How to Strip a Table

Stripping a table can restore its natural beauty, especially if there is a nice wood table hidden under a layer of paint or stain. Stripping a table will require you to remove the table top from the legs, as the chemicals used in stripping will corrode any adhesives used to connect them. While decoratively carved table legs may be a little difficult to deal with, a table is still a simple stripping job. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Take the table top off the legs or pedestal, removing any hardware with a screwdriver. Set the table top and legs or pedestal onto a work surface covered with drop cloths or cardboard.

2

Put on safety goggles, a face mask and gloves and apply a thick coat of the stripper on the table top with a natural-bristled paintbrush. Cover the entire table top with a heavy, even coat of the stripper. The stripper will dissolve synthetic bristles, so a natural-bristled brush is a must. Leave for 10 to 30 minutes or until you notice the finish on the table top begin to bubble and come apart from the wood.

3

Test a corner of the table to ensure that the bond of the finish has come away from the wood by scraping with a metal scraper; if it comes off easily, the stripper has been effective.

4

Remove the finish on the table top with the scraper on flat surfaces and a natural-bristled paintbrush on which the bristles have been cut short on curved surfaces, being careful not to damage the wood in the process. Use an abrasive pad to remove the finish in grooves or on the edges of the table top.

5

Dip a new abrasive pad into lacquer thinner and rub it over the table, ensuring the thinner coats the whole table. This will help remove the remaining finish as well as the stripper from the table top. Inspect the table top for any shiny patches, which indicate a portion of finish that was not stripped. Reapply a small amount of stripper to these areas and wait for it to bubble or warp and remove with the cut-off paintbrush.

6

Dip a lint-free cloth into the thinner and rub over the table top one last time to remove any residue. Repeat the entire application on the table legs or pedestal, paying particular attention to any creases or grooves in the leg or pedestal design to ensure that all the finish is stripped from these areas. Leave the table to dry for at least 24 hours before refinishing or reassembling the newly stripped table.