How to Strip Stain From Wood : Furniture Repair Tips

Subscribe Now:
kzbin.info_c...
Watch More:
/ ehowathomechannel
Stripping the stain from wood is something you might do during the restoration of a piece. Find out how to strip stain from wood with help from a 46-year-old master precision craftsman in this free video clip.
Expert: Todd Languell
Filmmaker: Todd Languell
Series Description: Repairing furniture can take an old, damaged piece and make it look as good as new again. Get tips that you can use when repairing the various pieces of furniture in your home with help from a 46-year-old master precision craftsman in this free video series.

[@emmafuentes23]

Omg!!! This is awesome!! This is the first video I've found that goes from dark paint to light wood!! Thank you!!

[@isaiah1ish]

As an amateur with woodworker, i typically feel overpowered with the entire arrangement kzbin.infoUgkxrYREG3-7f1Aqk9ams3ZESRNzGnfdUtyQ . Be that as it may, this arrangements drove me through with much clarity and effortlessness woodplans. Works i now work like a genius. That is great!

[@danielspartan7754]

Came for the info, stayed for the calming voice. Reminds me of Binky Barnes from Arthur

[@Thekymjackson01]

OMG totally agreed... I just wanted him to keep talking!

[@carpediem1620]

This dude's voice is what they should be using as the go-to option for narrated vids!

[@TeddyWalla]

"after you've neutralized the stripper..."

[@nikaiyang3757]

Hi Todd, Thanks for the tip I want to give an old dresser that my sister gave it to me a new look. I was browsing on KZbin and saw your show. You just saved my life and made it easier for me. I don't have to sand the whole dresser.

[@gretanettleton379]

This presentation was excellent. He answered fundamental questions I didn't even know I needed to ask. Also, well made technically and efficient use of viewer's time.

[@Irwhodunit]

A hint for those of you considering an oil-based polyurethane. It looks great in the beginning, but over time it will turn yellow, unless it is exposed to light around the clock. A water based poly will not yellow. Also, read the label clearly when selecting a stripper. Some require breathing equipment, others do not. Use gloves and eye protection.

[@bijukalpesh]

Which stripping agent is a good one?

[@williamavongaurd7794]

How about working in the garage with the fans circulating air? I can’t stand using a respirator not to mention my beard doesn’t make a proper seal.

[@Kelly-lo6cz]

You're correct, but it's more than over time. It will usually change it to a yellow tone right away and it will ruin the true tone of the piece.

[@ameliarose727]

Excellent tutorial. You explained everything so well and so clearly. Thank you so much for making this video, it was very helpful.

[@AmeliaRawsome]

agreed!

[@theprinterlady]

That was an extremely helpful video. I need to strip a bathroom vanity and wish to change the color of the stain, and was worried it would be too big a project - this made it look and seem within my abilities. Thank you!

[@LisaMarieShanley]

I love this guy's voice. So much help... thanks!

[@allisonhood4750]

This was by far one of the most helpful videos I have watched about stripping wood on KZbin.

[@okthen8329]

allison hood I do agree I watched about 5 before this ..this was by far the most simple one yet

[@harpalkaur2659]

@Tanyrea Ward yes I want to know aswell

[@sibasiba8611]

Agreed

[@lilyg8998]

Fusuyuf g

[@lilyg8998]

Fusuyuf gd

[@tammygood7066]

i salvaged a tallboy maple dresser a while back and am looking forward to refinishing it and was going to sand the old finish, your vid has changed my mind.thanks.

[@andrecrabtree9351]

This video gave me the courage to take on a solid wood table I bought. With your tips, it turned out perfect. ;)

[@elisabettarenwick6269]

Thank you Todd for an outstanding tutorial. I really appreciated how you patiently explained each step - what to do / how to do it and importantly, what not to do. I am currently restoring an old stained wooden chair and after watching your video I am feeling full of hope and confidence that I will be able to strip the stain completely off the chair and without losing any of the lovely profile pieces on it. Keep up the excellent teaching. Thank you again - Elizabeth, New Zealand.

