Thick wood furniture is finished with a veneer coating to achieve a beautiful and durable surface. However, if it comes off, the table, desk, buffet, or dressing table looks neglected and ruined. Removing the veneer to bring out the bare wood requires a firm hand and attention, but the result will be a beautiful wooden piece of furniture.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Loosen the Cover
Step 1. Check the state of the veneer
If you can remove a small portion of the coating to see the state of the underlying wood, you can get an idea of how much work will be needed to complete your project. If the furniture has been in a damp room for a few years, chances are you won't have to worry about loosening the upholstery, but you can skip straight to the removal step.
Step 2. Turn the cabinet so that the veneered side faces up
Step 3. Wet an old towel with warm water
Squeeze it out because it needs to be wet without dripping.
Step 4. Place the towel on the cover
Make sure the cloth does not come into contact with areas you want to leave intact or are already bare wood. Water damages the coating.
Any damage / stain the water may cause to the underlying wood will be removed by the grinding process
Step 5. Leave the wet cloth on the cabinet for a couple of hours
Moisten it again if it dries. If the veneer does not break, you will have to leave the towel on for three hours.
Step 6. Remove the cloth
Check for cracks or wrinkles. The glue under the veneer should begin to dissolve after prolonged exposure to water.
Part 2 of 3: Peel off the Cover
Step 1. Secure the piece of furniture to your work table, if it is not excessively heavy
Wear gloves and safety glasses.
Step 2. Take a 7.5 cm chisel or metal putty knife
Keep the putty knife as flat as possible to avoid damaging the wood underneath. Try to follow the grain of the wood.
Step 3. Start scraping constantly with long and fluid movements starting from the points where the veneer is already partially detached
Step 4. Scrape several times and then try to pry it up in large chunks with your hands
The water-damaged coating will come off in sheets.
Step 5. Stop when you get to a stubborn spot
If you are using a chisel rotate it. Work sideways on the glued area keeping an angle of 45 ° to the wood grain.
Continue with short, flat movements, applying gentle pressure on the glued area
Step 6. “Attack” particularly difficult areas with the steam of an iron
Purchase a second hand one that you can use specifically for this type of work. Wet a cloth and place it on the difficult-to-treat area of the veneer.
- The cloth must be very wet but at the same time it must not drip.
- Place the hot iron on top of the wet cloth and leave it on for 1-2 minutes. The steam loosens the glue of the coating.
- Be very careful not to touch the iron and keep your hands away from the steam during this process as it is extremely hot.
- Keep the iron and cloth away from finished areas of the cabinet.
Step 7. Scrape the stubborn parts with the putty knife
Part 3 of 3: Sand the Cabinet
Step 1. Peel off all the veneer pieces and discard them
Step 2. Attach an 80-grit sandpaper disc to the orbital grinder
Plug it into the electrical outlet, wear goggles and face mask.
Step 3. Sand the entire bare wood surface
Brush off the sawdust.
Step 4. Repeat the process with 120 and 220 emery paper until the surface is smooth and ready to be finished
Step 5. Paint the wood or spread the primer
Finish with a polyurethane sealant.
