Sometimes there are occasions where you just have to strip off layers of paint or varnish in order to achieve a finish. Just have a look at this...

 

           

 

In a pretty sorry state of repair this front door had been overpainted with oil-based varnish which has blistered and cracked due to direct sunlight. Coats were stripped using a chemical stripper (in this case Paramose). The stripper was brushed on and left to work on the surface coats. After a short time the surface bubbles, indicating that the stripper has penetrated what's underneath. Using a flat-blade begin to carefully scrape off the softened accumulation. Keep on working at it until you have competely removed every trace of the offending coats and you are back to bare wood.

 

             

                       Back to basics                                    Result!

 

Once you are back to the basic timber you will need to repair any damage to joints. Use a recognised wood-filler of an appropriate colour to fill any cracks, dents or separations. Leave to dry thoroughly then sand back to smooth. The timber on this door was pretty dried out so it was given one coat of Owatrol oil to restore the wood fibres and provide a penetrating oil base. Once dry this was followed by 4 coats of Sadolin Exterior Varnish.

 

Why 4 coats?!

4 carefully applied coats are better than 2 heavily applied coats. Why? Because varnish which is not carefully applied tends to drip. There are NO drips on this door. The method of application was to dip the brush into the tin and then dab the brush onto the lid of the tin rather like an artists palette. This meant that there were no drips or splatters as the Sadolin was transferred from brush to surface. Using light brush strokes the surface coats were built up slowly each day.

 

 

The end result speaks for itself. Attention to detail at the preparation, using the right materials and taking the time and effort to do it properly meant that a sorry looking entrance to a house now looks an inviting entrance to a home.

 

To recap:

 

Two usual methods: - 1. Chemical paint stripper 2. Electric Heat Gun

 

If using a chemical stripper such as Nitromors or Paramose you need to take appropriate precautions. Chemicals are caustic and may burn eyes and skin; they will also remove the surface of whatever they drip onto. So take precautions: wear gloves and eye protection and place drop-cloths at the base of whatever you're stripping.

 

Heat-guns, while not caustic, punch out somewhere between 1600 and 2000 watts of heat. Again, wear gloves and protect your eyes. Do not keep the gun for too long in one place otherwise you will scorch the wood and darken it, spoiling the finish.

 

Unfortunately neither method is particularly eco-friendly.

 

There are however Water Based Gel Strippers which are not based on dichloromethane. They typically don't give off harsh fumes and are a safer and environmentally more appropriate solution.