Paint removers, varnish removers and wax removers:

There are numerous techniques and products available commercially to remove paint, varnishes and waxes from surfaces such as floors, trim, doors and window frames, furniture and objects. 

Safety: Strippers are highly caustic, can cause sever chemical burns to skin and clothing and can quickly destroy a surface due to spilling, or spattering during brushing. Always wear protective gear over any exposed area of the body. Isolate area or object to be stripped and protect surrounding areas with newspaper or drop cloths. Always work in a well-ventilated area.

Liquid strippers and gel strippers:

Strippers commonly found in local paint and hardware supply stores.
Brush onto surface with a disposable brush, allow to surface to soften, then remove material with the edge of a scraper or razor blade. Repeat until surface is clear of paint, varnish or wax. Wipe surface with a clean rag. Always dispose of brushes, buckets and rags properly.

After stripping paint, varnish or wax from wood surfaces, a light sanding, always in the direction of the wood grain, may be required before proceeding to next step in the re-finishing process.

Stripping paper:

A paper that has a stripping agent on one side. Often used for areas that have suffered multiple coats of paint or varnish build up. Sometimes left on over night to soften surface, stripping paper make excellent work on metal objects, such as I-beams, furniture and railings. The used of paper strippers reduces clean up and mess. As for all stripping products, test in a non-visible area prior to use.

Heat gun:

A simple and effective, non-chemical approach to stripping. Best used for furniture and interior woodwork and trim. Latex paint succumbs easily to heat stripping. Oil based paints may also remove quickly, however, older homes and furniture with many layers of paint and varnish may be difficult to remove in this manner. 

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