Is it quicker and more efficient to strip finish off
with a heat gun or with chemical strippers? It probably
won't surprise you to hear that it depends on what type
of finish (and how much) is being stripped, but what may
surprise you is that often the answer is "both."
Chemical strippers are great for thin coatings, and especially
for clear coatings like lacquer and thin varnish. However,
they tend to bog down when you must attack many layers
of thick paint, and you end up with a multicolored mess
of gunk. That's where the heat gun comes in.
A heat gun, which you can find at your home or hardware
store, makes quick work of many layers of thick paint.
It makes the paint bubble up and soften so that you can
remove it very efficiently, and with relatively little
mess, using a putty knife. Clearly the best option, right?
Not quite.
The problem is, the heat gun removes fast, but not totally.
Chances are there will be some paint left in the pores
and crevices of the wood, and it is difficult to get that
last bit of paint out without either marring or scorching
the wood. That's where the chemical comes in. Once the
heat gun has removed the bulk of the finish, a coating
of chemical stripper will make quick work of what remains.
By working with a heat gun first, then following with chemical
stripper, you get the best of both worlds.
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strip finish off with a heat gun or with chemical strippers?"
