If you want to renovate an old piece of wooden furniture, you have to remove the old paint coats first. And the best paint stripper for wood is a must thing.
It helps you remove the old coats of paint and repaint to have a new look.
In case you haven’t had enough knowledge to choose the best one, you can refer to my article including top five products on the market and how to remove paint with the best paint stripper for wood.
Top 5 Best Paint Stripper For Wood
- 1. Dumond Chemicals, Inc. 3332 Smart Strip Advanced Paint Remover
- 2. Dumond Chemicals, Inc. 3301 Smart Strip Advanced Paint Remover
- 3. Citristrip QCSG801 Paint & Varnish Stripping Gel
- 4. Dumond Chemicals, Inc. 1160N Peel Away 1 Heavy-Duty Paint Remover
- 5. Paint Stripper (Quart – 32oz) Super Remover New Generation
The In-depth Review of the Best Paint Stripper for Wood
I used one of the following products. It is effective, so, I listed it and other products here which my friends and readers highly recommend. I hope you pick up a suitable product.
1. Citri-Strip Paint Stripper Gel
Editor Rating: How to use it?
How to use is very simple. You slather this thick and yogurt-like gel on the surface which you need to strip. After that, wait for one day before wiping it off. You can completely strip many layers of paint in one step.
Let’s discover its great feature:
It’s okay for this paint stripper to adhere to vertical surfaces. The effect of this stripping gel is a fact beyond dispute. As you can see, it’s the best seller, but it also comes with some biological hazards.
This chemical mixture contains N-Methyl-2 pyrrolidone, which may cause birth defects or similar reproductive harm, according to the State of California. Thus, while applying this paint stripper, you should wear a pair of butyl rubber gloves instead of standard latex, rubber, or nitrile gloves because it’s effortless for this stripping solvent to penetrate these materials.
Doesn’t stop there:
Citri-Strip produces hazardous fumes that require you to work outdoors. Keep in mind that open windows can’t disperse completely.
Pros
- Save time
- Use simply
Cons
- Leaves a foul odor after stripping
2. Dumond Chemicals, Inc. 3332
Editor Rating: Here is the right direction:
After slathering Dumond Chemicals on the surface, let it sit for over three hours. Be patient!
After an hour, nothing changes.
Please take a look at the most outstanding features:
It can strip up to 12-15 layers of old paint of a very detailed and intricate window frame.
It works best on flat areas. But, if your items have pits and cracks in the material, Dumond chemicals are still active.
When you let your hands directly contact with it, you should clean with some water, and use lotion, your hands will be excellent.
If you don’t cover the can of this paint stripper, it won’t dry after 24 hours. But, it may be hard and tough to scrap the paint off here.
Pros
- Biodegradable formula
- Safe for users, environment, and substrate
- Odor-free water based advanced paint remover
- Without methylene chloride, which causes cancer
- No real odor
- Not messy
- Easy to use
Cons
- Need a thick layer of paint stripper
3. D Super Remover New Generation Paint Stripper
Editor Rating: How to use this stripper is similar to others. You will slather it on the surface then wait for a while, resulting in the paint goes away.
Here are the reasons why D Super Remover New Generation stands out the other two ones above, its action time happens quickly, only taking 15-30 minutes.
This product is useful to remove many coats such as epoxies, polyurethane, shellac, lacquers, latex, and oil-based paints.
According to manufacturer and company, if your house has children and pets, and safety is always the top priority, this is a perfect choice because it doesn’t produce harmful fumes and contain methylene chloride.
But, there are minimal fumes produced.
Pros
- Straightforward to use
- Fast acting
- Safe to use
Cons
- Not too sufficient to work on a tough job
- A little messy
4. Dumond Smart Strip Advanced Paint Remover
Editor Rating: Let’s discover the way of using:
Its using way is similar to others, but applying only one coat is enough to remove 15 layers of paint.
Please learn its great features in advance:
Whether you want to strip something indoor or outdoor, this eco-friendly paint stripper is effective and safe to help you complete the task.
How?
It is based on 100% biodegradable, water, and Benzyl alcohol.
This product can remove many layers of architectural and industrial paint from a variety of types of surfaces such as wood, plastics, fiberglass, plaster, stone, concrete, metal, brick.
If you have a tight budget, I don’t recommend this product because it’s more expensive than other choices with a similar result.
Pros
- Free of odor
- Safe to remove lead-based paint
- Effective to work on intricate, carved, and molded surfaces
- Successful in removing marine paints without damaging the gel coat
Cons
- Creates a mess
5. Dumond Chemicals Inc.1160N
Editor Rating: How can you use it?
As mentioned, slather it on a surface and wait to see the outcome. This environmentally safe and biodegradable paint stripper can remove over 30 coats of paint for only one piece of furniture.
What are the best features?
The Dumond Chemicals Inc.1160N is designed for those with high requirement of safety.
Why did I say that it is safe?
It is non-carcinogenic, non-toxic, non-flammable, and zero VOC. Moreover, the formulation doesn’t include methylene chloride or flammable solvents, which will generate hazardous fumes and odors.
