Replies

1. 
   DennisS | Jan 22, 2003 07:45pm | #1

   Have you considered a commercial paint/furniture stipping service? I had a beautiful cherry lowboy chest stripped some time ago. Worked very well and man, they get everything off. Best use of dollars vs time I coulda spent on that project.

   ...........

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

2. 
   Gretchen | Jan 22, 2003 08:04pm | #2

   You might try a heat gun.  If you are lucky the doors were not painted on bare wood but maybe varnished first in which case the paint will not be in the grain.  There is one other problem with paint that age, however.  Lead.  Definitely don't sand.

   So far as stripping goes you can take the doors outside and work on them in good air.

   Gretchen
3. 
   ScottInMadtown | Jan 23, 2003 12:15am | #3

   Suzyt,

   A great product I have used is called Peel Away 6.  It's not toxic and doesn't smell.  You apply a liberal coat of the stuff (about 1/8") and then cover it with the "paper" that comes with the kit.  It takes awhile to work...perhaps 48 to 72 hours, but IT's doing the work and not you.  After that time you start peeling off the paper.  Sometimes the sludge comes with it...sometimes you need a putty knife to give it a little help.  Some residue will be left.  You can quickly and easily get the rest with a conventional liquid stripper.  I buy my supply at http://www.paintremoval.com.

   They also sell heat guns and other stripping supplies.  I've used heat guns and they work great also, but if you hold it in one place just a tad too long you end up with a nice circular scorch mark.  So, keep it moving and don't try to get every single speck off with the heat gun.  You will still need to go back with a conventional liquid stripper and get the remaining bits.

   You could use the other Peel Away products they sell at the site above, but Peel Away 6 is the most environmentally friendly and I don't think twice about using on the paint in my house with my 2 and 1/2 year old running around.

   Scott

1. 
   MVAgusta | Jan 23, 2003 04:34pm | #4

   I used PeelAway 6 about 10 years ago to strip a chestnut coffered ceiling. The stripper reacted with the tannic acid in the chestnut, causing large dark stains to appear that ran fairly deep into the wood. I had to stain the whole job a dark walnut to cover it. It did do an excellent job of removing the paint, but I've never used it again on chestnut. I switched to an old Sears heating plate to take the bulk of the paint off, then any generic methylene chloride stripper (that doesn't contain lye), then a wash with denatured alcohol. If you are lucky, the original finish is shellac, that, when heated, will boil the paint out of the open grain.

4. 
   HowardAcheson | Jan 23, 2003 08:27pm | #5

   As I mentioned in the other forum, be careful of the lead that is undoubtably in the paint.

   I wouldn't use any type of heat to remove the paint.

1. 
   suzy | Jan 23, 2003 09:26pm | #6

   you all have made wonderrful suggestions about the removal of paint from my doors in my home.  thanks to all of you.  i thought using a plane was really clever, since it was non "chemical", but i have learned how bad an idea that is.   your point about the heat gun is excellent.  i have a nice back yard, and i  could wait until the spring and take them outdoors.   iin speaking to a local guy, i just found out about a coompany that would do the doors, if i brought them there, for $95 per door.    that is not too bad, and i might just let them do them.    thanks to you all.  i am contunuallly learning  and that is neat.

5. 
   jako17 | Jan 23, 2003 11:17pm | #7

   One thing you may not be aware of if you are using methylene chloride stripper inside ,in the basement ,in winter ,that if the fumes are burnt by the furnace they form acid that eats the combustion chamber away.One of the locals was refinishing in his basement and his new furnace lasted two years.Lennox just laughed at his warranty claim!

                                              Jako