[@batman1169]

Can you update how to turn out? This comment is 6 years old. Covid lockdown got me here. Hopefully you're not too locked up in New Zealand.

[@mike48632]

That is an awesome idea I am going to restore an old farm table and really didn't want to do anymore damage to it than what time has done , you have a new subscriber here keep up the great work .

[@heavysystemsinc.]

I recommend a plastic scraper with an edge. It's soft enough to not worry too much about technique when removing the stripper. I used it on my recent project and even though I was applying quite a bit of pressure, the wood never felt it.

[@EarthtonesCymbals]

I think that that is an excellent approach too. Definitely do not want to damage the wood in any way. Cheers!

[@brookearabo4499]

Thank you so much. Very helpful. Bought a coffee table yesterday that needs some TLC and this video helped me figure out how to remove the finish. Happy New Year!

[@thkn1]

Thank you. I learned a lot. You are a good teacher.

[@amandairwin8493]

One of the most straight to the point, helpful videos on furniture restoration. And love the Todd!

[@bryancooker6399]

Hello, how are you doing, hope your staying safe?

[@MsTainteddove]

Easiest video to understand for me, gave me courage to finally strip my bedroom furniture, thank you!

[@ginnywoodhouse6350]

I agree! You explain everything so clearly and make it seem easy to do. Thanks!

[@mitmaks]

Nice video. I'm trying to refinish an older coffee table I have. This definitely helps!

[@paulconger2989]

I just got two oak end tables from my parents that i want to refinish so that was very helpful and well done

[@azarrari]

Thanks. People are so kind to make these videos to help us all.

[@TravisNeidert]

I just watched 5 videos on this topic and this is by far the most helpful and professional produced one.

[@breeannaslater9372]

Has numerous details in this woodwork book t.co/oLg9l5gL3F . The book also displays several designs and descriptions on the materials used for various woodworking processes and also the guidelines on completing various procedures appropriately. In other words, I`m happy using this book, especially in the process of learning about wood working.?

[@runbabyrun05]

I wish I had seen this earlier. I'm planning on restaining a vintage dresser because I'm not really loving the finish I gave it after it took me FOREVER to remove the original stain with just sand paper a while back because of the intricate details in the wood. This video was great and will definitely save me time on my next projects!

[@bronwenbaker4113]

So glad I found this! I need to update and lighten my 80's kitchen oak cabinets. Everyone tells me to paint them but I love the timber - just need a lighter stain. Now I know where to start, thank you!

[@jjk4891]

Wonder how it worked out for you. I am in that exact same boat

[@TThomas1274]

OMG!!!! Best video tutorial from ANY tutorial I've ever looked at on KZbin. Your voice is sooooooooooooooo soothing. Your my bestfriend in my head. 😊Excellent video ❤

[@805emerica]

He has the voice of an angel so gentle and soft :)

[@christina9207]

Great video. The instruction about using the stripper and sanding made more sense than just sanding off the finish as I was concerned with damaging the wood. Thanks.

[@bryancooker6399]

Hello, how are you doing, hope your staying safe?

[@nickeydrosinis2485]

Your method is the easiest way and the best results

[@haven_from_me]

You answered all my questions that I couldn't find elsewhere. Thank you!

[@mmmoroi]

Thanks for your superbly organized presentation with articulate and clearly-pronounced English.

[@ljmpublishingllc3312]

I'm just getting started on stripping a dining room table and this video was VERY informative and helpful. Thank you so much for explaining each step so well .

[@anicesuprise1459]

Hey,three years later lol how did it go?? I'm off to the Charity shop to do this with a table I've seen x

[@smorodinkaja6871]

@@anicesuprise1459 i am doing dinner table too. Was wondering will 1 quart of that stripper enough? Id apprwciate if you know it

[@rachellespen]

This was very informative. Thank you!

