Removal of parquet varnish. How to remove varnish from a wooden surface

  • 16.06.2019

Undoubtedly, parquet is one of the most reliable and durable types of coating, especially if it is coated with a particularly durable and resistant varnish. However, the floor is designed to be walked on, and no matter how hard you try, no matter how you take care of it, sooner or later the moment comes when it still wears out.

There are no strict deadlines when it is necessary to remove the varnish from the parquet and replace it with a new one. This is a completely individual moment, depending on many factors:

  • in which room (as intended) is the parquet flooring located;
  • whether all the rules for laying parquet and applying varnish on it were observed;
  • whether the correct care products are used, etc.

Most often, in an ordinary residential area, where people walk on the floor in slippers or barefoot, the replacement of the varnish coating is required at intervals of 10-15 years. If there are obvious damages on the parquet left by pets or any household reasons, this procedure may be needed much more often. AT office space, where hundreds of people in street shoes walk on the parquet floor every day, the varnishing should be removed, the paint removed and the floors recoated every year.

In order to completely remove the old varnish coating from the parquet, you will need a vacuum cleaner, putty and a belt sander.

How to remove varnish from parquet?

The process of removing varnish (cleaning paint) from parquet consists of several stages:

  • Floor preparation: puttying all existing cracks and removing dirt.
  • If there are deep marks (for example, from the fall of heavy objects), a thin layer of wood should be removed. The thickness of this layer depends on the depth of damage, but usually no more than 5 mm.
  • With the help of a belt sander, it is necessary to sequentially remove all the old varnish. Please note that this procedure is quite dusty, so be sure to protect your eyes and respiratory organs (wear goggles and a respirator). It does not hurt to open the window and leave a working vacuum cleaner in the room - so some of the dust will be immediately removed.

Don't count on a quick finish. Depending on the size of the room and your skills, the work may take several days. Do not try to rush and reduce the time of removing varnish from parquet - everything must be done very carefully.

If your room has a lot of bulky furniture, there is no need to rearrange it, especially if it has been in the same place since the floorboard was laid. Just cover her protective film from dust and clean from the protective layer only those places that can be freed for work.

By by and large, antique interior items are disposed of because of their unsightly appearance- in terms of strength, they are able to surpass even the most new furniture. Information on how to remove varnish from wood can save many copies. old furniture from living in garbage dumps.

Wood polish remover - in search of a universal ...

Is there universal way get rid of the unusable lacquer coating? In order not to amuse you with illusions in vain, we will immediately answer - there is no such method, except that the complex and troublesome method of cycling will have to be considered as such. However, it does not apply to every surface.

Different furniture is treated with different varnishes on completely different bases.. Antique furniture can be covered with alcohol compositions, shellac (resin of natural origin), modern furniture - with quick-drying varnishes with complex chemical formulas. For each composition, it is necessary to select your own solvent in order to achieve the best result and not harm the wood.

It should be immediately noted that trying to remove the varnished surface on modern furniture from chipboard - tantamount to her death sentence. Together with a layer of varnish, you will remove or significantly damage the decorative layer that repeats this or that texture. You can only remove varnish from wooden surface without fear of exposing the wood. Be prepared for a long and painstaking work, it is quite possible that several approaches will be needed. The main thing is not to overdo it and not damage the material itself.

How to remove varnish from wood - a gentle way

When it comes to how to remove varnish from rare wooden furniture or other varnished items, the most relevant way is to treat the coating with a chemical composition, the so-called wash. Its role can be played by both special liquids, gels or powders, as well as universal solvents, for example, acetone, which will do an excellent job with ordinary varnish. If the coating is shellac, it is better to remove it with denatured alcohol.

For convenience and greater safety, professional wood varnish remover is sold as a powder that must be diluted with water, resulting in a thick paste.

It then needs to be applied to the surface that we want to clean. If possible, it should be in a vertical position - this is not only more convenient, but also better for the cleaning process itself. Such gels are capable of removing up to ! Sometimes wood polish remover is sold in the form of ready-made liquids. These should be used when there are not many layers of varnish - no more than three, since the liquid dries and erodes faster, while the gel dries more slowly and corrodes less aggressively.

Remover for varnish from wood - we use it in business!

In order to apply a liquid or gel to the surface, use a regular brush. Work only in a ventilated area!

How to wash varnish off wood - step by step

Step 1: Apply the wash

Wet the brush in the cleanser and apply good layer to the surface. It is necessary to try to lead the brush in one direction and not to spend a second time on the already passed area.

