Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - REMOVING STAIN/VARNISH FROM TEAK
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02-23-00, 04:01 PM
I purchased a wonderful teak sideboard aoubt 20 years old but the previous owner used a dark stain on it, and a varnish over the stain in most places.What should I use to remove the varnish and stain? I want to get back to the original teak finish, which I will oil. This is solid Danish teak.
George
02-23-00, 08:55 PM
Unfortunately, you may wind up having to re- stain the piece, but first things first.
To remove the finish, any good paint and varnish remover (stripper) should do the job. A common misconception is that stripper will also remove stain - usually this is NOT the case. To lighten the wood, you'll have to use a bleach. In many instances ordinary household bleach will do the job. It should be applied to the entire piece in order to get a uniform color, allowed to set for 5 minutes or so, and then wiped off completely. Several applications may be necessary.
If this doesn't get the piece as light as you would like, try a wood bleach (check your home center or a good paint store). These are generally stronger.
You should be aware you're probably going to wind up with something lighter than you want for a finished color - pick a stain you like to bring it to what you want.
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George T.
To remove the finish, any good paint and varnish remover (stripper) should do the job. A common misconception is that stripper will also remove stain - usually this is NOT the case. To lighten the wood, you'll have to use a bleach. In many instances ordinary household bleach will do the job. It should be applied to the entire piece in order to get a uniform color, allowed to set for 5 minutes or so, and then wiped off completely. Several applications may be necessary.
If this doesn't get the piece as light as you would like, try a wood bleach (check your home center or a good paint store). These are generally stronger.
You should be aware you're probably going to wind up with something lighter than you want for a finished color - pick a stain you like to bring it to what you want.
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George T.