# Removing Old 1930s Old Varnish From Stairs



## pollys13 (10 Jan 2011)

Hi,
I attach a couple of links to pictures of my stairs. I think the old varnish is called something like stubling. I got some off using stripper and wire wool. As you can see there is quite a lot left, anyone got any ideas of how I can remove it. I want to sand down the stairs and apply a finish. ( what kind? Don't think the Briwax I'm using on doors would suit. )

http://s807.photobucket.com/albums/yy35 ... rent=f.jpg

http://s807.photobucket.com/albums/yy35 ... rent=g.jpg
Cheers.


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## Jamesc (11 Jan 2011)

What stripper are you using? I've had good success with Ronseal Strypit on older finishes. 
Whilst it works well there is nothing I've found that replaces elbow grease in the end. 

James


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## yellowbelly (11 Jan 2011)

Its is called scrumble/scrumbling, and it was applied to make the wood look better than it really was, the easiest way for you to remove it is to apply stripper liberally and then cover/seal it over with polythene or cling film, this will stop the stripper evaporating and the stripper will work longer and strike deeper, leave it at least a couple of hours to get the best out of it. When you remove the cover scrape or wire wool any thing that is left and wash down with WASHING soda to neutralise the stripper and carry on to sand it down when its dried
Good Luck


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## Pvt_Ryan (11 Jan 2011)

Nitromos is good stuff just wear gloves, you do not want it on your skin.


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## Fromey (11 Jan 2011)

As an aside, I noticed in your photo album a picture of a door.







Does anyone know what wood that is? I ask, because I'm currently reconditioning a shelving unit for my wife and it's definitely made out of that wood. A real proverbial to plane!


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## AndyT (11 Jan 2011)

I had good results on a similar job with this stuff http://www.ecosolutions.co.uk/homestrip.html from our local hardware shop. *Much* pleasanter to use than Nitromors and similar - no fumes, no smell, but it does actually work!


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## pollys13 (11 Jan 2011)

Fromey":34fvl9i9 said:


> As an aside, I noticed in your photo album a picture of a door.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I assumed it was a pine?I'd be interested to know too if not a pine.


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## pollys13 (11 Jan 2011)

AndyT":3e7vpvj5 said:


> I had good results on a similar job with this stuff http://www.ecosolutions.co.uk/homestrip.html from our local hardware shop. *Much* pleasanter to use than Nitromors and similar - no fumes, no smell, but it does actually work!


Cheers.


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## pollys13 (11 Jan 2011)

yellowbelly":33fwc4og said:


> Its is called scrumble/scrumbling, and it was applied to make the wood look better than it really was, the easiest way for you to remove it is to apply stripper liberally and then cover/seal it over with polythene or cling film, this will stop the stripper evaporating and the stripper will work longer and strike deeper, leave it at least a couple of hours to get the best out of it. When you remove the cover scrape or wire wool any thing that is left and wash down with WASHING soda to neutralise the stripper and carry on to sand it down when its dried
> Good Luck


OK thank you, that sounds a good way to try it. On another board someone suggested, 
"Hi Peter

You could try this for stripping varnish just be careful, use rubber gloves and safety glasses.

Go to your local supermarket and get a can of lye. Over here Gillets is the brand I use, costs around $2 a can. Years ago people used to use it to make soap, I guess it is still used for cleaning or something. Anyway dissolve the lye in warm water in a quart glass jar. Don't use an aluminum container. It will eat it. Paint the solution on the varnish using a natural bristle brush. It eats plastic too. Wait a few minutes and wash it off with water. Let the wood dry and sand down the raised grain. Proceed with staining. The nice thing with lye is that it works very well on varnishes and also bleaches the old stain out of the wood as well. It is also great for aging cherry wood."

The method I use I want the wood to match the sanded down doors, rest of staircase etc. Probably I could get a nice effect by staining the treads steps on the stairs whatever they are called. If I can get the wood cleaned and sanded down so the wood has a uniform bare wood colour. Should be quite easy to stain might be able to close match the stain so looks like doors. Don't really know, what do you and others think?
Peter.