[@bobbiedzarate]

Great video! Very informative, key side notes without the distracting chatter. Thank you so much😊

[@salinemcguire4656]

This looks like the best smooth and clean way to strip. Wow. No machine. Thanks. You're the best

[@kellylawson4569]

I stripped the top of a table today because this video was so informative. Thanks! It worked like a charm and, though I don't have the finesse that you have, I got the job done without any problems.

[@team14]

Be careful when stripping on top of a table... you could fall.

[@lifesfordeath]

Thank you! It's awesome to see a master performing his craft, kudos to you and your ability to explain step by step the proper way to do this...thank you!!

[@guybowman8389]

I didn`t intend to utilize this woodworking website, t.co/SGIXIPXR0z but rather curious about it. I was truly impressed after trying it. I was looking to find out more about the art of woodworking, and was not dissatisfied. I found several topics such as wood types and designing your workshop.

[@lostjunglist8704]

Thank God for this video. I sure needed it to finish my project.

[@BrannonFamilyAdventures]

I either need to restain my current table or a beautiful one my mom wants to give me … this video made it seem doable! And not as intimidating. What a great help!

[@LoganSmith]

I've been wanting to stain a table, coffee table and end tables to match. Thanks for the tips!

[@TheGeorge980]

I love this tutorial, showed how to fix a table and neutralize a stripper in the same video.

[@valeriya105]

Excellent video thank you! I watched way too many DIYers that do steps completely different, and even though I am not experienced, it didn't make any sense and seemed like it was going to cause damage. Thank you and hats off to you sir

[@omarcruz2029]

This was seriously helpful and will refer back to this when I do my table next weekend! Thanks!

[@marie-joelleraussou]

Great tutorial! The best one I have seen so far! I have been sanding one table. I have been stripping another, but the staining was not completely done, I sanded and the sanding paper was clogged down. So now, I know, I have to wait! Not a great fan of srtripping products, but the reasons to use it make perfecr sense. Thanks!

[@bryancooker6399]

Hello, how are you doing, hope your staying safe?

[@naturallytimberfurniture3050]

A lot of our clients are scared of even the smallest DIY repairs. But there is so much value in old furniture that it is a shame to throw it away if it has a few minor imperfections which can be corrected quickly. The techniques demonstrated here are amazing, and can really helped repair old, damaged pieces.

[@watchthetoob]

Agreed and I've noticed you can't get quality wood in "newer furniture." Unless it's custom made, not around my area anyways. I just bought an old dresser that was made around the 1980s and I can tell you it's thick and durable, not made from particle board (or similar material) which many stores sell now a days. :/

[@ghostbusterz]

@@watchthetoob In other words everything is cheap Chinese shit now.

[@wayne7096]

Great explanation. I'm about to renovate an old bed and did test sand an area to see if the wood was light enough to bother doing it. I've used strippers but 30 years ago when the kids were young. So glad I found your excellent video. Better job in far less time. Cheers.

[@micdrop-jh3pf]

Excellent demonstration. The dude is great at explaining the process. Thank you!

[@marylynnconta7558]

That was the information I was definately looking for. I started stripping my old cabinets that had varnish from the original build from at least the 60's. I used a stripping solution, but it was so messy and I was going thru so much sandpaper I was getting discouraged. I felt using the stripper was just a pain and was going to give up, but the way you explained it made so much sense I'm looking forward to finishing the rest of the of the cabinets. Thank you

[@ah5721]

What kind of stripper did you use? Acetone? Denatured alcohol?

[@bryancooker6399]

Hello,Mary Lynn Conta how are you doing, hope your staying safe?

[@robinhall6865]

Thank you so much for that! You answered my question at the end of your video as to why it's better to strip stain first before sanding rather than just jumping straight to sanding!

[@nataliyaalexander3340]

I was thinking the the same thing , why not just sand it ... after reading your comment- I finished this video . Got the answer. And still I think I am am just going slightly sand the top of table I got for $25 - I safe lots of time and don’t need to buy and use the extra chemicals... this is my thought but I could be wrong . I just do not see how can sanding take off too much if you just go light ... Any comments are welcome! I am just learning here too

[@VentesimoNovembre]

What was the reason? Maybe i wasnt listening as well as I should have...was it so you didnt mess up the edges and lose the profile?