Apart from wood, it works well for other materials such as fiberglass, steel, iron, cast, plaster, stucco, stone, concrete, and brick.
This is a smart investment because buying Dumond Chemicals means you have all essential items, including application tool, paste remover, laminated paper, and citri-lize neutralizer.
Unfortunately, this paint stripper is excellent for old paint but not for latex.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Possible to remove a lot of coats
Cons
- Causes a mess
Types of Paint Strippers
The current market has three types of paint strippers at the moment, including solvent paint strippers, caustic paint strippers, and biochemical paint strippers.
Solvent Paint Strippers
Solvent paint stripper will soften and dissolve the bond between the substrate and paint film. You need to wait until the coat of paint bubbles up to move it quickly.
Compared to caustic strippers, solvent paint stripper is more dangerous. It’s possible to cause health risks due to the methylene chloride ingredient, which is a regular choice of tradesmen and DIY enthusiasts.
You can choose the following alternatives with a similar effect such as Toluene, Acetone, and Ketone.
Caustic Paint Strippers
This water-based caustic paint stripper usually has about 13-14 pH, containing the active ingredient of lye.
After applying the stripper on the surface, all components in the paint will react with the lye to make it soapy and lose the paint. Now you can remove them quickly.
Although caustic stripper is safer than solvent paint stripper, it is still possible to cause some risks of skin burn or lung irritation.
It’s caustic soda like sodium hydroxide or potash (potassium hydroxide)
Biochemical Paint Strippers
As the name suggests, biochemical paint stripper includes solvents derived from plants.
Each brand has the different formula with a variety of ingredients such as terpenes (citrus or pine), dimethylsulfoxide (wood pulp), lactic acid (corn sugar), citric acid, and soy oil.
Biochemical paint strippers cause the slightest health issue like the risk of skin irritation.
I will recommend some alternatives methods as follows:
- Power washing: it is excellent to remove paint on your exterior walls.
- Sanding: you can sand by your hands or use a power sander.
- Heat: I mean you can apply a form of low-intensity like a torch, heat gun, or infrared heating system.
How to Remove Paint from Wood with Using Paint Stripper
Using paint stripper is considered one of the best ways to strip hard-to-reach and intricate areas on wood. Applying chemical paint removers can result in the best outcome, removing paints and varnishes faster than sanding method without causing harsh.
But, this technique requires you to take care of your safety issues more. It’s essential to wear protective items while performing this task.
How does Chemical Paint Stripper Work?
The chemical paint stripper will partially dissolve or varnish the paint. In case the thing which you want to strip can’t be moved, you can use useful paste or gel paint stripping products to stick to vertical surfaces.
How to Strip Paint from Wood with Paint Stripper in Four Steps
- Step 1:
Although every product is different, keep in mind that it has a general rule. You should use an old paintbrush to apply a thick layer of stripper because after finishing the task, you will throw it away. Remember to slather a thick layer of stripper into all carved and intricate areas. - Step 2:
You should refer to the instruction of each product to know its exact timescale. After applying, you have to leave it alone and wait until it has done its thing. - Step 3:
After the paint becomes softer, use a plastic or metal scraper to scrape it off.
What should you do with stubborn areas of varnish and paint?
Steel wool, a wire brush, or an old toothbrush will be useful.
For a choice of a metal scrape, remember to take care of it before using. If not, it may cause scratching or gouging your wood. - Step 4:
It’s fine to re-apply the stripper for removing the paint left. Check the instruction to know whether or not you need to wash the stripped item for neutralizing the active chemicals.
Safety Recommendations for Paint Removal from Wood
- The majority of instructions say that you should strip paint from wood outdoor. You won’t want the toxic fumes which chemical paint strippers produce while performing are inside your house, endangering your safety.
- No matter which paint stripper you apply, it’s better to wear old clothes, face mask, and gloves.
- Laying a tarp, drop sheet or old newspaper underneath your items which need to be stripped can prevent damaging to the surrounding areas.
- Don’t leave the lid of the paint stripper can off since this thing can make fumes evaporate into your workspace.
What Should You do After Stripping?
Make your wood a beautiful finish, of course. Whether it’s an old floor, antique, vintage furniture, or rococo picture frame, a pine door, the following products can breathe new life into your wood:
- Polish your wood with a deep-nourishing wood wax polish for a mirror-like look.
- Color your wood with superb wood stain shades.
- Oil your wood with colored and clear wood oil.
- Preserve your wood with a colored and clear wood preserver.
- Lacquer your wood with a suitable wood lacquer.
- Dye your wood with a solvent-based or water-based wood dye.
- Repaint and distress your wood with a matt emulsion, chalk paint, or clay.
The Best Paint Stripper for Wood is …
My wooden things are very old, so I need something to help me remove more than 30 coats of paint, and it can meet my requirement. Moreover, this product is an environmentally safe and biodegradable paint stripper, which is safe for my children and pets.
Can you let me know your choice? Does it help you complete your task correctly? Please leave your comment about any related issue below.
Peter Levick
ArchitectI am a licensed architect who is passionate about all things home improvement industries, I have been doing DIY painting projects and have developed lots of experience around home improvement over the 10 years.
