No need to go against the grain when stripping the paint off wood
Whether it's time to freshen up the paint or you're hoping to reveal the beauty of the natural wood grain beneath an old paint coat, learning how to remove paint from wood is a useful DIY skill. While chemical paint thinners are an option, there are plenty of natural ways—from gentle paint thinners to heat guns—to remove paint without damaging the wood below. Here’s how to remove paint from wood surfaces, large and small.
Hard work is required to remove paint from wood, but there are many reasons to take on this process.
Fixing a poor paint job: If the current paint job has unevenly applied paint and ugly globs and drips, stripping the paint gives you a fresh surface to do a new paint job.
Removing lead paint: If you have paint on a piece of wood from 1978 or earlier, it may have lead paint on it. Since lead paint can cause significant health problems, it’s essential to remove this paint. You should hire a lead abatement contractor to remove your lead paint safely. The pro can test the paint for lead before stripping, too.
Preparing for staining: If you want to change the wood from a painted surface to a wood-stained surface, you must first strip the paint.
If you plan to repaint a wood surface, you may be able to scrape loose paint off before painting over the top of any remaining paint. In this instance, you likely don’t need to remove paint from the wood through stripping.
If you hire a professional painter to remove paint from wood, you can expect to pay a similar amount as you’d pay for someone to paint the wood. Interior painters usually charge $20 to $50 per hour for paint jobs, and they often strip the paint for a similar cost. The painter may charge extra for supplies needed to remove the paint from wood.
If you want to do the work yourself, expect to pay $20 to $30 for a bottle of paint stripper. You can also expect to input several hours of sweat equity, depending on the size and specifics of your project.
Wondering whether your wood furniture or floors are ready for paint stripping? Fear not: You can strip nearly any kind of wood with the right products, materials, and process for the wood type. If the wood is solid enough to keep, you can strip paint from almost any kind of wood, including:
Window frames
Window sills
Window casing
Indoor furniture
Stair railings
Molding
Baseboards
Doors and door frames
Cabinets
Window frames
Window casing
Outdoor furniture
Fencing
gates,
House molding
Exterior doors
Sheds
Decorative molding
Although we’ll detail seven ways to remove paint from wood later, you may want to focus on these best ways to remove paint from wood.
Sanding: Sanding is a reliable way to remove paint from small wooden items. You also may want to use sanding if removing paint from a wood floor, as you could rent an industrial floor sander for efficiency. If sanding, apply pressure evenly across the wood, so you don’t damage the wood with gouges.
Hot air gun: A hot air gun loosens paint quickly, so you can scrape it off easily. The use of heat helps you reach tight areas to remove paint from wood better than other options. However, you could scorch the wood if the heat is too intense or too close to the wood.
Chemical stripping: Chemical strippers can remove paint effectively, especially in hard-to-reach areas. This tool is useful for multiple kinds of paint and when you have several layers of paint to remove. However, chemical strippers can leave a residue, and cause safety issues, so apply it according to the instructions.
Whether you're repainting wood furniture, a structural element of your house, or a small decorative item, it's best to take these prep steps before starting this DIY project.
To begin, make sure the wood is worth refinishing. Wood rot comes in two forms—dry rot and wet rot. Dry rot in wood is the work of fungus, while wet rot typically originates from fungus and water damage in your home. You should also check the wood item’s structural integrity and look for signs that it is splintering beyond repair. Poke it gently with a flat-head screwdriver blade to test the stability of the wood. If the screwdriver easily penetrates the spongy wood, you have a rot problem and should not strip its paint.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that homes built before 1978 may contain lead paint. The same goes for furniture and decor. It is important to hire a professional lead abatement specialist if you need suspect lead paint in your home or the object you plan to restore. Lead exposure can lead to anemia, weakness, and kidney and brain damage. In other words, don't mess with it and call the pros.
Chemical and naturally derived paint thinners often require sufficient ventilation. In most cases, it's best to work with chemical paint strippers outdoors. Additionally, always wear gloves, goggles, and a mask while working. The same goes for working with a heat gun, power washer, and even when removing paint vigorously with a scraper.
Be sure to remove or cover hardware you'd like to leave unaffected by the chemicals, heat, or power wash. If you're revitalizing wood furniture, this may be a good time to replace or restore knobs, handles, and brackets.
Let’s review chemical and mechanical ways of removing paint from wood, but each method requires a bit of elbow grease.
Sanding delicate items, such as antique furniture or small decorative items, is likely your best bet for protecting the wood below. For example, when refinishing a table, working through a range of sandpaper grit levels can be the key to removing old layers without risking the structure. Here's what to do:
Purchase three grades of sandpaper from your local hardware store: fine, mid-grade, and coarse, or #40 to $120 grit. The higher the number of the grade, the finer the sandpaper.
Use a power sander for large areas and sand by hand for small spaces. If you're using a power sander, consider an orbital sander for mid-sized flat surfaces or a belt sander for larger ones.
Start with the coarse sandpaper, moving toward the wood grain.
Test a small area by hand or with the power sander to ensure you're only removing the paint layer and small imperfections on the wood.
Move on to the mid-grade and fine sandpaper for a final pass. Be sure to focus on hard-to-reach areas like ornate carvings and corners.
Wipe the wood with a damp cloth to remove paint chips and dust.
If the wood’s paint is already peeling in large strips, you may not need extra product to tear it away. Long strips of old paint are often easier to remove with a scraper before sanding.
Choose a metal or plastic scraper made for paint removal. Plastic is best for delicate wooden items that can’t handle too much pressure.
Scrape with minimal pressure to test the strength of the wood, pushing the scraper in a smooth motion with the direction of the wood grain.
