The Best Scrapers and Stripping Supplies for Furniture
For too long, I didn’t invest enough in quality scrapers. For too long, I tried to sand off every old finish. Don’t have these furniture refinishing regrets. These tools aren’t that expensive. And they can save you days of time. Without that much effort.
Old finish removal and paint stripping from furniture is probably the most tedious part of refinishing furniture. It’s also the most rewarding. And it doesn’t have to be that hard.
Here’s my list of go-to tools for scraping and stripping furniture.
Best Scrapers
Buy: Hyde Pull Scraper, 2.5″ Carbide Blade
This is the single most-impactful product I’ve purchased. I’ll repeat mysel: yes, a scraper is the single most important product I’ve ever bought. When you pull a scraper, you control the pressure and depth of finish removal better than you can when you push a scraper. The carbide blade, once you’ve got a hang of the pressure and where to insert it at the right angle, will slice off old finish like layers of butter.
For any piece of furniture’s old paint removal or old finish scraping, this is what I use for 95% of the work.
Buy: Hyde Molding Scraper
A molding scraper can get into places the pull scraper cannot. The sharp angle creates easy leverage and pries off old finish well. It’s helpful for a variety of project issues. It’s best at digging paint out of corners. It’s the Robin to the pull scraper’s Batman.
The angles of this putty knife are really helpful in specific situations. It gives you more umph, more leverage, and the pointed edge seems to uplift paint better than a straight scraper. Just a useful all-around tool in the workshop. This can do the heavy lifting and the Hyde pull scraper comes in to clean up the mess.
With a straight scraper, you’ll round out your arsenal of scrapers. Occasionally, this class paint scraper is invaluable, not just for scraping. For wood putty. For applying Bondo all-purpose puttty. I use this scraper multiple times per week.
Buy: Rhodes American Steel Wool Grade #0
At the end of a stripping a piece of furniture, there’s almost always a thin layer of finish remaining. To remove that last layer, I use Grade #0 steel wool. Works like a charm. (Remember though, after using stool wool on wood, always wipe away any residual steel wood fibers, then follow with tack cloth. If you don’t, the steel wool can rust and blacken underneath your eventual finish, particularly if you use a water-based finish.)
Best Strippers for Furniture
Buy: QCS Finish Remover
If you’re stripping lacquer, poly, or shellac (or if you have no idea what the finish is), QCS Stripwell is your choice. They’re a small business. It’s non-toxic. And the product really works. Plus, they’re great people.
Buy: Klean Strip’s Premium Stripper
For paint (latex or oil-based), Klean Strip’s Premium Stripper is the best. After much trial and error, this is what I prefer to strip paint. Unlike other strippers, it won’t change the color of the wood underneath, nor will it raise the wood grain. Warning: ALWAYS wear a respirator when you’re working with chemical strippers, or just about any other activity while working on furniture. You’ll thank me as soon as you get to work.
Best Respirator and Cartridges
Buy: 3M Rugged Respirator
While working, I like to focus on the work, not the fumes. Buy a respirator. It’s worth it just for the peace of mind. These materials are often hazardous. I wear mine every single day.
Buy: 3M Replacement Cartridges
I replace the cartridges every 4 to 6 months. Again. It’s worth it.
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Want to see these tools in action? Check out one of our recent furniture makeovers:
Disclaimer: Not all of these products are affiliate products, but some are attached with a link. If you purchase the product after clicking the link, I receive a small commission in return.