Removing Varnish

[PaulH]

I recently acquired an old Church pew that was being taken out to make room for some minor renovations. There is quite a bit of timber that can be reused but it has been varnished down through the years.

What is the best way to remove this varnish and get down to the bare wood? Will using a plane simply destroy the blade and/or sole of the plane?

Thanks,
Paul.

 

[MrJay]

A heat gun and a scraper will do the job. Wouldn't like to say whether it's the 'best way' though.

They're not expensive and will last as long as you want them too. A bit like ironing, don't hold the heat gun over the same spot for too long or it will start to burn things; waft it gently back and forward over a patch of varnish until it starts to lift or bubble, then run the scraper over it and watch the varnish fall off.

 

[Anonymous]

Personally, I'd break it up into planks, making sure to remove ALL nails and screws.

I'd then put the wood through the thicknesser until happy with it's appearance.

If I didn't have a thicknesser I guess I'd strip the wood with Nitromors and then plane it by hand...






...nah, I'd buy a thicknesser!

Cheers
Brad

 

[woodbloke]

The ideal hand tool to do this is a scrub plane which takes of a narrow but deep shaving.. though I would probably use Nitrimoors to take off most of the varnish first. If you put it straight through a P/T the blades will need to be sharpened after a very short time....'specially if you hit some hidden ironwork - Rob

 

[Anonymous]

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[PaulH]

Thanks for all the above advice.

Paul.

 

[brianhabby]

definitely wouldn't plane it, by hand or machine. You would loose all the patina

regards

Brian

 

[Nick W]

You could use a scraper of some sort, No. 80 or a scraper plane p'raps.

 

[Colin C]

You could use a scraper of some sort, No. 80 or a scraper plane p'raps.

I would do the same but if you dont have one of the above and dont want to get one :shock: :wink:

You can use an old plane iron that has just come off the grinder

Ps Make the blade a little curved if you do use the plane blade