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10 Best Paint Remover for Home Projects

Best Paint Remover
Written by Brent Butterworth
Last Update: June 20, 2023

What comes into our minds when we think of furniture? Beautifully carved wood, exquisite design and a glossy appearance; these are some of the many things that you may think.

While the design and carvings tend to exist even after using these for a long time, the smooth, glossy texture of the furniture tends to fade away. To retain the looks of the furniture, you must at first remove the previous paint with a paint remover and then repaint the furniture as per your wish.

People often think that removing the paint and repainting the furniture is a long and tedious process, but actually it’s not. You can easily use a paint remover and get the furniture repainted within hours.

Professional woodworkers use paint removers for their daily work and you can, too, use them. Removing the paint is actually easier than you think it is.

Top 10 Best Paint Removers to Use for Your Next DIY Project

The chemical paint removers are special liquid solution or gels that ‘eats’ away the paint. At first, you must apply a thin coating of the paint remover for wood onto the furniture.

Always try to use the best paint remover because the cheaper ones might damage your furniture. After half an hour, check if the paint is slowly dissolving or not.

If not, wait for a while till the paint softens. Then strip the paint off with a scapula or chisel. After stripping, you may sand the furniture to get a finer finish.

Be extra cautious when you’re using the chemical paint removers. Know all the safety precautions and be careful not to inhale or intake the chemical paint removers.

Currently there are hundreds, if not thousands, of paint removers that offer excellent performance in a great price tag. Choosing one that suits you might be harder than you think given all these choices.

Rust-Oleum Automotive 255448 32-Ounce Aircraft Remover Quart

The Rust-Oleum Automotive 255448 is one of the best paint removers that you may find. This superior quality paint remover is non-flammable and can remove the paint within 10 minutes.

It is a professionally graded remover which can act on the toughest of finishes. Although very handy, it is quite expensive.

If you are someone who needs to remove the paint from furniture on a regular basis, you can surely try the Rust-Oleum Automotive 255448.

Rust-Oleum Automotive 255448 32-Ounce Aircraft Remover Quart

Quixx Paint Scratch Remover Kit – 00070us

The Quixx Paint Scratch Remover Kit is a great paint remover that is suitable for all kinds of paints and colors (including metallic colors).

The paint remover kit has a repair polish, finish polish, 2500 grit sandpaper and some polishing cloths, which makes it a great choice for the price range. It offers premium quality and is easy to use.

If you want an all-in-one solution for removing the paint, you can surely try the Quixx Paint Scratch Remover Kit.

QUIXX 00070-US Paint Scratch Remover Kit

3m Safe Stripper Paint and Varnish Remover

The 3M Safe Stripper Paint and Varnish Remover is considered to be one of the safest paint removers that you can use. It can be used as a homemade paint remover.

This paint is biodegradable, which means that you can easily wash the paint off. It is a fast acting paint remover and comes at a very affordable price.

3m Safe Stripper Paint and Varnish Remover

Sunnyside 658g1 Ready-Strip Paint and Varnish Remover

This is another effective paint remover that claims to be able to remove 7 layers of paint in each try. Being semi-paste, it can easily adhere to vertical surfaces. It is also very safe to use and is biodegradable.

The unique color changing technology of the Sunnyside 658G1 lets the user know when the process has started.

Sunnyside 658g1 Ready-Strip Paint and Varnish Remover

Dad’s Easy Spray Paint Remover

As the name suggests, it is a very easy to use spray paint remover. It acts slowly, which means that it has less odor. It is very safe to use and you’ll just have to spray the remover onto the surface of the wooden furniture.

The only downside to this spray paint remover is its price. If you are looking for an easy to use spray paint remover, you can surely try the Dad’s Easy spray paint remover.

Dad’s Easy Spray Paint Remover

Barrettine Paint Panther

The Barrettine Paint Panther is one of the fastest paint removers that you may find. It claims to remove six layers of paint within five minutes. It can remove oil, chalk, solvent-based paints and many others.

Although the price of the Paint Panther is relatively higher than the rest, the fast acting mechanism and ease of use makes it clearly one of the best paint removers that you may find.

Barrettine Paint Panther

Peelaway Smart Strip

Peelaway is a reputed brand for producing one of the best paint removers. The Smart Strip is a premium product from this brand and is one of the favorites when it comes to removing the paint.

Although slow acting, this can remove all the paint on your furniture without ruining it. These are also very safe to use and environment-friendly.

Barrettine Paint Panther

Polycell 500ml Maximum Strength Paint Stripper

If you want to remove the paint in a fast and easy way, you can use the Polycell paint stripper. This is a premium stripper that comes in an affordable price range.

You can use the semi-gel substance onto any surface. But due to the fast evaporation, it may cause odors.

Be sure to work in a properly ventilated area. Due to its fast acting mechanism, it can be a great choice for professionals and DIY experts.

POLYCELL 500ML MAXIMUM STRENGTH PAINT STRIPPER

Biostrip 20 Paint Stripper

Like many others on the list, the Biostrip 20 paint stripper is an eco-friendly paint remover that you can buy. This product causes less mess and can complete the stripping process within just 15 minutes.

It does not cause any odor and can be used without gloves.  The Biostrip 20 is affordable and you can surely buy it if you want an affordable paint remover within a small budget.

BIOSTRIP 20 PAINT STRIPPER

Roto Stripper Paint & Rust Remover Drill Attachment

This product is surely unique. Unlike all the other paint removers that we’ve listed, this is not a chemical paint remover. It is a drill attachment that goes with your high-quality power drill.

This lightweight attachment is a great and easy way of stripping off the paint without causing damage to the furniture. It uses the rotary motion to ‘chip’ through the paint, essentially removing the paint within minutes of use.

You can use the attachment with your pre-existing power drill, so you don’t have to buy any additional equipment and can use this attachment for years without worrying.

Roto Stripper Paint & Rust Remover Drill

Some Other Methods of Removing the Paint

Other than using chemical paint removers, you can use some other techniques that can do the same. You can use a heat gun to melt away the paint, or sanding paper to sand through the furniture.

Professional woodworkers often prefer the use of a sanding paper or a high-quality belt disc sander because it can effectively remove the paint without harming the furniture.

Sanding also ensures a clean surface on which you can easily repaint the furniture.

Conclusion

Removing the paint from wooden furniture is easier than most people might think. To remove the paint, you’ll need a quality paint remover and a scapula or a chisel.

To start, you must put a layer of the paint remover onto the furniture and then keep it for a while until the paint melts off.

When removing the paint, you should always use a high-quality paint remover for wood because the cheaper ones might damage the furniture. Other than paint removers, you can also use a heat gun or sanding paper to remove the paint from the furniture.

About the author

Brent Butterworth

A Professional Woodworker & Custom Furniture Builder

Brent lives in Wisconsin and is a woodworker, custom cabinetmaker, interior consultant, and a freelance writer who got the opportunity to write several magazine articles for different publications on home improvement and woodworking. He’s always amazed at the depth and breadth of woodworking all over the globe, and feels proud to be a part of this great effort. Brent has built everything one can imagine, from unique art furniture to different types of home furniture to canoes and even a sailboat.

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