apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

this is a cool piece! but sorry i don't know much about stripping.

The best way is to have it dipped. Otherwise it's not worth it on a piece like that as the chemicals are harsh and the work tedious. Paint it a dark color if you want it a dark color.

Congratulations on re-using furniture--very GREEN.

Be careful about stripping. Unless it made of very good wood sometimes strippers can destroy the whole thing. You might just want to lightly sand, use a primer and then refinish.

well atleast they didn't paint the details on the doors, right?? you could strip that. it's all flat surfaces, not much little nooks'n'crannies to go crazy over. still - painstaking, timeconsuming, but enjoyable nonetheless! i like stripping! ;)

Congrats! That is a great find. Very cool piece. What a stupid paint job! I've seen this stripping chemical advertised on television. Has anyone tried that?

There are a variety of stripping products (some less toxic than others) that you just brush on, wait for the stripper to loosen the paint, and scrape the whole mess off. It's usually a highly messy and stinky process though, and if your paint is thick, it will probably require several applications.

I agree with sharptack.t in that you should test an inconspicuous spot first to make sure you even want to bother. But after you've stripped, lightly sand everything and then decide how you want to finish it. It's hard to know which route to go before you've seen the wood.

Maybe I have no taste but I think it looks great as is.

that stripping stuff from tv actually works, but like shartack says, it absolutely has to be made out of dark wood. have you considered just distressing it a bit so it's not bright white?

if the wood peaks through it will tone the whole look down a bit.

if you hate it, then just go ahead and finish stripping the whole darn thing.

i mean "good" wood, not dark wood.

I like it as-is.

I agree with design milk. I also like it the way it is.

I have stripped furniture before. As Mr. Green says (see someone else agreed with him today:-) it is indeed tedious work. It is not for the faint hearted. But if you are a patient person and think that after all the hard work your own feelings would be gratified, then you should go for it. Can you imagine this as a finished product with your work and sweat invested on it? EVERYTHING that you would use to strip is a harsh chemical - so that is another decision you have to make.
So if you feel you are still up for the job, I can give you step by step guidance on how to avoid mistakes - I have made a few during the years that I have restored found or bought flee market furniture.

I LOVE it the way it is too - up against a deep blue/gray wall, this would be a beautiful architectural piece. And instead of breaking it apart, I would be inclined to take the top piece and off-set it from center - so interesting!

I want it!

The chemicals used for stripping... GREEN?

Also, sometimes you'll find an amalgamation of various types of woods once the paint is gone... very often why pieces were painted to begin with.

It is so beautiful! As is!

Great piece. I'm surprised I actually like it the way it is too. Would love to see it used in your place. Did you try to place it in its new locations before painting it? You might be surprised.

I have stripped pieces before and it is an awful job.

Mr. Green - what is dipping? Where do you get it done?

I would love to see an after post.

I think it is super cute--good find. That said, I like it just the way it is. I don't think it would be as special if it wasn't painted.

My one and only DIY was using a paint-on chemical stripper on a cheap painted end table I found at a yard sale. It worked perfectly - I don't think it was good wood either. Most of the paint just peeled right off with a little push from a spackle knife. I would buy a small can and test it on a not-so-noticeable spot. I found it to be really easy and fast, way easier than sanding and repainting. I used a slightly tinted paint-on type varnish after and it came out pretty good.

I vote for keeping it as-is, but maybe adding something decorative on those door panels...? I think the two separate pieces would be great in the same room, but together they're a little overwhelming.

P2- I think Mr. Green meant that salvaging/re-purposing furniture is green (as opposed to buying new), not so much using the stripping chemicals. Just playing devil's advocate...

Nice piece- it's quite interesting, definitely worth putting some effort into. You may want to type "eco friendly paint stripper" or some such phrase into a search engine to see if you can find something a little less harsh than conventional ones.

It's unclear what's going on; it KIND of looks like the wood-colored stuff might be the wallpaper, but then there are what look like metal grate things, too. Or is THAT wallpaper?