[@VentesimoNovembre]

Or gunk up lots of sand paper?

[@bryancooker6399]

@@nataliyaalexander3340 Hello, how are you doing, hope your staying safe?

[@pandabearpup5837]

Thank you for making this video. Its nice to see the different options when it comes to stripping furniture.

[@brucethailing8839]

Thanks for posting this. Very clear and patient demonstration.

[@michaelgreenley1174]

Will this technique work on a veneer top? Or would it be better to use a denatured alcohol? Thanks for the vid, very helpful!

[@islandblind]

I like to use a plastic scraper, of the kind marketed for use with autobody filler to remove the stripper. There's virtually no chance of scratching the wood with one of those. In my experience, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner or acetone are better than water for rinsing the wood after stripping. These solvents don't raise the grain like water does and they will help to dissolve any finish residue that you, or your stripper, may have missed.

[@EarthtonesCymbals]

Seems accurate. Cheers!

[@blueeyes1084]

This video was SO helpful! I am refinishing an Ethan Allen buffet using the tips provided.

[@cartoonman202]

Fantastic demonstration! I wish I had seen this 4 days ago BEFORE starting my project. I have just spent 4 days sanding and getting nowhere fast! I really hope I can fix my mess to an acceptable standard.😢

[@staceylaing4814]

Awesome video! I'm trading in my furniture from my 20s for some gorgeous old solid thrift store finds! I'm so excited to see the results you can get with a little elbow grease. I paid $100 for 6 pieces. At pottery barn pieces of similar design were almost $1000 each!

[@VentesimoNovembre]

Good job! So satisfying!

[@mmittr1]

Which product did you use ?

[@christybrockett4600]

In the other videos I watched they used an orbital sander. I don’t have one of those so I am really glad I found your video. Thank you!

[@torihensen2275]

Thank you, Todd! Great video and very helpful for my next project

[@LadyCove]

What stripper did you use? I missed that part. Thank You! 🖤

[@faithfulcountrygirl]

Amazing tutorial Todd! You're an excellent teacher and your tips were gold! Would you mind sharing which brand of wood stripper you used? Thank you so much!

[@dointimenj]

At the 3:12 minute mark, the can he pours from says ZAR stripper.

[@lisaiedema2746]

THANK YOU SO MUCH for this! I was happy to find it and the water worked like a charm for my current project. I was so relieved I didn't have to buy yet another product.

[@bryancooker6399]

Hello, how are you doing, hope your staying safe?

[@gabrielaorellana5489]

He explains so simple and slow. It gives you the opportunity to really understand the process. Also his voice gave me a peace feeling 🙂

[@toddlanguell9505]

Thanks

[@MEB-1997]

This is so helpful. My grandmother has antiques from her parents and grandparents times and I want to keep them (I'm moving in to help care for her) but they are so big and the dark stain on them really clutters her little house. I think if we strip the stain off some of the pieces it would go a long way to updating her house and making it look brighter inside.

[@nesman1927]

PLEASE DONT! If the antiques are as old as you say they are stripping the stain will ruin the petina and make them essentially worthless from a historical and collectors standpoint. It has managed to survive generations of use so far unaltered and altering them now to keep up with current design trends would almost be criminal. Please please PLEASE don’t do it :(

[@PlayBoye86]

Damn - This was an really awesome yt video. Professionel and well explained. Good job sir!

[@SpiritBear12]

Surprising since it's from eHow which is usually a joke and I avoid at all costs.

[@MargaretABartley]

I've found eHow to be useful sometimes.

[@kevindobs8834]

I am the one who shot and edited this video glad you liked it. We made several more about different topics regarding furniture repair.

[@janetbowman4221]

Excellent thanks!

[@yeshepalmo6772]

I really appreciate your tutorial. Thanks for taking the time to make it.

