Thread: removing finish from carved timber chairs

Hi V V,
Although I haven't looked for it, there is a Lady selling Stripper that is a Greenie type of stuff, here on the Forums.

A photo of the intended patient would help. Sanding is NOT the way to go for most carved woodwork, so you are right there.

A lot depends on what the original finish is, what sort of timber is underneath and what has been done to the timber before you got it. I have seen a lot of really horrible results from stripping Chinese furiture which was covered in that dark purple/red lacquer - the wood is usually really coarse grained (old packing case?), full of filled holes & patches, the finish has been put on with lots of filler which often had the fine detail molded into the filler, then lacquered over the top as was the fashion around Hong Kong from the 1950's.

Of course there is also a lot of really high quality antique furniture that was sent to HK when Mao was having his purges which was then sprayed with purple (rosewood) lacquer for the new millionaires, and some of this is being 'rediscovered' when the lacquer starts to look tatty.

General advice - buy everyone new tooth brushes, get some small bottles of paint stripper and thinner, then soak a rag in thinner, apply generously to a hidden place (under a rail or inside) and see if the finish softens, scrub with old toothbrush - that would be shellac (good). If it doesn't change then try one of the milder strippers - Methyl somethingorother - it smells a bit like oranges, brush etc. If that doesn't work then you need to ask about one of the heavy duty strippers, vinyl gloves, fume masks etc.

The 'professionals' use heated caustic soda and wire brushes, just about kills any colour or pattern in the wood, really only suitable for a heavy restain & then poylurethane it to death restoration.

I took a couple of quick photos. hopefully someone can identify the timber and tell me if the chair is worth restoring.

Apologies for the poor picture quality.


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is anyone able to identify this timber?

My knowledge of timber outside building materials is pretty much non existant..

Originally Posted by vincentvega

I took a couple of quick photos. hopefully someone can identify the timber and tell me if the chair is worth restoring.

Apologies for the poor picture quality.

Hi vincentvega. Cant help with timber type, but it looks a little like some of the better quality Indonesian rainforest hardwoods..possibly mahogany Others on here are more expert in this. Anyway..worthy of restoring? Only 1 question needs to be asked? Do you like them??? If yes, then have some fun & enjoy the outcome I say!

Are you closer to working out what the original finish is? This will aid in choosing how to best strip it. Maybe if you know anything of their history/ age that might help.