How To Strip Furniture with Less Work

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My favorite method for stripping furniture with less work and sanding! These tips along with my fail-proof guide and the best products make furniture refinishing easy and rewarding.

Lately, I’ve been drawn to the natural warmth of wood tones. I feel like I’m forever painting furniture white. But if I’m lucky enough to happen upon a piece with great bones and beautiful wood, I’d rather showcase it than hide it under layers of paint.

Enter: the dining room table I scored off Craigslist.

Before photo of Bassett Furniture 8 person dining room table and chairs stained with cherry finish in dining room setting decorated with neutral decor and centerpiece.

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I’d been toying with refinishing this table for a very long time. The deep, red tones really didn’t match the rest of our home. And the stunning diagonal inlay is oddly overshadowed by the dark stain.

I’ve been stripping paint off of furniture for years. To be honest, it’s not my favorite thing to do. It’s smelly, time consuming and sometimes seems never ending to get through all the layers.

But I’ve got secrets to make this process so much easier!

Materials Needed for Stripping

A good paint stripper – brand preference is your choice. I generally like a thick stripper that gets the job done. This one from Klean Strip strips paint and most polyurethanes. If you’re worried about fumes, I recommend one like this. It’s better on paint than hard varnishes in my opinion, but it can be used indoors.
Safety gear – gloves, face mask for fumes, eye protection
Plastic drop cloths
Saran/plastic wrap, or garbage bags
Empty metal cans
Paint scraper
Steel wool (I used a few bags of 000 or 00 for this whole table)
Sandpaper – I use 120 and then 220
Electric sander
Paper towels
Mineral spirits – to clean up paint stripper residue

Supplies for stripping a table including safety equiptment.

HOW TO STRIP PAINT OR STAIN FROM WOOD

I’ve tried many different processes. This is the method that works best for me. This works with both stain and old layers of paint on wood.

Step 1: Put on your safety gear. Work outdoors with any stripper or, in a garage with the doors all the way open. Citristrip is safe indoors, but I still recommend working outdoors.

Step 2: Brush the furniture piece with paint stripper. Apply coat generously but not gloppy. Stripper works best when the temperature is at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit or above.

Spread the stripper on rather thickly. I use Kwik-strip which works quickly and doesn’t require wrapping with saran wrap. *Read Saran wrap technique below.

Stripping furniture stain with a chemical stripper.

Step 3: Scrape off the gooey varnish. I use a putty knife scraper on flat surfaces and steel wool in crevices. Expect a lot of residue. Keep paper towels and a trash can handy for waste. If the varnish is particularly hard, you may need a second coat.

After nearly all the residue is removed, spray a paper towel or lint free cloth with mineral spirits and wipe away any excess residue.

Dining room table stripped of all finish.

Step 4: There shouldn’t be much sanding left, but it’s helpful to sand to remove the last remnants of stain or paint! The table below is half done.

Electric sander removing remaining stain from surface of stripped table.

Tips to Get the Best Results

The biggest takeaway here is that the stripper stops working when it dries. If you need to leave the stripper on for a while, I recommend wrapping the furniture with saran wrap. This will allow the stripper to stay active and makes it easier to scrape off.

To tackle the crevices in the table legs and on the sides, I covered them in plastic wrap and left them for about 4-6 hours. Leaving it this way made the stripper work very well in ONE COAT.
Pour the stripper into a separate metal can – I find it much easier to work with by pouring the stripper into a small, clean paint can. You can buy quart paint cans at any local hardware store. Then you can easily dip your brush in the can.
For detailed areas, use a toothbrush or steel wool wrapped bamboo skewer. To get into tight crevices, I use all kinds of tools from toothpicks, bamboo skewers, nails. Use a light hand so you don’t gouge the wood.
Wait 24 hours after the piece is cleaned. Now that the piece is stripped, I would recommend waiting at least 24 hours or more before adding any stain, sealer, or finish.

Before & after Saran wrap stripping technique table legs.

I’ve included a few “after” shots. Can you believe this beautiful grain and pattern was hidden under all that dark stain?!

Stripped dining room table after. Wood grain pattern revealed. Wine glasses and white salad bowl with natural accents and wooden utensils for ambiance.

I gave this table a raw wood style staining, which you can see in the post How to Bleach Wood Furniture. It’s a trend that’s gaining popularity. The look is light and looks naturally aged rather than turning yellow or orange like traditional staining.

Ready to tackle refinishing a piece of furniture in your home?

Natural wood grain pattern revealed in the after photo once table has been stripped and sealed. Table centerpiece includes natural elements- paper whites, filled bud vase, copper candlesticks and some pottery.

Wood Stripping FAQs

Do you have to disassemble the furniture in order to strip it?

I removed the upholstery from the chairs but disassembling the rest of the furniture isn’t necessary in order to strip it.

How do I make the wood lighter?

I used a wood bleaching kit and topcoat to complete the process. You’ll find all the steps to recreate this look in my post How to Bleach Wood Furniture.

Is it better to strip or sand?

Stripping is messy and has fumes, but stripping is much faster and less work than sanding.

How long after stripping can I stain or paint?

Wait 24 hours after the piece is cleaned and stripped before adding any stain, sealer, or finish. This will allow any and all fumes to dissipate and make sure the surface is free of any residue.

PS I love seeing your creations! Be sure to take a photo and tag #cravingcreative on Instagram! You can also stay in touch with me through following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and subscribing to the newsletter!