[@lisawyatt6331]

wish i had watched BEFORE starting my project...thank you Todd

[@potaylo]

Any tips on striping detailed non-flat areas. I am trying to do kitchen cabinets doors with Router type details. Arched router ed panels I think is called a panel door with router ed detail.

[@adamhelmen5842]

Use steel wool.

[@tmmlis002]

I like the way he keeps saying there's a couple of ways to neutralise the stripper

[@GinaLynnGuesby]

This is very helpful! Thanks! I'm about to do my first table!

[@bill43520]

Great tutorial! I have an old china closet of my parents that has been stained with maple and then with walnut - and it was originally blonde wood of some sort. You have given me confidence that I can lighten this piece back to something less dark! Thanks for the help.

[@EmilyStraw]

Thank you! This was very helpful.

[@pattonnelson4432]

This woodworking book is really detailed, *TopFineWoodworking. Com* ! With the aid of this plan, I was able to use words, drawings, real images and different diagrams. It is really an informative product. I am presently making furniture together with my brother and thanks to this product, I feel like helping him is possible.?

[@bryancooker6399]

Hello, how are you doing, hope your staying safe?

[@Bionic_man09]

@DeepEndSounds the reason that I am so against using water is because it causes the piece to warp faster overtime and it weakens the glue joints faster. I've found that using lacquer thinner works best with no side effects. A good rinse of lacquer thinner after stripping also helps to dry the piece faster and gives an excellent surface to sand. My company does refinishing on a highly professional level for over 30 years and this is what we've found to work best.

[@jesh879]

Very helpful! Thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@coderedcamaro4812]

Great video!!! Thank you so much. Just what I was looking for!!

[@databang]

Thanks for uploading, very informative and well paced while providing tangential options for consideration.

[@simoncheung8616]

I really should have watched something like this before attempting to sand my table without stripping the varnish

[@akf367]

Excellent How-To video. Am planning on refinishing a 2" pine dining table top. Do to the size, would I be ok using an orbital sander for the sanding process or would you recommend using sandpaper as you did?

[@jeffreymiller4984]

akf you can use an orbital , jus make sure not to sand thru the veneer. 150/180 sandpaper at the lowest if it's not too rough after stripped

[@davinehill3448]

Very helpful!! I’m thinking of refinishing my kitchen table and KZbin was the first place to start!! Btw - I love your voice ... very soothing 🥰

[@florencecyr8064]

I watched this video because I needed to refresh my memory I haven't done this since I was 15 years old and I'm 55 many many moons ago but now I'm ready to do my TV stand thank you for the refreshing course

[@CheeChai]

Omg I've been sanding for 2 days....

[@brutalxbritt]

I spent $50 on an electric sander... I don't even need it!! Home Depot sucks!!!

[@ccatdaddy64]

Depending how gorged the wood is, you might be using a too high of a grit. If the scratches, nicks ect or deep , real deep like that of rough cut wood, you would start with 60 or 80. More likely, you probable did 120 or 180, then go to a 220. If somehow, you happened to get 330 or higher, it will take forever and not really ever level down. There is plenty of info on the net about sanding. Do not read or watch one. Every time you do a project will get faster. always rub you (clean) finger across your work. The reason is in time, you be able to "feel" when its time to go to a higher grit and learn more info from feeling rather than looking. You can feel what your eyes cant always see.

[@petrolpancakes2946]

SAME! It seriously took me 2 days to sand off finish from butcher block countertops. I restained them too dark if a brown. Now I have to sand this all off.

[@frameriteairdrie578]

You should try stripping!

[@LCARRASCOS]

Well that's our story too untill we found this great video

[@triciaalcindor6380]

Hi Todd. What product did you use to remove the stain? Also, what the stain water based or oil based?

[@sccemo]

Was hoping he responded with the product he used. 😢

[@kateturner8169]

Thanks for this! I plan to strip a coffee table my family has had since I was young to match my own home, this will make the process much easier

[@apex0703]

Great video. Calming and straight to the point.

