How To Remove Polyurethane Finish From Wood Floors

Apply the solvent with a rag to loosen the shellac lacquer from the wood surface then lightly scrape the residual finish with a plastic putty knife.

How to remove polyurethane finish from wood floors.

See below for a shopping list and t. Scrape the area with a plastic scraper or plastic putty knife. Oil based urethanes boost the wood s natural color. There is no need to wait or to let the solvent settle.

Allow the stripper to soak into the polyurethane finish for a few minutes then take a metal scraper and run it along the wood floor. Boil 4 cups of water and remove it from the stove. Mix with a wooden stir stick scraping into the mixture any lacquer from the base and sides of the can. The mix will serve as your polyurethane stripper strong enough to remove the finish but unable to penetrate the wood and disturb the stain if quickly removed.

How to remove polyurethane from wood without chemicals step 1. Wash the polyurethane with a solvent. This old house general contractor tom silva shows the proper and safe way to remove an old finish from a hardwood floor. Using a plastic decreases the chances of damaging the underlying wood.

This should effectively remove the polyurethane finish from the wood. Advertisement remove varnish with chemical. Pour equal parts of lacquer thinner and denatured alcohol into a small empty paint can. Create your varnish removal mixture.

Mix together 1 2 cup cold water and 1 cup cornstarch until it creates a thick paste. Use a paper towel to apply this to wood. Discard the paper towels well. This because the urethanes are composed of fewer solids and for those that seal wood floors with water based polyurethane they will need to repeat the process at least every 2 years.

This will clean up the end of the polyurethane and remove the paint stripper. You just have to wipe it on and the rest of the polyurethane will just stick to the towel. If some of the applied stripper remains in place repeat the application steps let sit then use the scraper to remove the remnants.