Wipe the paint chips and large splinters away with a damp cloth between each pass.
Finish paint removal by sanding with coarse and fine sandpaper, #40 to #120 grit.
Finish the job by wiping down the surface with a damp cloth to remove paint chips and dust.
Chemical paint strippers come in caustic and solvent solutions, both of which include specific instructions on how and how much to apply to your piece of wood. You will also find specific paint strippers for oil or water-based paints and stripping solutions for antique furniture. Here's how to use either type of chemical paint stripper:
Lay drop cloths over your flooring or other surfaces you want to protect.
Don protective gear, including goggles and gloves.
Apply generous amounts of chemical stripper to the surface using a paintbrush.
Wrap the surface in a layer of plastic wrap.
Wait 15 to 24 hours. If you see the paint bubbling underneath the plastic wrap, it’s ready to scrape.
Scrape off paint layers using a metal putty knife.
Repeat this process as necessary until paint is removed fully.
Use a damp cloth or mineral spirits to wipe away dust and debris, depending on the stripper’s product instructions.
This variety of paint stripper has a very high pH that transforms the paint compounds and loosens it from the surface. This stripper type tends to be easier and less messy to use, but it can darken the wood beneath the paint. It’s particularly well-suited for projects that require removing thick layers of paint and other material.
Solvents are messier and take longer to remove paint from wood, but they will protect the color below. The solutions go after the bond between the surface and the paint, also lifting it up for easy mechanical removal.
Natural paint strippers can be a confusing term since popular products like turpentine are technically from the resin of pine trees. In other words, just because a natural paint stripper comes from plants doesn't mean you shouldn't take the same safety precautions.Natural paint strippers include terpenes such as turpentine and citrus concentrations, while soy-based paint strippers use methyl soyate, a natural solvent.
Apply natural paint stripper to the wood surface with a paint brush.
Follow manufacturer’s instructions for accurate wait time. You will likely need to leave natural products on the surface longer than chemical ones.
Use a metal scraper to remove paint layers. Opt to use a wire brush to remove stubborn paint sections, if needed.
Repeat this process as necessary until paint is removed fully.
Wipe clean with water and a cloth and let it dry fully.
Distilled white vinegar is a natural way to loosen paint from a surface, but remember that it will not work in all scenarios. Vinegar is best for already peeling or chipped paint, revealing the wood beneath, and when used as a pre-scraping and pre-sanding method.
Mix a solution of one part white vinegar and two parts water.
Heat the solution for 30 seconds in the microwave.
Soak a thick cloth in the warm vinegar solution and ring out the excess.
Dab the cloth on the peeling paint, letting it sit for a moment.
Allow the vinegar to sit on the paint for at least 15 minutes before attempting to scrape or sand it.
When used correctly, a heat gun will cause the paint to melt, loosen, and blister off the wood, making it easier to remove manually. As is the case when dealing with any tool that creates extreme heat, it is very important to follow strict safety instructions. Always wear long sleeves and protective equipment, minimize distractions and fire hazards, and only work in a well-ventilated area.
Point your heat gun at a 45-degree angle and keep at least two inches between the tip of the heat gun and the paint.
Sweep the gun in a slow back-and-forth motion to loosen the paint in the area.
Once the paint begins to blister, remove the heat.
Scrape the heated area with a metal scraper or sandpaper.
Repeat this process as necessary until the paint is removed fully.
You'll need a high-powered pressure washer to remove paint from the exterior of a house—it's far too powerful for smaller objects—but you still need to exercise caution. The level of 2,500 to 4,000 psi necessary to remove paint could damage the siding of your home and allow water to push into your home through cracks and seams.
Use a 15-degree nozzle to remove the paint.
Before pressure washing, stand at least 12 to 20 feet from the wall.
Move in sections, pushing the nozzle in the direction of the wood grain.
Work at an angle to get under the peeling paint.
Follow up with a metal scraper and sander as necessary.
After you've removed paint from the wood, it's important to remove the leftover paint stripper and remaining paint chips.
If you use a natural or chemical paint stripper, coat the end of a cloth in mineral spirits and wipe the wood to remove any residue. You can clean surfaces that experienced mild paint strippers like vinegar with warm water and mild dish soap.
During this stage, you may find some small jagged spots or leftover bits of paint. Use a piece of fine steel wool over these areas to smooth and clean the surface. Allow the area to fully dry before considering repainting or staining the wood.
Learning how to remove paint from wood is a DIYable skill if you have proper ventilation and pay close attention to the instructions. However, you may be wary of restoring antique or sentimental items without experience. In this case, it’s worth hiring a local interior painter for larger jobs to ensure professional-quality results.
The price of paint-removal services range depending on the size, age, and complexity of the project, and whether you want to team to refinish the item. For example, the cost to refinish a table costs between $150 and $400 on average. But the cost to refinish hardwood floors ranges from $1,100 to $2,600.
If you recently splashed paint on the wrong area of a wooden object, remove it with a solvent or caustic paint stripper. Some paint that has yet to dry may be removable by hand with coarse sandpaper or a plastic scraper. Another trick for removing dried-on paint is rubbing a dab of nail polish remover on the paint to remove it, but avoid touching the bare wood surface.
You can find chemical and naturally derived paint thinners to remove paint without as much sanding. A heat gun or pressure washer can also remove paint from large areas. However, sanding is often the best way to remove the final bits of paint that remain on the surface.
Acetone—such as the type in nail polish remover—is a solvent that can remove paint from many surfaces, including wood. However, the acetone will also remove any finish on the wood and can stain the wood below.
