Good Stripper

[Dan M / Barrie [OP]]

Looking for some first hand experience with strippers..Have a kitchen table top to re do..got the word from the wife..lol...hate refinishing as much as landscaping.
Anyways, years ago I used a product called CitriStrip..It was a gell which smelled like oranges when you applied it.
I can't find the product anywhere here in Barrie or surrounding area, and have never had much luck with Circa 1850.
Can anyone advise as to what they used and their likes or dislikes with the product.
Dan

[Egon]

Howard’s restore a stripper could be considered. It comes in different tints.

https://www.howardproducts.com/product/restor-a-finish/

[Paul O in Paris]

have never had much luck with Circa 1850.
Can anyone advise as to what they used and their likes or dislikes with the product.

Dan, I'm a little surprised by your comment on Circa 1850, as I have found it to be pretty effective for a readily available product. Not wishing to come across as a smart*ss but I use a commercial grade stripper (which is not available to the general public) but is made by the same company (Swing) that makes Circa 1850.

In my experience the effectiveness of a stripper depends on the type of finish that is being removed, how clean the surface is and if the stripper can penetrate to attack the bond between finish layers and substrate.

Basically old style finishes like shellac or nitrocellulose lacquer could simply be dissolved with the appropriate solvent, but present day solvent, oil based or waterbased finishes need to have that bond broken. I have found the most effective way to proceed is to clean the surface with mineral spirits, scuff with 80 grit so there are some fairly deep scratches in the finish, slather on the stripper and wait for it to do it's thing. If it dries out in some patches, apply more stripper to these areas. I have covered more stubborn pieces with a layer of plastic or old towels so the surface doesn't dry out. You will know it's working if you see a line of blisters/bubbles following the sanding scratches. When the whole surface has erupted into something that looks like cheese that has been under the broiler just a tad too long, you should be able to just lift/push it off with a metal paint scraper. I neutralize any remaining stripper by wiping with lacquer thinners, let dry then light passes with150 grit in a ROS and you're done.

Hope that helps
Paul

[Jim DaddyO]

Brandi-Dawn was a good stripper, except for the glitter.

Oh wait....nevermind.

[billsm]

Brandi-Dawn was a good stripper, except for the glitter.

Oh wait....nevermind.

It was only a matter of time , lasted longer than I thought it would until it took a turn down the old stripper pole.

Bill

[smallerstick]

I have always been a fan of the methylene chloride based products. Some are gelled to help them hold on vertical surfaces but all are most effective IMO. Circa 1850 falls into that category, I believe.

[billh]

I have always been a fan of the methylene chloride based products. Some are gelled to help them hold on vertical surfaces but all are most effective IMO. Circa 1850 falls into that category, I believe.

Even though it works very well, I believe methylene chloride consumer products are no longer available because the chemical is very dangerous and can cause heart attacks due to depressing the nervous system or some such reason. May still be available for commercial operations.
billh

[smallerstick]

Even though it works very well, I believe methylene chloride consumer products are no longer available because the chemical is very dangerous and can cause heart attacks due to depressing the nervous system or some such reason. May still be available for commercial operations.
billh

While it is classed as toxic and some retailers have removed it from sale (Canadian Tire), it is still available to consumers in the US and Canada. I purchased some at the local Home Hardware just a few months ago.
It should be used with appropriate caution.

[Dan M / Barrie [OP]]

Thanks guys for the insight, Paul , that was a very thorough writeup and I will defenately take your input into consideration....Thanks to all!!
Dan

[Paul O in Paris]

You're welcome Dan, just passing along things I've learned since starting my refinishing business 20 yr ago. You let the stripper do the work.
And I'm sure that could easily apply to the other kind of stripper already mentioned, but I'm not going there

[Jacques Gagnon]

You're welcome Dan, just passing along things I've learned since starting my refinishing business 20 yr ago. You let the stripper do the work.
And I'm sure that could easily apply to the other kind of stripper already mentioned, but I'm not going there

...valuable info. Surely because you stuck to facts, "bare" facts

[phil]

you havent' said what you are stripping. usually I use a heat gun and a putty knife on paint.
on a tabletop I might use a cabinet scraper ( carefully) before resorting to paint stripper but it depends on the finish that's there. what's underneath veneer? solid wood ? see if alcohol takes it of, if not try lacquer thinners. if that wont work it might be polyurathane , maybe water based poly. if so the trick described above with plastic and stripper might be worth a try. or you can sand it off, but if it's thin veneer going right through can be an issue too.