DIY – How to Remove Old Paint and Varnish

Sick and tired of that ugly, old furniture of yours? Don’t worry, you can make it brand-new again at a very affordable cost. All it takes is a little effort and time. Nothing is more rewarding than a do-it-yourself project that you can complete in your own home. Once you’re done livening up your old furniture, you can sit back and enjoy the beauty of what you’ve done. Scraping off the paint and old varnish is a task that you can do by yourself at home. All you have to do is follow the simple steps and tips:

Items Needed:

1. Rubber gloves
2. Protective Eyewear
3. Respirator or high quality mask

4. Methylene Chloride

5. Paintbrush

6. Wax paper

7. Spatula

8. Rag or cloth

9. Mineral Spirits – a solvent often used to thin paint

Steps for DIY Paint Removal and Varnish Removal

Step 1. Safety First – Wear Necessary Protection

• Safety first before anything. Scraping up old varnish and paint involves using chemicals that can be harsh or harmful to your health. The chemicals you’ll be using can be sensitive to your skin so never ever forget to wear gloves so that you won’t have immediate contact to it.

• A respirator or a good, quality mask should be used to cover your nose, as the odors can be harmful to your lungs. Don’t confuse the particle mask with the respirator. The respirator will completely assist you in avoiding the harsh smell while the particle mask only filters dust.

• Wear protective eyewear when scraping off old paint and varnish. This is important for your DIY paint task because some of the chemical, as well as paint and varnish can get into your eyes. Many of these chemical can cause blindness if not treated by a physician immediately.

Step 2. Apply Methylene Chloride to the Painted Surface

• The Methylene Chloride is the chemical you’ll be using to scrape up the varnish and old paint. This chemical is quite thick because the manufacturers have added a wax formula so that the Methylene Chloride doesn’t evaporate too fast.

• Pour the Methylene Chloride directly onto the furniture.

• Use a paintbrush to spread the liquid onto the surface until it’s smooth.

• Cover the area with waxed paper to delay the chemical’s evaporation.

• Leave it awhile and let the chemical do its magic.

Step 3. Scrape Up the Old Paint and Varnish

• Remove the waxed paper from the Methylene Chloride covered area.

• Scrape up the paint and the goo using a spatula to reveal the original surface of your furniture. This combination of the paint and the goo is called sludge.

• Once the sludge is gone, wipe the surface with rag dipped in a mineral spirits.

• Now all you have to do is dispose the rags properly. If you’re not disposing of them yet, be sure to put them in a closed empty paint can.

DIY Paint Removal and Varnish Removal Tips

• Scraping up old varnish from baseboard can be hard using steel wool as it breaks easily. It’s recommended that you use synthetic pads. They can be reused and rinsed out a few times.

• When there are still particles of paints left on the wood, don’t wait for it to dry. Scrape it up while it’s still soft with the use of a bristle brush. Don’t just use a wire or a steel wire as it will only damage your furniture.

• Do not use Mythelene Chloride on your stained and shellacked antiques. Instead, use a product labeled “furniture refinisher.” Unlike Mythelene Chloride, furniture refinisher is thin and evaporates quickly.

• Pour furniture refinisher into a metal pan and dip a pad of steel wool into it.
• Use the steel wool to carefully rub the liquid into your furniture’s surface.
• Wipe it off quickly with a dry rag.