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Sanding, heat and chemicals are the basic three methods to strip wood. Among three methods, two are commonly used to make the process much easier. It depends upon the requirement of the task and you effectively make any work such as shelves fitting, drawer removal without much effort.

The process of sanding is one of the most common and effective. This includes the use of mechanical energy and can easily remove unwanted objects from the crannies and nooks. The belt drive technology drives the electric sanders and is especially helpful in a proper layering in any piece of wood or furniture.

Heat used though a blowlamp or a blow torch would be too powerful in case of furniture. The gentler hot air-strippers which are widely used can be considered but a moment's distraction could burn the wood. Heat only works best for flashing; it does not have any work on lacquers and French polishes.

The uses of the chemicals are effective indeed. The damage is very minimal. Although the waste is highly flammable, it can cause serious trouble to your sensitive body parts. To protect your eyes and skin, use safety equipments such as goggles and rubber gloves.

Usually the proprietary strippers are methylene chloride based: as paste sticks to vertical surfaces, they are better options than liquids. Rather than brushing, the stripper you dab and dollop it with a grass, nylon brush or with dispensable paint brushes. The main reason behind doing this is to keep a thickness on the surface which will help it to immerse in and lift up the older finish. For bits and pieces that are left behind use a knife or a wire wool to scrape it off layer by layer.

For dissolving the wax easily and prevent quick drying of the liquid mixture (water or white spirit), ready-made strippers are often used. In case the old furniture and veneers are too wet, make sure that you melt some glue. Strippers can be non-washable for better results but can be wiped with a water or spirit to give better finish.

If the use of proprietary strippers is a problem for you, you can try caustic soda as an optional method. But before use make sure that the chemical is converted into a whiting paste or wallpaper paste for better results. The exact proportion should be: 1 kilo of crystals to a bucket of water. Avoid using it in the veneered pieces. Always mix the crystals with the water only.

Sometimes, you may notice some white sediments or deposit in some of the mahogany furniture. These are usually plaster of paris and commonly used as filling materials. To make such surface polished, you can scrub it using a wire brush and linseed oil. Once completed, start the sanding process for a better finish.