How to Strip Wood Furniture Using Citri-Strip Paint and Varnish Stripping Gel.
Before we moved out of the HOA house, one of the projects on my list was to strip the three wooden desks we’d be taking with us to our new home.
I have a general idea of where I want the desks to go. But I forgot to measure the spots where the desks will go when I was out there for the home inspection. Whoops!
I’m not 100% sure the desks will fit in the rooms I’m hoping they will. So, for now, I’m leaving the desks unfinished until I know for sure.
I had never used a paint stripping product before, so at first, I thought I’d sand the desks down. But while I was in The Home Depot looking at sandpaper, I noticed a container of Citri-Strip Paint and Varnish Stripping Gel.
So I decided to take a chance on it. And lets just say that was the best decision EVER! 😉 Seriously. Here’s how to strip wood furniture using Citri-Strip Paint and Varnish Stripping Gel.
The directions on the back on the bottle said that the product works in as little as 30 minutes.
The first desk that I was stripping had 2 very thick coats of paint, plus a satin on it. So I decided to paint a coat of the stripping gel on the entire desk and then let it sit for 3 hours. I wanted to give the prodcut time to work before attempting to go back and scrap all the paint off.
Using a 5″ putty knife on the flat surfaces, the paint come off easily. But it took a bit more work with a wire brush to remove the paint from the knobby legs and crevices.
Using just the putty knife and wire brush I was able to get about 95% of the paint off the desk. At that point I dabbed a little more Citri-Strip Paint and Varnish Stripping Gel to the stubborn areas.
I then let it sit for several more hours before going over the areas a second time with the wire brush.
I found this little pick in my husbands tool box to get the paint out of the teeny tiny groves in the legs.
Check it out!!!! I can’t recommend using Citri-Strip Paint and Varnish Stripping Gel enough! I was AMAZED at how well it removed the multiply layers of paint on the black desk.
The stripper gel was also used on a desk that was originally stained and then spray painted as well.
On this project the stripping gel started bubbling up about 30 minutes after I applied the product. I was able to remove the paint right away. I did have to apply a second {thin} layer of the gel to remove the heavy stain that was below though.
And just like the first desk I stripped, I used an assortment of wire brushes to coax the remaining paint out of the grooves. 
In the spots where the wire brushes didn’t do the job, I rubbed a wee bit of after wash in the area. I was able to wipe the remaining paint away.
Now all that’s left to do is give the desks a light sanding.. I’ll worry about painting or staining them later
Let’s just say that I will never be intimidated by a piece of painted furniture again. Who knew stripping furniture could be this easy? I feel like I should have figured this out a long time ago. Oh well. Better late than never.
~Mavis
Em says
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I am amazed at your results!
Terri at The Frugal List says
Oh my goodness, that looks amazingly satisfying!!!!
Ame says
I used this stripper on our oak front door a few years ago. It worked really well. I took the door off the hinges and laid it flat on two sawhorses. It’s definitely best to clean all the stripper and gunk away and wipe down well then let the item DRY at least overnight before repainting/staining!
Sherene Clark says
Thank you Amie for the information. I was wondering about citrus strip for oak wood. Gonna give it a try. Who knows maybe i can use it on one of my many projects if all goes well.
Carrie says
I will have to give this product a go next time. I hate stripping furniture but I have a small plant table I’d like to redo. Thanks for the tutorial!
KC says
This may be a no-brainer for everybody else, but ideal paint-stripping conditions are 1. a well-ventilated 2. weather-resistant 3. easy-to-clean-up area, (that 4. will not be dropping pine needles on you the entire time; pet interference may also be a concern, I suppose).
I stripped the paint off a desk outdoors on a lawn in what was then our apartment complex, on flimsy plastic dropcloth. The sun made the citri-strip dry back on faster than it should have. The long pine needles got everywhere and flicked goo around. The dropcloth bunched up and was covered with clumps of gluey paint, which were difficult to avoid as I was maneuvering into the weird crannies of the desk (while rocks underneath the dropcloth provided additional challenges with kneeling, etc.). And I had to do it in more or less one shot, because of potential for rain and because of how obnoxious it would be to move it indoors and outdoors again in a partly-sticky condition.
So! If you have a garage with a door you can open and leave open: brilliant! Or even a patio and umbrella. Or very settled paint-stripping-friendly weather. But otherwise, while Citri-strip is pretty fabulous, it can still be a pretty massive pain.
Ame says
I understand your not wanting to leave it unfinished outdoors at your apartment. Who knows what you’d find the next morning?
When we lived at our apartment, we had VERY helpful neighbors. One time, while BBQing on our ground-floor patio, I went inside for something and when I came back out, the neighbor who lived above me was turning my chicken! Another time, I went to the laundry facility to move my wash to the dryer, only to meet up with the sweet lady next door telling me started it for me. (underwear, no less…)
Dayna says
You’ve never stripped before? I love stripping, it’s so satisfying. 😉 I couldn’t resist! There is nothing more satisfying that bare, naked wood furniture.
Nancy D says
I can just picture those desks in a cozy New England home. What wonderful personality they each have! Congratulations on a job well done! Great idea to strip and prepare them BEFORE the move to their new home. You always come up with such clever ideas!
Stephanie from Utah says
You’re a long time hooker, and now you can say you’re a stripper as well!
UpstateNYer says
THAT just made me laugh more than I probably should have ! Thanks!
Diane says
What are you going to do with the desks now? Will you stain them or just seal them or leave them as is?
robert mossop says
citrus stripper is great. i stripped a painted desk down with no problem. but now ive got a oak rocker with a black finish on it that citrus stripper wont touch
Dave Gove says
I tried citristrip on my oak door. Results were messy but no stain came off. This was the only time I have used the product.
Joyce Wilson says
Thanks so much for this tutorial!
I am working on a baby bed this weekend to strip the gloss and re-stain the wood!
Great information here!
Susan Carroll says
I’m using Citristrip on a window moulding from the 20’s with about 5 layers of paint, and underneath some varnish or shellac along the top rail. It’s a hideous nightmare. Some places have chips adhered. There’s caulk that won’t come out between the mouldings. It’s simply a nightmare. Hope to finish it off with the wash, then denatured alcohol, then scrape the thick bits off. When I get to heaven’s gates, if they say I’m going to purgatory, I will say I’ve done my time.
Kimberley says
I have a bunch of stained furniture that I want to stain and seal them another shade, will this work to remove the varnish and the color, or would bleaching be better? They are a cherry color now and I want them to be a more mahogany. These are my grandmother’s pieces, so I want to make sure I don’t ruin them.