Stripping old wooden chairs

[jody jones]

Have accumulated collection of old wooden chairs that need to be stripped and refinished, including caning. Have been using soy-based stripper, seems like slow, slow process. Has anybody used Thieves Oil in their stripping days?

[Jim Matthews]

Unless you can get aromatic oils to dissolve Turpenes, enamels and polymerized oils it's an unlikely choice.

If you have lots of chairs, you need a vat and serious safety gear.
The stuff that works is caustic, and nasty.

More than two chairs? Get them dipped by professionals.
You don't want this stuff in your house, on your clothes or in the air.

[Ed Wood]

Its been a while since I stripped anything but stay away form the environmentally safe stuff it just does not work. The gel type works best to stay on vertical parts. Or as stated above get it dipped but you may have to reglue the joints.

[jody jones]

Thanks, Jim. Have been resisting temptation to get chairs dipped, might end up being best alternative despite all the gluing afterward.

jody

[jody jones]

Thanks, Ed. Thought it was just me who finds the environmentally safe stuff ??. Hate to dip but might end up going that direction.

[Larry Browning]

I recently had to strip 4 occasional tables. A friend suggested I try using the citrus gel stuff. He said to ignore the instructions on the can. What you do is brush on liberally and wrap the part in plastic covering all areas. Let that sit for about an hour and then remove it. It worked it for me, but it was VERY messy and time consuming. Also, due to that project, I have a new policy. All refinishing projects coming into my shop have to be pre-stripped. I can do this because I am a hobbiest, so I set the rules, and I HATE stripping furniture.

[jody jones]

Thanks, Larry. Wow, that would be a very, very tedious process for me since I have spindles as well as legs to strip. Yup, I see me going for the dunking pool. Good policy you set!
j

[Howard Acheson]

The most effective paint stripper is one the contains methylene chloride. Soy, citrus and other "natural" paint stripper are all problematic. They are very slow acting and generally require multiple treatments to get off all the existing finish. Chemical paint stripper containing methylene chloride will rapidly remove an existing finish and will not remove the built up natural patina in the wood. Nor will they have any negative effect on the existing joinery.

[Jim Matthews]

I'm a hobbyist that makes things for my own use.

I'm not interested in the most tedious aspects of rehabilitating furniture,
or preparing lumber. I will gladly hire professionals for tasks like these.

That leaves me free for the fun parts.

[John TenEyck]

As normally is the case, Howard is bang on. I like Kleanstrip Premium stripper. It takes off most clear coat finishes about as fast as you can brush it on, and it will take off several layers of paint in one application but takes longer. It won't loosen joints, as Howard said, nor veneer either. It takes well less than an hour to strip a typical varnished chair. As a hobbiest, that's acceptable to me.

John

[steven taggart]

+1 on cleanstrip premium. I hog it on with a brush, wrap in kitchen plastic wrap and walk away for 24 hours minimum. Works well for me but your mileage may vary