Frequently Asked Questions About Refinishing Wooden Furniture

Q: Which are the best chemicals for stripping or removing paint finishes?
A: Denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner and mineral spirits are good for stripping finishes. Denatured alcohol can take off shellac finishes while lacquer thinner can work on lacquer finish. Using branded products can help you benefit from pure products. Sometimes cheap mineral spirits contain latent oil that leaves residue on your wood after applying finish. Good quality mineral spirits leave no residue and evaporate thoroughly.

Q: Newly purchased furniture has a distinct odor emanating from it. What is the remedy?
A: Odors from furniture are often due to insufficient evaporation of chemicals. Odors intensify during cold months. Allow sufficient sunlight on the furniture for all chemicals to evaporate thoroughly. As a remedy for the time being, use a strong room freshener that could subdue odor from the furniture in the room. This is a temporary measure.

Q: There are few stain drips at door edges. How do I clean them?
A: Dip some coarse cloth in mineral spirits and scrub away the drips. It could take some time and effort too. This can take some shine off your door. If drips or runs are not on the main part, you can sand them. Otherwise, use scotchbrite dipped in paint thinner.

Q: How to get a dark stain on cabinets made of Maplewood?
A: Use Red Mahogany oil based stain. Oil stains are very easy to apply. Apply thick and liberal coats evenly over the entire surface. As this stain remains wet for a longtime, you can take your time to apply and wipe off any excess too. Maplewood is hardwood and therefore takes lot of time to take in the stain. You need to apply many coats of the stain to get the desired effect.

Q: How do I stain? Which are the best stains?
A: There are different types of stains like gel stains, oil-based stains, and water stains. You have to choose stain according to the type of wood you are staining. Hardwoods require oil stains while gel stains are the best bet for small projects. Gel stains dry faster and therefore, you should control flow of
stain to prevent any unevenness on the furniture. The best way of working with stains is to use small quantities and apply it evenly. Allow it to dry and then apply further coats to achieve required color.

Q: Can I do stripping and sanding of furniture within the house?
A: Stripping and sanding should ideally be within well-ventilated areas. Ventilation with free circulation of air can take away all fumes of stripping and sanding. Lingering of such fumes within the house can prove harmful. All such fumes are inflammable too. Use a shop vacuum with a HEPA filter to take away all sanding fumes and dust. Work in a secluded but well ventilated room in your house and keep door to the rest of the house closed. Wear a respirator and vacuum the room well before opening to the rest of the house.

Q: How long does it take finish to dry completely?
A: Stain takes around eight hours to dry thoroughly. You have to give sufficient time for every coat to dry completely before proceeding to the next. Oil-based stains oxidize. High humidity could prolong drying processes.

Q: Placing hot dishes on a dining table leaves milk-colored heat blushes. How do I correct this?
A: Heat from the dishes form vapor and it settles as rings on the wood surface. Light or milk colored rings is due to the presence of water within the finish. Use a soft cloth dipped in camphor spirits or denatured alcohol and rub the area. This could remove the light colored rings. Otherwise, use a little toothpaste, mayonnaise, or a mild hand cleaner. Rub with steel wool size 0000 or a clean cloth along the wood grain. If your furniture has a wax finish, use turpentine dipped cloth to clean wax and allow it to dry completely.

Q: How does pine wood furniture react to stain?
A: Pinewood does not take in stain instantly and evenly. It stains irregularly. You can use a conditioner to even out the stain on pinewood. Pine takes some time to darken stain and better results are available through exposure to sunlight. Apply around three coats of polyurethane finish to protect pinewood from regular wear and tear.

Q: How to remove scratches and burn marks from tabletop?
A: If burn marks and scratches are deep into the wood of the table, you have to go through complete refinishing of your table. Start by stripping the finish and then the surface of the table. You should sand out burn marks evenly and thoroughly. Use artists' oil paints to touch up burn marks. Start with lighter colors first and then proceed to darker colors. Apply in definite strokes and do not pile up paint. Allow wood to soak in paint and then let it dry completely.

Q: How do I scrape off veneer?
A: Veneer is thin layers of wood. If veneer is very old, soaking it in hot water can take away hidden glue. It then becomes easy to peel off veneer.

Q: How do I take off mold build-up on a wooden table?
A: Use equal quantities of household bleach and water. Mix well and apply on mold to remove it. You can also use a similar mixture of TSP (trisodium phosphate).

Q: How do I remove a sticky finish from within a cedar box?
A: Sticky finish within a cedar box indicates the finish never dried fully. Remove the finish and do it all again starting with stripping.

Guide To Refinishing Wooden Furniture