How to Remove Polyurethane Finishes From Wood

Floors

• 1

  Remove all furniture and fixtures from the room. Open all windows and place a box fan in one, directing the air in the room out the window.

• 2

  Seal vents, ducts, under doors and electrical outlets with protective plastic and masking tape. Pry off any molding around the base of the walls to protect from dust and damage from the removal process.

• 3

  Don a dust mask or respirator. Attach a 60-grit screening disc to a 16-inch floor polisher and move the polisher to the far corner of your room, away from the door. You can rent or purchase these materials at tool supply store or hardware retailer.

• 4

  Run a layer of 100-grit sandpaper over the disc to lower any rough spots, and then screen the entire room, working parallel lines across the entire floor. This tool will only take off the top layer of polyurethane and will not dig into the wood itself.

• 5

  Repeat sanding and screening with 80-grit, 100-grit and 120-grit screening discs to remove all polyurethane and smooth the surface. For corners or edges that the polisher cannot reach, use hand-held sandpaper of the same grits.

• 6

  Vacuum the walls and floors. Wipe down surfaces with a tack cloth. Store sawdust outdoors, away from high heat or flame.

Furniture and Other Wood Products

• 7

  Fill a bucket with a gallon of hot water. Add 2 tbsp. gum turpentine and 4 tbsp. boiled linseed oil. Wear protective rubber gloves and wash down the wood surface with a rag or soft bristle scrub brush dampened in this cleaning solution. Removing all dirt and dust from the polyurethane surface first will ensure flat and even removal of the finish.

• 8

  Ventilate the work area to get rid of fumes from commercial chemicals, and keep the gloves on to protect your hands. Saturate a small area of the wood with commercial polyurethane stripper, available from hardware and home improvement retailers. Follow product instructions regarding use; some will tell you to wait a little while so the chemicals can work, while others will have you work right away.

• 9

  Wipe or scrub away loosened polyurethane finish with a plastic scraper, soft bristle brush or sponge. Repeat application and removal as necessary until you remove all polyurethane from the surface.

• 10

  Lightly sand the wood surface with grade 0000 steel wool to remove any small patches that you may have missed. Sand very lightly to avoid damaging the wood itself. Wipe down the area with a tack cloth to remove dust.