Step 2: Film

It is recommended to cover the surface to enhance the action of the wash. plastic wrap- make a kind of compress. You need to wait from 40 minutes to 4 hours, depending on how many layers you need to remove. clear sign effective effect of the wash - changing its color to a brown or dark brown hue and swelling of the layers of varnish.

Step 3: Remove the varnish

How to remove softened varnish from wood? To do this, you will need a regular spatula. If this is a new tool, it will most likely have sharp, angular edges - it is better to round them off with grindstone to make it safer to work with wood. Press on the swollen surface carefully. It is quite possible that you will not be able to remove everything in one go, in which case the process can be repeated in the second round. Sometimes it's enough to walk on the surface sandpaper to remove the remnants of the lacquer film.

Step 4: Neutralizing the Wash

Be sure to wash off the remaining liquid with plain water after completing the work on cleaning the varnish or dilute 100 ml of vinegar for this purpose in half a liter of water. Try to do this step carefully, but at the same time quickly, so that the tree is not exposed to moisture for a long time - after all, it was left without a protective coating. After washing, carefully wipe the surface with a flannel cloth and place the object to dry in a ventilated place, but not under direct sunlight! As soon as the wood is completely dry, you can proceed to re-varnish the surface.

In addition to liquids and pastes, there are also sprays that are sold in cans. When sprayed, they form a layer of foam that clings to the surface. Such a solvent is more convenient to apply, but they will only wash off thin layers of the coating.. Acetone can also be used as a solvent. To do this, you need to make a compress from a cloth abundantly moistened with this liquid and apply to those places that need to be cleaned. From above, the compress must also be covered with a film and held on the surface for at least 10 minutes. In any case, whatever solvent you use, it is best to carry out such work in a well-ventilated area.


How to remove varnish from wood - mechanical option

The option of cleaning the surface from old layers of coating by scraping is the most affordable. True, the minus of this method is able to cover all its advantages - it will take a long time to cycle and with diligence. In fact, scraping is peeling off a layer with a special tool - a scraper, which is a sharpened steel plate that is attached to the handle at an angle to increase pressure on the surface. Such a tool can be both bought and made, or you can use its simple and unpretentious substitute - a glass shard. True, the glass will dull rather quickly, but one can hardly complain about the lack of this material. It is imperative to work with glass with gloves, otherwise the process can result in serious cuts.

If the varnish layer is thin enough, it can also be removed with sandpaper, either manually or with a special tool - a grinder. Machines, in turn, are divided into vibration, tape and eccentric. The cheapest (due to the simplicity of the design) is the vibration type, and for grinding home furniture it will be enough, as they say, to the head! The essence of the operation of the machine is simple - we attach an emery tape of the grit we need to the “sole” (to remove the varnish film - grit from 40P) and lead along the surface. Just be warned - there will be a lot of dust! However, the advantage of this method is that you immediately sand the surface, and in appearance it will be much neater than after cycling. Walked the machine, and at least immediately!

How to remove varnish from wood - blow dry

Another option for removing the coating is thermal. It also requires additional tools, in this case a building hair dryer capable of heating the surface to a temperature of 600 ° C, or gas-burner. An ordinary hair dryer will not work, even on maximum temperature. If we are looking for fast way how to remove varnish from wood - this is it! But keep in mind that if the safety rules and technology are not followed, it can be dangerous both for the tree itself and for you - it’s worth overdoing it a little with heating the surface, and the varnish can flare up.

You need to work with two hands - with one we hold the hair dryer and heat the surface, with the other hand with a spatula we scrape off the lagging coating. We work only in a ventilated area, with gloves on our hands and goggles. In addition, not every composition will respond to heating - the surface may simply char, but there will be no peeling. In this case, washing will help.

Wooden floors are often coated with special protective agents (most often polyurethane or acrylic varnishes), which form a beautiful matte or glossy film. The surface of such a floor becomes elastic, durable, resistant to abrasion and scratching. However, sometimes it is worth updating the coating so that it enhances performance characteristics tree. Moreover, the varnish dries, no matter how many layers you apply, quickly enough (1-2 hours). And for this you have to remove (wash off) the protective layer of varnish from the floor.

We will understand below how the acrylic agent is applied and what the technology for removing it before the next coating consists of.

Important: it is imperative to wash off the acrylic varnish from the wooden surface before applying a new layer of coating. Otherwise, too many layers of protective material that dries quickly will simply swell over time and peel off in ugly pieces.

Nail polish removal: ways


Newest and more in a simple way removing the varnish coating is its washing. Moreover, the price of the product starts from $ 3 per 1 kg. The technology for removing acrylic coating consists in applying a special chemical agent to the wooden surface, which corrodes the varnish and lifts it from the tree.

