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- I tested three paint and varnish strippers and one varnish-only remover for a DIY furniture project.
- While all four products worked to remove the original finishes, there were two clear winners.
- I feel confident doing DIY furniture projects with Max Strip and Minwax, which work quickly and effectively.
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As an experienced DIYer, I love reviving old pieces of furniture that I find at thrift shops and flea markets. A key part of the process is stripping the original finish off of the furniture to get down to the raw wood. Once that's done, I'm left with a clean slate that I can leave as it is, paint, or stain.
For this review, I put four of the most popular wood strippers to the test: Max Strip, Minwax, Citristrip, and Smart Strip. I used a thrifted nightstand made of solid white oak with an existing oil-based stain. When I look for pieces to restore, I always look for real wood. Wood veneers won't accept any sort of varnish or paint stripper.
My goal was to get the dark brown-orange finish off of the bulk of the piece. I also painted the drawer fronts with latex paint so I could fully test the combination paint/varnish strippers. Each product was tested outdoors in a well-ventilated area and I wore thick rubber gloves and protective goggles.
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