[@jackierostow9537]

I'm so glad I found you - your videos are great. I attempted to strip a table thinking that I could just sand it down. Huge mistake. I switched to stripper. As the layers of paint and an orange stain came off, I discovered that the table top is likely veneer, not solid wood. It also has an inlaid black decoration line going all the way around it - which had been painted over. I want to keep that line even though I am painting (not staining) the table. I have 2 problems and have stopped working on it until I can get some advice. 1. As I wipe off the top with mineral spirits, the wood seems a little frayed. Will a 400 sanding sponge smooth that out? Also, it still has a faint bit of paint in a few places on the table top. What should I do about that? It's not raised. What do you suggest? HELP! I love this table.

[@bryancooker6399]

Hello, how are you doing, hope your staying safe?

[@48sufi]

So I fast forwarded the video and every time i pushed play it came on when he says the word "stripper" my wife comes in and says what re you watching?????

[@nanateali1038]

good morning dear, am starting on my project today, and your video is one of the best and helpful video about striping a wooden furniture. thank you dear

[@maequicho]

Thank you for that very important information on stripping woods. A lot of videos just show they start sanding it off and not much explanation to it either. Thanks again.

[@rjahsir]

Does this work with tables that have a layer of polyurethane over the stain

[@vladimirenev1847]

"I like to catch the stripper underneath the table" Phrasing

[@ConfusedBass]

Glad I'm not the only dirty mind in here.

[@Trd2020]

Lol

[@richardkirk5098]

😂😂

[@Diabloshell]

Glad phrasing has stuck around

[@DrMattiLabbratt]

Naughty boys 🤣

[@elisabethsookoo3475]

Super helpful! Thanks for taking the time to share!

[@AR-nl2bp]

This was so satisfying to watch lol. Your voice is so soothing.

[@ValerieDison]

next time can you list the products you used in the description box down below

[@comfortosei3578]

What stripper did you used

[@matthewthorpe9641]

Comfort Osei i used a stripper named candy. I just paid her to do it

[@hanfaltu]

@@matthewthorpe9641 HAHAHAHA!!!

[@angelarogerson6861]

@@comfortosei3578 The can says ZAR and it's a paste stripper

[@kate1229]

All strippers work the same. That sounds rlly weird but you know what I'm talking about

[@Nirrrina]

Thank you. I thought I had everything to remake a pair of stools I just bought but nope. I need steel wool apparently.

[@alhenriq]

Why didn’t I see this video before!?! I had to remove a dark stain and spent hours sanding it away deforming my surface. Great video!

[@justineayala6736]

What a great way you explained stripping the table Thank you!

[@Jessesgirl0307]

Do you have to restain or can you paint the pieces? I'm looking to paint some old end tables that are a dark cherry color to chalk paint an antique white or just white. Also what is your advice for stripping layers of paint of old wood dressers? What do you think is the best paint stripper? Thank you in advance for your help and advice. Have a great day

[@vipremovalistssydney8201]

Yes.

[@Jessesgirl0307]

Yes to? Not understanding which part you're saying yes to.

[@ynottonyfaris]

As I understand it, one of the benefits of using chalk paint such as Annie Sloan's is that you can apply it over the top of the old finish. You obviously still need to remove dirt and perhaps sand down any rough areas. This type of paint is very forgiving and I have used it several times with success in the way I have described. There are lots of videos on here showing how to do it.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

You can apply ANY suitable paint over an existing finish as long as the surface is clean and you apply the correct primer coat first.

[@Iamalwaysme-lw5cp]

Hi , I am a pure beginner painter and have two question : 1. Cant I just paint the wooden piece directly without stripping the stain ? 2. Will a sanding machine do the job of removing the stain ? thank u

[@rubencarmona2225]

Thank you. Saved me a lot of work and money.

[@jamiekirk2209]

This was great.. I been going at it the wrong way. I tried this method just now and it worked like a dream. Just tips and advise!