Hi, I’m a relative novice and need to strip 4 recessed-panel pocket doors, each one about 4′ x 8′. I believe they are redwood (because everything else in the house is and it is a pre-1900 Victorian inCalifornia) although the wood is more purple-ish than what I am used to seeing. In any case, as a test on one side of a door I have used Citristrip gel to remove the many layers of paint after letting it sit on overnight covered with a poly sheet, and now I have scrubbed some of it with the Citristrip After Wash. These products seem to work pretty well, although the paint does get pretty sticky and gummy, especially in the corners and grooves of all the detail.
My questions are as follows:
Does any one have a good reference link or their own process they wish to share for stripping detailed doors?
Is there a more economical way to do this? I used two jugs of the Citristrip @ $13 each for one side of one door. Other products? I also bought a small bottle of UGL Fastrip to test but have not used it yet. It has a water cleanup
The After Wash also works prettty well but it costs $5 for a little bottle. Is there a cheaper alternative.
Any suggestions for this noob would be appreciated.
Replies
Do you plan to use a stain in refinishing these doors? If so, you must remove all the prior finish including the finish that is in the pores and has been absorbed into the wood. If you don't get all the prior finish off, any stain is very likely to color unevenly. Citrus type strippers generally will not do a complete job unless you go through the process multiple times.
The best chemical strippers are those that contain methylene chloride. They work the fastest and do the complete job generally in one application.
Strippers
Howie, thanks for your response. I think I'll probably repaint them, but will make that decision once I get at least one of them completely stripped so my wife and I can take a look at it upstairs in the light and see what it looks like next to the new floors, painted casing et al. As I said, the wood
I have not worked with methylene chloride before. Toxic, I imagine. Is it a gel or a liquid? Can it be applied on a vertical or near vertical surface? can it be covered while it works away on the paint.What about disposal and clean up? What does one use? Any suggestions for best practices apart from good ventilation, mask & gloves?
Thanks,
Charles
You say "scrubbing them to
You say "scrubbing them to remove the crud". It is immensely easier to use a dull putty knife to remove the sludge in strokes. It also doesn't push the paint further into the pores, as Howie has alluded to. Then later use coarse steel wool to pick up the softened paint.
Working vertically is always a challenge. Why not take them out and work easily.
MC comes in all kinds of liquid to watery to gel. You can put saran wrap (the real brand) over it to keep it moist on the paint to work. I would rather use MC and do fewer "passes" of paint removal. Clean up is with mineral spirits (you are probably just paying for MS with the CitriStripRemover). Using MS also does not raise the grain of the wood too much so not much sanding is required afterward.
ONE proviso is true with whatever you use. YOU MUST remove all vestiges of the remover or your finish will be compromised.
Remover
Hello Chasjo -
You have good advise above from Gretchen + Howie -
The only thing I can add is timing is important when to remove the MC.
Also for fine detail - I use a brass brush to scrub the MC with the old finish off the wood -
Regards,
SA
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