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If you're refinishing a piece of furniture, one of the first questions you're likely to ask is:
Why can't I just sand the old finish off? Sometimes you can. But after more than 27 years of refinishing furniture for affluent clients, I've found that sanding and stripping are really two different tools for two different jobs. In many projects, I don't choose between stripping or sanding. I use both. The difference is when I use them. My Short & Sweet Answer: Strip First, Sand Second If I'm trying to expose the wood underneath an existing finish, I generally prefer to chemically remove the finish first and sand afterward as needed. Why? Because sanding is excellent at preparing wood. It's not always the best way to remove layers of paint or finish. Actually, it's almost NEVER the best way to do this. Trying to sand through paint, polyurethane, varnish, lacquer or other coatings can mean lots of sandpaper (expense), lots of dust (health hazard) and lots of time. More importantly, aggressive sanding can remove some of the wood underneath the finish, too. That's particularly important when you're working with veneer, detailed areas, edges and older furniture. So I tend to think about it this way: Stripping removes the finish. Sanding prepares the wood. There are exceptions, but that's a very useful rule of thumb. When Does Sanding Make Sense? If you're dealing with a relatively thin finish on a large, flat, solid-wood surface, sanding may be a perfectly reasonable way to remove it. Sanding is also extremely useful after stripping. Once the old coating has been removed and the surface is properly cleaned and dry, light sanding can help smooth the surface and prepare it for whatever you're doing next. A thorough and well-executed sanding also prepares the wood to receive the stain and finish in a uniform and long-lasting way. The mistake is assuming that because sandpaper can remove a finish, it is automatically the best tool for removing the entire finish. This is wrong and sometimes you're making your sander do a job that a stripper can do much more efficiently. Why Not Just Sand All the Finish Off? Imagine a tabletop covered in an old clear finish. You begin sanding. First, you're sanding the coating. Eventually, you reach bare wood. But the sander doesn't magically know when you've crossed that line. Keep sanding and you're now removing wood. On a thick solid-wood top, you may have plenty of room for error. On other surfaces, you may not. You can also end up spending a surprising amount of time changing clogged sandpaper, chasing finish out of corners and trying to reach profiles your orbital sander simply can't touch. And then there's the dust. Removing an entire coating mechanically can create a lot of it. That's why I generally don't think of sanding as my primary finish-removal tool. What About Veneer? This is where the distinction becomes especially important. A lot of furniture that looks like solid wood isn't solid wood throughout. It may have a thin layer of attractive wood veneer over another material such as solid wood, plywood, particle board, or MDF. That veneer may be much thinner than you realize ESPECIALLY on newer furniture. If you sand too aggressively, you can sand straight through it. That's a pain that I want to save you from, but it is a sort of rite of passage for all furniture refinishers. Once that happens, you can't simply sand a little more and make the veneer come back. That's one reason I prefer to remove as much of the existing finish as reasonably possible before I start aggressively sanding a veneered surface. That doesn't mean stripping veneer is risk-free, either. Old veneer can be loose, damaged or affected by moisture, and any stripping method needs to be appropriate for the particular piece. The goal is simply to avoid removing unnecessary wood while you're trying to remove the finish sitting on top of it. What About Detailed Furniture? This is another place where stripping can make a huge difference. Think about:
You can do it, but you may also reconsider every decision that led you to refinishing furniture. A chemical finish remover can soften or release coatings in areas that are difficult (or nearly impossible) to reach mechanically. You still have to remove the loosened finish and clean the surface properly, but you're not trying to force a power sander into places it wasn't designed to go. Does Stripping Mean I Don't Have to Sand? Not necessarily. This is another misconception I hear. Stripping and sanding aren't competing processes. They can complement each other. My basic process is: 1. Remove the old finish. 2. Clean the surface appropriately. 