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My uncle swore by using a heat gun to strip old varnish, but it ruined my project
He told me, 'Just get it hot and it'll bubble right off,' on a 1920s oak dresser. I followed his advice and after about 15 minutes, the wood underneath started to darken and the grain raised up like crazy. It took me three full days of sanding to get it back to a smooth surface, and the color is still uneven. Has anyone found a better way to strip thick, old varnish without damaging the wood?
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the_oscar11d ago
Citristrip works slower but won't cook the wood like that.
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nora_walker574d ago
Slow? Try watching paint dry. Sometimes you need that heat to really get through layers of old varnish. Overnight means another whole day gone on one step. If you know what you're doing with the gun, you won't burn the wood. Speed matters when you've got a whole house to do.
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garcia.tyler11d ago
Yeah, that heat gun trick is risky on old wood. A paste stripper left on overnight usually works way better.
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