Varnish is commonly used on wooden furniture to produce an attractive and strong surface. However, peeling off the varnish can ruin the appearance of a table, desk, dresser, or sideboard. Removing varnish to make the wood look like furniture requires strong hands and a careful process, but can produce beautiful furniture by re-varnishing.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Loosening the Varnish
Step 1. Estimate the state of the varnish
If you peel off a small part of the varnish to get to the bottom of it, then you'll know how much work it will take. If your lacquered furniture has been stored in a damp place for several years, then you may be able to skip the loosening step and move on to scraping the varnish.
Step 2. Reposition the furniture so that the lacquered side of the furniture is facing up
Step 3. Wet an old towel with warm water
Squeeze the towel so that it is damp and doesn't drip.
Step 4. Spread the towel over the lacquered furniture
Be careful not to put the towel directly on the piece of furniture where the varnish layer will be left intact. Water can damage the varnish.
Damage to the wood under the varnish caused by water can be removed during the sanding process
Step 5. Let the damp towel rest on top of the varnish for two hours
Re-wet the towel if it won't get damp in that time. If the varnish does not crack, you will need to leave the towel on the varnish for 3 hours.
Step 6. Lift the towel
Watch for wrinkles and cracks on the surface of the varnish. The glue under the varnish should start to dissolve due to prolonged exposure to water.
Part 2 of 3: Scrape the Varnish
Step 1. Attach the furniture to the wooden table using clamps, if the furniture is not sturdy
Wear gloves and safety glasses.
Step 2. Take a 7.5 cm chisel or metal putty knife for scraping
Position the putty knife as evenly as possible so as not to damage the undercoat. Try scraping in the direction of the grain underneath.
Step 3. Begin scraping in a consistent, even motion near the ends of the furniture where the varnish has cracked
Step 4. Scrape a few times, then take the varnish and collect it in bulk by hand
Dropped varnish can be in the form of sheets.
Step 5. Stop when you find a part that is difficult to scrape
Flip the chisel if you're using one. Scrape off the area that contains the glue, about 45 degrees from the grain.
Use short, even motions and press gently to lift off the part that contains the glue
Step 6. Remove areas that are very difficult to remove with the steam from the iron
Buy a used iron that is only used for home repairs. Wet an old towel and place it on a layer of hard-to-remove varnish.
- The towels should be moderately damp, but not dripping with water.
- Place the hot iron on a damp towel. Leave it for one to two minutes. The steam of the iron can release the glue on the varnish.
- Be careful not to touch the iron or place your hands near the steam during this process, as it is very hot.
- Keep irons and towels away from wooden furniture.
Step 7. Scrape off the hard-to-remove parts with a putty knife
Part 3 of 3: Sanding the Furniture
Step 1. Scrape off any lacquered furniture and remove any loose varnish
Step 2. Place 80 grit sandpaper on the orbital sander (a tool for moving the sandpaper on the surface)
Turn on the appliance and wear safety glasses and a ventilation mask.
Step 3. Recheck the remaining furniture surfaces
Brush the dust on the furniture.
Step 4. Repeat this process using 120 grit and 220 grit sandpaper, until the surface is smooth and ready to be coated
Step 5. Paint the wooden furniture
Paint with polyurethane plamir.
