How To Strip Furniture with Ease (2024)

I feel like I’m forever painting furniture white. But lately, warm natural wood tones have been catching my eye. If I’m lucky enough to happen upon a piece with great bones, I’d rather showcase the beautiful wood than hide it under layers of paint.

Enter: the dining room table I scored off Craigslist.

I’d been wanting to with refinish the table from our Dining Room Makeover for quite some time. The table’s deep, red tones didn’t balance with our deep blue interior walls. The piece’s dark stain also overshadowed the stunning diagonal inlay.

Although I’ve been stripping painted furniture for years, but I can’t say that it’s my favorite thing to do. It’s smelly and cutting through layers of old finish sometimes feels like a never-ending endeavor. So, I have developed some techniques over the years and happy to share the best ways to strip furniture with less work.

Stripping vs Sanding

While it is easiest to do a light sanding for painting furniture, both stripping and sanding will remove a previous finish. There are some situations I would choose stripping over sanding:

• Sanding, although less intimidating, is very labor intensive. Sanding is still the appropriate choice if a piece has scratches, deep surface imperfections like this makeover for a Cerused Wood Finish.
• Sanding destroys the top layer of wood, so stripping can be better for intricate details.
• A stripper gets down into the pores of the wood, opening them up and removing old stain and varnish.
• A chemical stripper dissolves old finish for efficient removal without overt physical labor.
• While it can still create a mess, stripping is easier to clean up than sawdust particles.
• Stripper is the only effective method for cutting through old varnish that has turned gummy or deteriorated, leaving the wood underneath intact.
• Stripper is much easier if you need to get through multiple layers of paint, hard polyurethanes, and shellacs.

I’ve tried many different processes during my adventures in rehabbing furniture.

And I’ve got secrets to make the process so much easier!

Materials Needed

I’ve included a printable tutorial at the bottom of the post to reference as a handy project guide. Read these essential tips and material recommendations before you get started.

• Paint stripper – I generally prefer a thick stripper with a little grab power for vertical surfaces. This one is from Klean Strip strips paint and most polyurethanes. If you’re concerned about fumes, I recommend one like this. It can be used indoors, but I find it works better on paint than hard varnishes.
• Safety gear – gloves, face mask for fumes, eye protection
• Plastic drop cloths
• Saran/plastic wrap garbage bags work well too if you cut them.
• Empty metal cans – Purchase quart paint cans at any local hardware store.
• Paint scraper – Plastic is gentler, but metal is fine if you are careful.
• Steel wool – I used a few bags of 000 or 00 to do our entire table.
• Sandpaper – I use 120 and then 220 just for finishing.
• Electric sander
• Paper towels
• Mineral spirits– to clean up residue.

Tips for Best Results

• Pour the stripper into a separate metal can. I find it much easier to work by pouring the stripper into a small, clean paint can where I can dip a brush.
• Wait 24 hours before staining or painting. I recommend waiting at least 24 hours after the piece is stripped before adding any stain, sealer, or finish.
• Test the stripper on a small, inconspicuous area of the furniture first to ensure compatibility and to determine the optimal stripping time.
• Work in small sections to prevent the stripper from drying out before you can remove it, especially in very hot or cold temperatures.
• The chemical process works best above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 C). It still works in colder temperatures, just not great and you will notice a difference.
• Use a plastic scraper for flat surfaces to avoid scratching or gouging the wood.

Pro Tip! Stripper stops working when it dries. If you’re working on an area where the stripper needs to sit for a spell, I recommend wrapping the furniture with saran wrap. The stripper will stay active while under wraps, making for a smoother removal and may remove more in one coat.

Our Project Before and After

To tackle stubborn crevices such as the table legs featured here, I used ordinary plastic wrap to cover the stripper and let it sit for about 4-6 hours. This technique allowed additional time for the chemical process to do its magic.

Can you believe this beautiful grain and pattern was hidden under all of that dark stain?!

I chose a raw wood style stain, which I go into further detail about in How to Bleach Wood Furniture. The trending finish is actually quite timeless. Wood appears naturally aged and reflects light, for a total room refresh.

Ready to tackle refinishing a piece of furniture in your home? Check out some of our other makeovers and techniques!

• How To Protect Painted Furniture for Durability
• My Favorite Paints for Furniture
• How To Paint Outdoor Furniture

Is it necessary to disassemble your furniture to strip it?

I remove upholstery such as chair cushions, but disassembling furniture isn’t necessary in order to strip it.

Can you strip furniture that has been stained?

Absolutely, you can strip stained furniture to change its color or remove imperfections in the existing stain by using a stripper.

How do I get into detailed areas?

For detailed areas, use a toothbrush or very fine steel wool to remove the stripper. I use all kinds of tools from toothpicks to bamboo skewers and even nails to get into tight crevices. Keep a light hand so that you don’t gouge the wood.

What’s your favorite product for stripping wood furniture?

The best option for stripping wood furniture is Klean Strip or a similar paint stripper. These are highly effective and within safety guidelines.
When working with any chemical stripper, work outdoors or in a highly vented area. Citristrip is an indoor safe stripper if outdoors is not an option.

How long after stripping can I stain or paint?

Wait 24 hours after the piece is cleaned and stripped before adding any stain, sealer, or finish. This will allow any and all fumes to dissipate and make sure the surface is free of any residue.

How do I make the wood lighter?

I used a wood bleaching kit and topcoat to complete the process. You’ll find all the steps to recreate this look in my post How to Bleach Wood Furniture.