3. Let the wood dry and reach the condition needed for the next step. 4. Sand as necessary to prepare the surface. How much sanding you need afterward depends on the piece, the finish you're applying and what you're trying to accomplish. But now your sandpaper is primarily working on the wood, rather than spending most of its life fighting through layers of old coating. That's a much better use for it. What About Painted Furniture? Paint is where people are often tempted to reach immediately for a sander. And sometimes sanding is perfectly appropriate. But before you start creating paint dust, you should know what you're working with...especially with older furniture. Older painted surfaces may contain lead. If lead paint could be present, don't treat the project like an ordinary sanding job. Lead dust presents a serious health hazard, and appropriate lead-safe practices should be followed. When you're unsure about an older coating, identify what you're dealing with before aggressively sanding it. Is Furniture Stripping Dangerous? It can be. “Paint stripper” or “furniture stripper” describes a job, not one single chemical. Different stripping products can have very different ingredients, hazards, ventilation requirements, protective-equipment requirements and disposal instructions/regulations. That's why you should always read the product label and Safety Data Sheet for the specific product you're using. Don't assume that every stripper requires identical precautions. And don't assume that because something has little odor or smells like fruit, it has no safety requirements. Use the product according to its instructions. So Which Is Faster: Sanding or Stripping? There's no universal answer. It depends on:
A dresser with multiple layers of finish, veneer, moldings and detailed legs may be an entirely different story. Instead of asking: “Which is always faster?” I think the better question is: “Which process removes this finish while preserving as much of the original piece as possible?” That's usually how I approach the decision. My preference today is pretty simple: Let the finish remover do the finish-removal work. Then use sanding for what sanding does exceptionally well: preparing the wood. That philosophy is also a big part of why I developed the QCS Finish Removal System. I wanted finish removal to be simpler and less intimidating for people who don't want to attack a beautiful piece of furniture with a sander or deal with some of the traditional stripping products many of us grew up using that are toxic, flammable, and awful for our environment. QCS Finish Remover is designed to remove coatings so you can spend less time mechanically grinding through them and move on to the part that matters: bringing the piece back to life. Strip or Sand? My Rule of Thumb If you're still standing in front of your project wondering what to do, here's the simplest version: If your goal is removing a substantial existing finish, consider stripping first. If your goal is smoothing or preparing exposed wood, sanding is usually best approach. If you're working with veneer, details or edges, be especially careful about how much material you're removing. And remember: You don't have to join Team Stripper or Team Sander. A good refinisher knows when to use both and with time, you will become better and better at using both. Frequently Asked Questions: Should I strip furniture before sanding? Often, yes. If a substantial coating needs to be removed, stripping it first can allow you to use sanding primarily for surface preparation rather than grinding through the entire finish. Can I sand polyurethane off furniture? You can remove many polyurethane finishes mechanically, but whether sanding is the best method depends on the piece, the coating and the substrate. On detailed or veneered furniture, removing the finish first may help reduce unnecessary sanding. Can sanding damage veneer? Yes. Veneer can be thin, and aggressive sanding can cut through the decorative wood layer into the substrate underneath. Once you've sanded through veneer, the damage can be difficult to repair. Do I need to sand after using furniture stripper? Sometimes. Stripping removes the coating; sanding can then be used as needed to smooth and prepare the wood for the next finish. Can I strip painted furniture? Many painted furniture pieces can be chemically stripped, but you need to know what you're dealing with. Older coatings may contain lead and require additional precautions. What furniture stripper should I use? Choose a product based on the coating you're removing, the substrate you're working on, the product's safety information and the way you intend to work. I developed the QCS Finish Removal System and began Stripwell specifically to demystify furniture refinishing and finish removal. If you'd like to see how I use it, you can learn more about the QCS Finish Removal System and watch it being used on real furniture projects HERE. One Last Piece of Advice: Don't remove more of the furniture than you have to. Your goal isn't to punish the piece until the finish gives up. Your goal is to gently, effectively, safely, responsibly remove the coating while preserving the furniture underneath it. Strip the finish. Prepare the wood. Revive the piece. — Gary LeClerc Founder, Stripwell Professional Furniture Refinisher Since 1999
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