Anyway... once you remove the wallpaper, I would probably not strip it, unless you think it's going to get a lot of being touched, and wear-and-tear.

Here's white I did to something kind of old, which is just a suggestion:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/artycurtis/sets/72057594097309896/

Otherwise, do strip it; but do keep in mind what P2 said, which is the amalgam of different kinds of wood you might encounter. In fact, you MIGHT find that some of it is chipboard, and if so, it might not do well with being stripped; like it might disintegrate.

Judging from the description of the piece, it sounds like with the paint on thick, it may well have been painted by someone doing a decorating project of some sort. In this case, stripping it down may be a good thing, especially if brush strokes are legion.

Secondly, it looks like inlays of various woods, as from what I can see in the photo, the doors have a diamond pattern in a darker wood than the surrounding area and also, judging by the shape of the piece, it may well be at least partially solid wood and of a decent piece when manufactured so may well be worth stripping down to bare wood, sand and refinish. I'd stay something similar to what you see in the center of the doors to bring out grain detail and keep it in a medium to semi darkish color.

In any event, if you really want to strip, it will be messy but in the end, it may well be worth the effort.

I used Peel Away paint stripper after learning about it here at AT (08-14-06). The product worked like a charm and I did not destroy my lungs or skin using it. It is a product I would use again.

On second thought, it almost looks like a stereo cabinet with a bookcase stuck on top but may well have been made this way but what makes it look like what I just mentioned are the doors on the ends have what looks like grates/grills or some such as compared to the doors in the middle.

If any of you folks don't know about paint stripping and the materials and work involved, it'd be better if you said nothing at all.
MrGreen: Shame on you. You do NOT know what you're talking about. Period.

Refer to my blog for info: http://materialicio.us/tag/paint_stripping

I've been stripping furniture since I was a kid, 30 years now. Soy-based strippers are the best I've run across.
And yes, stripping the piece can be tedious, but if you start at the top you can do it in sections over time. Slowly.

What a great piece of furniture. Where did you get it?

If you're doing a Kelly Werstler interior you can leave it the way it is.

Wow, that's a nice website you got there, Justin (the first one). Lots of gorgeous photos - maybe because architecture week is going on right now.

('Materialicious' is a cool name.)

Justin (tfo) soy-based strippers are new to me. Since you are using them, do you have a recommendation for a specific brand?

aesaergent--

Yes, that part I understood, but he avoids the issue of how toxic most commercial stripping facilities have been, traditionally.

Justin (the first one), MrGreen specifically said, "Paint it a dark color if you want it a dark color." MrGreen will accept valid criticism graciously but you must read his posts if you wish to criticize them.

That piece is not worth the effort of stripping. Period. Neither with environmentally-harmful stripping agents that do do not pretend to be environmentally-friendly nor with those that do pretend to be so.

You might want to give this a try:

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001620.php

I've stripped furniture before... once. It was a lot of work, but it was almost 10 years ago and I still have the piece. If I do decide to tackle something again I would definitely use a soy based product like the one mentioned in the link above.

Good luck!

Sorry, it's just plain ugly. Might make good kindling for your wood stove if you break it into little bits.

I will join in those comments that caution against tackling a stripping job unless you are really dedicated. Many years ago, after watching one too many PBS home shows, I bought an old corner cabinet from an antique (junk?) shop, invaded a section of my mom's garage, and made a disasterous mess trying to strip the dull faded brown paint from the thing. The magnitude of the awfulness was my own fault - I did no research about the best products and techniques (including disposal techniques - may I suffer in the midwest heat and humidity with minimal air conditioner use to atone for the environmental sins I am sure I committed). And, I was totally unrealistic about the fun vs. work factor. Browsing through Justin's site, I see that there have been some innovations since my attempt that might make the process a bit friendlier. Nonetheless, the fact remains that stripping is a true undertaking that requires planning, time, and patience.

To answer several questions:

The pieces are in storage and they have never been used in my own home.