In modern stores, you can buy chemical washes in the form of a powder, creamy paste or ready-made liquid, the use of which is quite common today. In the first case (wash-powder), it is necessary to mix the components of the product in accordance with the instructions indicated on the package. In other options (cream or liquid composition) washes are ready for use.

Varnish removal technology, or how to wash off the old coating:

  • We prepare a chemical wash by thorough mixing;
  • We remove all pieces of furniture from the room;
  • Apply chemical composition a convenient brush or roller for the floor;
  • Cover the treated coating with a film and wait 1-2 hours;
  • Now you can carefully, without touching the wood, remove the old varnish with a spatula acrylic coating. If unpeeled areas of varnish remain on the floor, you can once again treat the floor with a remover.
  • When working with a brush or roller, it is important that the tools move in the same direction and do not work twice on the same area of ​​the floor.

Important: one application of a chemical nail polish remover can cope with 2-3 layers of coating. At the same time, powder preparations immediately overcome up to 10 layers of acrylic varnish. The consumption of a powder chemical wash is 1 to 10 when mixed, which is very beneficial.

  • When the old layer of coating is removed, the floor must be washed with water and detergent and dry the wood thoroughly.
  • Before applying a new varnish, the floor should be covered with a layer of antiseptic primer. How many layers of antiseptic to apply is up to you. But at least 2 times is better. Applied with a brush or roller, the primer will subsequently protect the wood from decay, mold and bugs.

A few tips:

  • When working with the use and application of a chemical remover to remove paintwork materials, use spatula with rounded edges. So you reduce the risk of damage to the parquet boards. You can purchase such a tool in a specialized store (its price is $ 0.3 each).
  • Don't forget about protective equipment - mask and gloves. Their price is also available in specialized stores. Therefore, it is not worth saving on health.
  • Ventilate the room more often so as not to be poisoned by volatile vapors of chemistry.

Mechanical polish removal


  • You can also remove acrylic lacquer from the floor with primitive sanding. To do this, you can use either a grinder or a professional unit. In the first case, you can do the work yourself, but be sure to use goggles, a respirator and headphones. The grinder should be moved along the floor from the walls to the center of the room and closer to the exit. All wood-lacquer dust is subsequently removed with a vacuum cleaner.
  • In the second case, it is better to invite specialists. Because handling a heavy scraper requires skill. The price of floor processing will depend on the square, but on average it starts from $ 5 / m2.

If you decide to cope with the cycle apparatus yourself, then consider some features:

  • When turning on the unit, it is better to raise it, since the grinding elements can go deep into the floor boards and deform it ugly;
  • When turning the machine indoors, it is also recommended to slightly lift the unit towards you;
  • It is better to move along the perimeter first diagonally and only so that the grinding unit overlaps a little along the already processed strip. After that, it is worth changing the direction of the unit in the opposite direction diagonally.
  • Lacquer removal in this way can be carried out both in large rooms and in small ones.

Important: after processing the floor with a scraper, it is necessary to remove the remaining dust (however much) and, if necessary, repair the damaged floor elements. It is necessary to cover the tree with new layers of paintwork materials with a brush or roller, moving along the fiber of the tree.

thermal method


Here, the technology for removing acrylic lacquer is to strongly heat the floor. Under the local influence of high temperatures, the paintwork material will begin to swell and move away from the tree.

You can use either a blowtorch or a building hair dryer for work. In the first case, the work will move a little slower.

Important: to perform this technology, you need to stock up on goggles, gloves, a respirator and a rounded spatula. Remember to ventilate the room well.

Work performance technology:

  • The floor, varnished, is completely free from all pieces of furniture;
  • Using a heating device, we locally increase the temperature of the floor;
  • We immediately remove the lagging varnish with a spatula, moving further across the room.

Important: if the varnish is charred during heating, this indicates that its composition requires the intervention of a chemical remover to remove it. Therefore, heat treatment is not your case here.

Refinishing the floor


  • Applying new layers of varnish must be carried out only on the prepared floor. Therefore, you first have to dry the boards well and clean them of dust.
  • Before applying varnish with a brush or roller, the wood should be treated with an antiseptic. In this case, you need to make sure that the wood is well saturated.
  • After antiseptic completely dry, you can proceed to varnish the floor. How many layers of coating to apply, decide for yourself, but always at least 2.
  • Because the acrylic product dries from 2 to 4 hours, then it is worth pausing between the stages of applying varnish. As soon as the previous layer dries, you can apply a new one.

Consumption of acrylic varnish for wooden floor is mainly 100-120 ml/m2. Therefore, it is important to carefully calculate the amount of funds needed and buy it at a bargain price. At the same time, we note that the price of acrylic varnish at points of sale is from $ 50 for a 5-liter canister.