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## pollys13 (11 Jan 2011)

Jamesc":3f2vq67b said:


> What stripper are you using? I've had good success with Ronseal Strypit on older finishes.
> Whilst it works well there is nothing I've found that replaces elbow grease in the end.
> 
> James


I'm using Wickes Paint and varnish stripper.
Ta.


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## Dodge (11 Jan 2011)

Fromey":3fny6b3k said:


> As an aside, I noticed in your photo album a picture of a door.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Looks like Hemlock to me - Horrible stuff! Used to have to machine components in it for a window company.


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## pollys13 (11 Jan 2011)

Dodge":354gpd8z said:


> Fromey":354gpd8z said:
> 
> 
> > As an aside, I noticed in your photo album a picture of a door.
> ...


Looking at the pictures do you think the stairs are made of Hemlock too? Are the door frames, skirting and architrave also likely to be made from Hemlock?


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## pollys13 (11 Jan 2011)

Pvt_Ryan":2hbomqnj said:


> Nitromos is good stuff just wear gloves, you do not want it on your skin.


Cheers.


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## pollys13 (11 Jan 2011)

yellowbelly":33d68msq said:


> Its is called scrumble/scrumbling, and it was applied to make the wood look better than it really was, the easiest way for you to remove it is to apply stripper liberally and then cover/seal it over with polythene or cling film, this will stop the stripper evaporating and the stripper will work longer and strike deeper, leave it at least a couple of hours to get the best out of it. When you remove the cover scrape or wire wool any thing that is left and wash down with WASHING soda to neutralise the stripper and carry on to sand it down when its dried
> Good Luck


I was reading caustic soda to remove paint varnish can darken the wood? See my other reply regarding using lye.


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## yellowbelly (12 Jan 2011)

Caustic soda is very good but I erred on not reccommending it as a diy product. PLEASE dont confuse Caustic with WASHING soda  cant stress that enough


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## pollys13 (15 Jan 2011)

yellowbelly":z927znxv said:


> Caustic soda is very good but I erred on not reccommending it as a diy product. PLEASE dont confuse Caustic with WASHING soda  cant stress that enough


OK.


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## Steve Blackdog (15 Jan 2011)

I'll bet my trousers that the door wood is Douglas Fir aka Oregon Pine. 

It's a beautiful wood. My 20's house is built almost entirely of Douglas Fir (obviously not the bricks!).

It has very interesting semi hardwood properties and has natural water/rot resistance.

You can get it from a good timber merchant in fairly wide planks (12").


Cheers

Steve


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## pollys13 (16 Jan 2011)

yellowbelly":own1ksux said:


> Its is called scrumble/scrumbling, and it was applied to make the wood look better than it really was, the easiest way for you to remove it is to apply stripper liberally and then cover/seal it over with polythene or cling film, this will stop the stripper evaporating and the stripper will work longer and strike deeper, leave it at least a couple of hours to get the best out of it. When you remove the cover scrape or wire wool any thing that is left and wash down with WASHING soda to neutralise the stripper and carry on to sand it down when its dried
> Good Luck


Hi,
What concentration of washing soda would you suggest to wash down the stripper, 50gm to 500ml of water or other ratio?
Cheers.


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## yellowbelly (16 Jan 2011)

A good handful of Washing Soda crystals in a bucket of water as hot as you can stand it basically


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## pollys13 (16 Jan 2011)

Steve Blackdog":3c2etgco said:


> I'll bet my trousers that the door wood is Douglas Fir aka Oregon Pine.
> 
> It's a beautiful wood. My 20's house is built almost entirely of Douglas Fir (obviously not the bricks!).
> 
> ...


OK.


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## pollys13 (16 Jan 2011)

yellowbelly":3jank0yz said:


> A good handful of Washing Soda crystals in a bucket of water as hot as you can stand it basically


I'm with you, ta.


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