I prefer it toned down a bit more, than white paint can provide. I am aiming for something similiar to this...
http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/thelionsof/random/?action=view¤t=1151332691466_bhillcred1.jpg

I may ditch the top piece altogether, it was meant to be a massive unit...but it is quite overwelming and VERY heavy. I took four people to move the bottom piece alone.

The wood seems very good, even the back is pure wood instead of those cardboard backings. It is incredibly solid and the only thing not made of real wood are the dark brown panels that pop in for decoration. I could remove them to refinish the entire piece and replace if I want. I started sanding one of the back legs and the color underneath the paint is gorgeous.

It does seem like maybe it was a stereo cabinet at one point, but now there are shelves inside. All the doors slide open on both pieces, to either hide or reveal shelving. I see a lot of potential in it as a functional piece.

I have a power sander, and am also willing to hand-sand it if a more gentle approach is needed; does anyone think that would be a better option?

As far as time and dedication, I'm pretty patient and have the resources available to take my time with it. I've refurbished a few Victorian pieces for friends before in my spare time, but never worked with removing paint. I'm not nervous. I expect it to be hard work...and hopefully it pays off. :)

Kurt, I'll track you down when the piece is done and see if I made it a bit less gaudy for your taste, ha.

Everyone else, thank you for the advice!

MrGreen said: The best way is to have it dipped. MrGreen is still a KnowNothing. I've seen all your comments, you ignorant fool.

Sea: Thanks. That means a lot to me. 'Materialicious' came to me in a dream. I.swear.to.god.

Mason and Jennag: I am the contributor to Cool Tools about the soy based stripper from www.Franmar.com. You can get it at Ace Hardware, from the site or from Amazon. I've been using it for about 6 years now, and it's fabulous stuff. Doesn't burn. Smells good. And biodegradable before use. MrGreen still knows nothing.

J is right: stripping paint: pre work and patience is what it's all about.

PREP work, actually...............

Justin: I'll grab some of the soy stripper, use it on a hidden part, and give it a go. It sounds wonderful! Thanks!

You're welcome. Finally, someone listens to me! :)

I apologize if I came off a little strong. I was cranky today. I just get a little upset when I see people giving advice on stuff they have little experience with.

My advice: if the piece is painted on the inside, just do your sample, then leave the inside painted (repaint it). You're going to need to start with one gallon of stripper. Remember, a little goes a long way! Just do the exterior of the piece and both sides of the doors (take 'em off first!). Put something protective on the floor ( I use masonite, but you can use thick paper dropcloths with lotsa newspaper on 'em), start at the top of the piece and do the whole thing in sections. I move really fast, so I strip the whole thing at once, but that's *me* :). Follow the instructions to the letter. Use gloves even though the stuff doesn't burn. While you're scraping, use an old coffee can or something metal to dump the scrapings in. Last layer, you use scrub pads made for stripping to remove the paint closest to the grain. I then use denatured alcohol (put small amount in a metal bowl) and steel wool to remove the 'ghostly' remains left in the grain and wipe with paper towels while I'm at it. Careful, alcohol dries mega-fast, so you have to wipe it off as you're working. The whole job should be done in about three applications of stripper (or each section, anyway). Better yet, go to the library or bookstore and find a book of instructions with illustrations if you can. I wish I was there to show you how to do this. When you finish, I promise you'll experience an amazing sense of satisfaction at doing the job. I enjoy it very much, myself.

A teak finish will be great, but reconsider separating the piece. The sum is dramatically more appealing than its parts. Leave the unit intact.

Justin - You are amazing. Thank you! And wish me luck!!!

Holland - I would just love to see a nice TV atop that bottom piece I guess. We'll see, nothing is permanent...I was even at one time considering just ditching the top piece, altogether. I'm open to the options...and I love options. ;)

You're welcome. Email me (via my site) with any questions or if you run into problems, okay? And start slow........

The more I look at the photo, the more I realize you shouldn't ditch the top piece. You might be sorry later.