It is worth remembering that the average consumption of varnish during the first application is about 1 liter per 8-10 m2. When the agent is reapplied, its consumption is significantly reduced and already amounts to about 1 liter per 12-15 m2.

Important: Reviews of the work on removing varnish from many users still indicate in the direction of chemical washes.

Lacquered parquet floor looks very attractive. But to maintain this attractiveness, parquet requires maintenance. So, it is necessary to periodically remove the old varnish. In this case, it is impossible to allow the paintwork to be completely erased. In such cases, paths are trodden in the wood, which can completely destroy the parquet.

How to remove varnish from parquet: preparatory work
To remove the varnish from the parquet floor, you will have to sand it. During the sanding process, the lacquer coating is simply peeled off. If there is serious damage to the parquet, such as traces of heels or heavy objects falling, then a layer of wood is cut off before sanding. The floor is processed by a special drum machine. The thickness of the removed layer is small, most often it is about 3 mm. This allows you to remove damaged areas and extend the life of the parquet.

The sanding itself is done using a special parquet sander. As an easier option, you can use a surface grinder or belt grinder. In any case, the operation of such equipment will be accompanied by a large amount of dust and loud noise. To cope with dust, ventilation must be provided. You can leave the vacuum cleaner turned on in the room, which will draw in some of the dust. The grinder operator must wear personal protective equipment for the eyes and nose.

To prepare the floor for polishing, it is necessary to remove all dirt and putty the cracks and joints of the parquet boards with a special parquet putty. This step is very important if the floor will then be varnished with a solvent. It is necessary to choose putty according to the following requirements. It should have good adhesion, not change the color of the parquet and leave a layer no thicker than 1 mm, and also be well sanded. When the putty dries, you can sand.

How to remove varnish from the floor: the grinding stage
The sanding process is very time-consuming, since every millimeter of the parquet must be carefully processed. As for the corners, the floor under the pipes and radiators, and other hard-to-reach places, then they are polished with a special tool. But you can do without it if there is a cycle. A room of 9 square meters may require 2-3 days of work.

At the beginning of grinding, the grinder is filled with abrasive number 40. Then the engine starts and the operator guides the machine around the perimeter of the room. The speed of rotation of the drum must be sufficient to process the floor. Each strip of parquet must be passed in both directions.
In order for the sanding to be of the highest quality, you must first go through the room diagonally, and then sand the parquet in the direction of laying the plates.

Inexpensive removal of varnish from parquet boards will be quickly and efficiently carried out by masters Yuda. On the site you can order any services for the restoration or replacement of parquet boards with the departure of specialists to all addresses in Moscow. The prices for removing worn-out varnish from Yudu professionals are lower than market prices, since they work without intermediaries and in conditions of strong competition. Each specialist has passed a strict check during registration and is a reliable performer.

Procedure specifics

Removal of varnish from the parquet and its subsequent polishing can be done both manually and with the help of special equipment. Yudu specialists mainly use the machine method, since it allows you to achieve a better result in more a short time. In addition, professional technology avoids the formation a large number dust and dirt in the house after removing the varnish from the parquet, which is especially important when working in furnished rooms.

Removing the old varnish from the parquet board takes place in several stages:

  • floor leveling
  • removal of various contaminants from parquet boards
  • removal of parquet varnish with the help of special equipment
  • removal of small parquet defects with a grinder
  • final polishing

After all these procedures, the cleaned parquet boards are ready to be coated with a fresh layer of varnish. However, such a repair is only suitable if the condition of the parquet is satisfactory, and your floor does not require more serious restoration procedures. Yudu's professionals will help you determine whether a complete replacement of parquet boards is needed or just a varnish update. Such diagnostics is often possible remotely - you just send a photo of your gender to the specialist.

On Yuda, you can view the profiles of each performer in order to understand what technique and according to what scheme the master works. The profile also contains reviews of previous customers of the parquet lacquer removal service, which will help you evaluate not only the professionalism of a particular contractor, but also his prices for work.

What determines the cost and time of work

Replacing or updating old parquet boards is evaluated by each site specialist individually. The repair price may be higher or lower than the average rates depending on the following factors:

  • order urgency
  • total floor area to be restored
  • degree and complexity of its contamination
  • the need for additional services (removal of furniture, etc.)

The removal of worn varnish and the application of a new one by Yuda specialists will be done in one day, if the floor area is small, and no more serious work is required to restore it. In any case, the professionals whose help youdo.com offers always strictly adhere to the work schedule that was initially agreed with the customer. Removing the varnish from the parquet board will not cause you any difficulties in cooperation with Yudu.