thorough preparation, and non-professionals should approach the process with skill.

It is recommended to first remember some safety rules:

• Be sure to protect your hands with special gloves.If you use ordinary rubber, then during a strong heating of the surface of the furniture, you can get a serious burn.

• The room in which the whole process will take place must be well ventilated, otherwise toxic poisoning can be obtained.

• Do not forget about the respirator and protective glasses.

In order to carry out thermal cleaning at home, you can use a gas or gasoline burner. You can work with this unit only if you are not doing this for the first time. Beginners due to inexperience can create dangerous conditions, a fire can occur, or serious burns can be obtained. Therefore, it is recommended to strictly adhere to safety rules.

Also as a heater can make a building dryer. But, unfortunately, not every home there is such a device, and the price it is not as affordable as the burner.

The thermal method is a very fast process. The surface should be heated to such an extent that bubbles form. Then the old varnish must be carefully cleaned with a spatula. Heat a small area, scrape it off and move on. So it will be possible to do all the work more carefully and accurately.After all the old varnish is cleaned, the surface should be sanded with emery paper.

Each method has its own advantages. If we approach the process, taking into account all the recommendations and advice, then everything will definitely work out.

How to remove varnish from a wooden surface, see the next video.