How to Fix Badly Varnished Floors

Scrape varnish drips off of a floor using a razor blade. Angle the blade at just under 45 degrees, applying enough pressure to get beneath the drip but not so much that you slice into the wood beneath. Start at either side of the drip and move the blade slowly toward the other side.

Strip the bad varnish from your floors with paint stripper if the problem extends past a few drips. Wear long sleeves and gloves when you work with paint stripper, as it will burn your skin. Put a small amount of paint stripper onto the floor and brush it into the floor using a paintbrush, working in the direction the varnish was applied. Cover neighboring surfaces to protect them from the stripper's effects.

Let the paint stripper sit for as long as the manufacturer recommends. The substance needs time to dissolve the varnish beneath, so it is better to wait and only apply the stripper once than to remove it too soon and be forced to repeat the process.

Scrape the paint stripper and underlying varnish off the floor with a thin blade putty knife. Clean up all the debris and inspect the floor for any remaining varnish. Add more stripper to areas where the varnish remains and then scrape it off. Clean the floor with a broom or damp mop when necessary before you apply a new coat of varnish.

Dip a paintbrush in mineral spirits and then shake off the excess. Dip the brush in your varnish so that one-third of the brush is full. Tap the brush over the edge of the can to eliminate excess varnish -- do not scrape it against the can or the brush may become too dry.

Brush the varnish onto the floor in the direction of the wood grain. Apply one thin, even coat and let it dry for as long as the manufacturer recommends. If you need to apply a second coat, lightly sand the first coat and then clean the floor before adding the next coat.