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254792 "Cal Meier" <calmeier@s...> 2015‑05‑20 Re: How to remove all finish from mahogany veneer
Hi,
With regard to using water based strippers (and maybe any stripper) be aware 
of what you are stripping.  I will stick with personal experience.  My 
daughter wanted to strip her painted chest of drawers all by herself.  Ok, 
so I went with a safer, water based, citric acid stripper.  It worked, but 
she got a bit enthusiastic with the stripper and water clean up.  She 
eventually told me that something was "bubbling up."  It was the veneer on 
the flat surfaces.  It was a quality piece of bedroom furniture with all the 
right dovetail joints, etc, but it happened to have a veneer skin.  Had to 
do some fast rolling out of veneer.  Luckily not too much damage.

I also mention the above while thinking about a very nice mahogany book case 
we inherited from my wife's father.  At one time he "refinished" it.  It has 
some damage because the beautiful mahogany top and side panels are mahogany 
veneer.  Luckily, the worst delamination was near bottom on the side panels. 
Quality mahogany has often been veneer even in old pieces.

As for the citric acid based or orange stripper.  It works.  I have not 
problem using it as long as I keep in mind what I am trying to strip. 
Pulling the last 3 percent or so of white paint out of a piece of porous oak 
furniture whose varnish had worn off before they painted it, is a real pain.

Just a thought.

Cal Meier
Central Louisiana

Recent Bios FAQ