How to Use Heat Guns to Remove Paint From Tabletop

Stripping paint off an old piece of furniture is the best method to restore it to its original luster. By stripping to bare wood, you can take a garage sale table and turn it into something remarkable. One of the most effective ways to accomplish complete stripping is with the help of a heat gun. A heat gun is a tool that emits a stream of hot air. When the air hits the finish on wood, it bakes the finish off and allows you to give your tabletop a complete makeover.

Gloves
Goggles
Long sleeve shirt and old clothes
Respirator with a HEPA filter
Fire extinguisher
Drop cloth
Scraper
Garbage bags

Instructions

- 1
  Put on gloves, goggles, a long sleeve shirt and old clothes. Toxic fumes may rise out of the softening paint, so work in a well ventilated area. Place a fire extinguisher nearby as an additional safety precaution. Consider wearing a respirator with a HEPA filter.
- 2
  Cover the floor with a drop cloth. Do not use newspaper to protect the floors because it catches fire easily.
- 3
  Hold the gun approximately 5 inches away from the painted surface of the table. Let the heat cause the paint to bubble. Keep moving the gun as the bubbles appear.
- 4
  Scrape off the paint as it bubbles with a scraper.
- 5
  Discard the paint peelings onto the drop cloth. As the paint cools, the pieces will fuse. After your table is back to the natural wood, bag the droppings and throw them away.

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