How to Clean Paint on Furniture and Refinish it

Everyone knows that cleaning paint is not an easy task. This article will show you 5 methods of cleaning paint from wood furniture and refinishing it with paint or varnish. Try the methods below and see which is better.

Table of Contents

Begin

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First, you need to make sure the furniture doesn’t get wet. If wet, use a rag or hair dryer to dry, you can even use a hot air gun placed at a safe distance from the door to prevent scorching or accidental fire. Always wear protective gloves to prevent blistering or splintering, and wear a mask and other necessary protective equipment.

Sanding method

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

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You can do much better with an electric sander. Sanding is a very hard and frustrating job because the sandpaper will soon be covered with paint. After the old paint has been removed, the best thing to do is scrub it back to smooth. Be sure to scrub along the grain, or you’ll scratch the wood’s surface and ruin the job.

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After sanding and polishing the wood dust, use a rag dipped in paint thinner before starting to paint. Make sure the wood surface is smooth. If it’s a small object, just use a broom to dust it off. Sweep away if wood dust gets on the floor.

The method of using a hot air gun

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Now you can use an easier but dangerous method. You will need a hot air gun. Be sure to wear gloves, goggles, a mask and prepare water when working to prevent a fire. After turning on the hot air gun, you need to place the gun about 15-20 cm above the painted wood surface.

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Warm up small areas of the wood (but don’t overheat to prevent the wood from becoming brittle or darkening). Slowly move the gun over the wooden surface. Switch to the surface of the wood part you are working on. Continuously move to the sides and from top to bottom.

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When the old paint has softened from the heat – scrape off the wrinkled paint. Use a wide paint scraper to scrape when the paint starts to bubble and wrinkle. Continue scraping small sections until the entire surface is complete.

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Now you can clean everything up and turn off the heat gun to avoid entanglement. And here is the hard part: the final sanding and polishing as mentioned above.

Stay calm if caught on fire. Usually it’s just small flames. If a fire occurs, unplug first, remove the hot air gun, and sprinkle water over the fire.

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You can now sand the wood surface – use the right sandpaper to sand. Sandpaper will help you smooth the surface of the wood and remove any remaining paint.

Chemical paint removal method

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If the surface of the furniture is too convex, you can use a paint remover. Choose the right product type because some have a different purpose than you need. Read the directions carefully before use. Although paint removers have the same basic use, the exact details may vary. Always use according to the specific instructions on the product.

Liquid chemicals are often used in spray form to clean the outer coating or several layers below.

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

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Use a paint brush to dip a sufficient amount of the solution and sweep over the medium-sized surface. You can also spray onto wooden surfaces from a distance of 10 cm.

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

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Let it sit for a while (about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how much solution you use), and you should notice the paint “softening”.

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Try the solution to see if it works. Use a paint scraper to scrape the wood surface with a circular motion. If it can be shaved, it means that the chemical is working.

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When 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 step by step until the entire door is complete.

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Continue to sand the wood surface with sandpaper or with a sander (for flat and wide surfaces) or by hand (indents or hard to sand with a machine).

Shaving method

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In case there is a thick layer of paint or paint spots, you can use a paint scraper.

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Sharpen the paint scraper by sharpening the metal surface in such a way that the blade is sharper. Grind both sides. Now it’s easier to scrape the paint off.

If it’s still hard to scrape, brush some vinegar, alcohol, or water onto the painted surface. You’ll find the paint scraper gets dull after each shave, so you’ll have to re-sharpen it.

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Note that you must be careful when performing these steps as the paint scraper can scrape off the wood underneath the paint. This method is only good when applied to polished furniture or wooden floors.

To avoid scraping the wood under the paint, you need to shave in a straight line and work carefully.

Methods of using chemicals

When performing all these steps, you should wear a mask and gloves to avoid accidents. You should also wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

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Prepare all the chemicals used to remove the paint, making sure nothing interferes with the job. This method is most effective when removing paint on polished pieces of wood.

You can try using laundry detergent, linseed oil (and boiled linseed oil), acetone, and paint thinner. Remember that the paint thinner is very strong. You should also not let your skin come into contact with laundry detergent because it can dry, smooth or wrinkle the skin of your hands. Wash hands after use.

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Use a cotton ball to apply the chemical on the paint. You can then scrape the paint off with a scraper or clean it with a rag.

CAUTION: If poisoning occurs, have someone call a poison control center or call 911 if the condition is severe. However, this probably won’t happen if you use the protective gear mentioned above. You just need to be very careful in all operations.

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Use a clean rag when you’re done shaving. When you’re done, make sure to clean everything up to avoid a risk, such as children accidentally ingesting bottles of solution. Don’t forget to wash your hands!

Refinishing the wooden furniture

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If you want to varnish, simply apply a coat of wood polish or varnish over the furniture.

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Do not scan too much. You need to remember to scan the three layers in the following order:

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Apply a layer of varnish.

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Sand the surface of the furniture.

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Apply another coat of varnish.

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Sand the wood surface with fine grain sandpaper.

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Apply a final coat of varnish. No sanding after sweeping!

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If you like to paint the surface of furniture, paint in one direction. Also, only apply another coat on top when the bottom layer has dried. Choose the right paint and apply an extra coat of protection if desired.

Advice

Finish with a coat of varnish for a shiny finish.
Using porous sandpaper (various grain sizes can be purchased at a paint supply store) will make the sanding job softer and more efficient.
You can also use a propane torch instead of a hot air gun. This will be faster, but you have to be ready to put out the fire.
Use coarse sandpaper to scrape faster, but if you want a smooth surface, you need to use a finer sandpaper.

Warning

Be careful when using hot air guns and any other equipment. Paints and paint solvents are highly flammable substances. The possibility of electric shock cannot be excluded; You must be on guard!
Varnish applied to the surface can make defects more visible (remember to sand along the wood grain).
Wear gloves and do not sand too hard. If you don’t, you’ll blow your hands up and lose your job.

Things you need

Glove
Mask
Goggles
Paint
Wood polish varnish (optional)
Heat gun (for hot air gun method only)
Water (for use with the hot air gun method only); Unplug first ! High risk of electric shock !
Sandpaper (with different grain sizes, if you want a smoother surface, try using more sandpaper with a larger number of grains; if you want a faster job but a rougher surface, use a sander) have a smaller number of beads. Refer to the instructions at the supply store!)
Electric sanding machine
Chemistry
Chemical bleach

Steps