Furniture Stripping
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Reflections Again also provides furniture stripping. We have been offering this service since 1990. Most of the items we work on are older pieces, although not necessarily antiques (depending on whom you ask, true antiques are supposed to be at least 100 or 150 years old).
FAQs
If you don't see your question here e-mail or call us (408-971-8389 ).
How is furniture
stripped?
What is flow over
Stripping?
What is hand
stripping?
What is cold tank
dipping?
What is hot tank
dipping?
What is the
CHEM-CLEAN® system?
Does dip
stripping harm furniture?
How
does one decide which form of stripping to choose?
How much does stripping it
cost?
What about stripping
paint?
Are there
finishes that won't strip?
Where can I get
finishing/refinishing supplies?
- How is furniture stripped?
- There are many ways furniture can be stripped. Here are 5 methods: hand stripping,, cold tank dipping, hot tank dipping, flow over, and the CHEM-CLEAN® system. We use the CHEM-CLEAN® system.
- What is hand stripping?
- We also offer hand stripping. It is similar to the method you would use at home. Stripper is applied to the item, and then the finish is scraped and rubbed off. Any residue left is removed with lacquer thinner. This is a generally safe way to remove finish. It is also the most expensive as it takes the most amount of time.
- What is cold tank dipping?
- We do not offer this method. The furniture is dipped into a tank filled with furniture stripper, with methylene chloride as the main active ingredient. The finish is scrubbed off and the residue is removed with water or lacquer thinner. Using a water rinse is quicker, and thus less expensive. However, the introduction of water may cause damage (grain raising, warping, splitting, etc.) Lacquer rinse takes longer and uses up material, so it is more expensive. A lacquer rinse is much kinder to the furniture.
- What is hot tank dipping?
- We do not offer this method. Items are emersed in a heated tank (120 degrees) of lye. Lye is also known as caustic soda or sodium hydroxide. The lye may darken the wood. The finish is scrubbed off followed by a water rinse. The item is then placed into a tank of oxalic acid which will lighten the wood and neutralize the base properties of the lye. This type of stripping is best suited for such items as heavily painted house doors, banisters, or molding. It is very effective in removing multiple layers of paint found on architectural pieces of old homes. Lye stripping can be a harsh process and is usually not recommended for most furniture. It can be used to remove paint from sturdy furniture such as a solid oak chair. It can also be used when all else fails.
- What is flow over stripping?
- We offer flow over stripping. Furniture is placed in a tray and the stripper is pumped through a hose to wash the finish off. This is an efficient method for stripping furniture
- What is the CHEM-CLEAN® system?
- We offer the CHEM-CLEAN® SYSTEM. It is a high production, labor efficient furniture stripping system. It consists of the SYSTEM 1000 strip tray plus the CHEM-CLEAN® Automatic Stripping Machine ASM-200. The ASM-200 is a high volume, automatic device. The 6 X 6 X 8 ft. chamber, has a 215 gallon baffled sump feeding a 5 H.P.-XP seal less pump that delivers 120 gallons per minute of CHEM-CLEAN® Solvent through18 strategically placed flat jet nozzles onto furniture placed on a 5.75 foot diameter rotating table. The unique combination of moderate pressure, peel back effect and gentleness allows stripping the most delicate pieces of furniture in complete safety.
- The CHEM-CLEAN® solvents do not contain acid, alkali, or paraffin thus eliminating the need for a water wash off or neutralization of the stripped piece of furniture. The piece is simply stripped and set aside to dry. No water is ever used in the CHEM-CLEAN® system; this minimizes grain raising and the resultant need for sanding.
- Does dip stripping harm furniture?
- Most of the bad press on furniture dipping comes from the days when lye stripping was a principal method for removing finishes. Hot water and lye are harsh on wood and glue. Dipping in a cold tank is far less stressful on furniture. Removing the final residue with lacquer thinner instead of water creates less wear and tear on the furniture. Remember, no matter what type of stripping is done the furniture is being put through stress it wasn't intended for.
- How does one decide which form of stripping to choose?
- It depends on the individual piece of furniture and money that the customer wants to spend. Usually most furniture is stripped in the cold tank and rinsed with water. This is the least expensive method and usually works just fine. We will be more than happy to discuss the options with our customers. Call (408-971-8389) or e-mail us: reflectionsagain@writeme.com.
- How much does it cost?
- We charge $50 per hour for our services. Please check our Stripping and Finishing Prices page for typical prices. Prices reflected here are only rough estimates. The prices are for cold tank dipping with a water rinse, unless otherwise noted. We need to see each piece before giving an accurate price quote. Also, painted items will always cost more.
- What about stripping paint?
- Paint is usually much more difficult to strip. Getting the surface paint off can be difficult enough; the real work comes in getting it out of crevices and pores in the wood. There are situations where all of the paint never comes off. If the paint was applied over a pre existing clear finish the results are usually more satisfactory. We charge a minimum of 50% more to strip painted items. For example: if a small table with a clear finish costs $50 to strip, the same painted item would cost $70 or more.
- Are there finishes that won't strip?
- Yes. Some modern finishes and some paints are virtually unstrippable. If this is the case, we will return the furniture to you at no charge. Please note, once stripper is used on the furniture it may dull the finish. Your furniture will be returned to you in this condition.
- Where can I get finishing/refinishing supplies?
- Go to Wood Finish Supply
Basic info:
Reflections Again
1260-H Yard Ct
San Jose, CA 95133
408-971-8389
mirrors@321.net
www.mirror
resilvering.com
Hours:
10-6 Mon - Sat
(Call for appointment)
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