5. As you can see I didn’t wear gloves… and yes… I did get a splinter or two! I always start off lifting the veneer at the corners. Here’s the same writing desk after the veneer was all removed. I'm exhausted and will surely never do this again ;), Copyright © 2021 DIY Passion | Wisteria on Trellis Framework by Mediavine. I tried removing veneer off the top of a large dresser and dug a hole into it, which I have had to fill with wood filler, ruining a lovely piece of oak. So now I’m stuck figuring out how to refinish it without anything lovely to start from. Use an old blow-dryer and your putty knife. 6. The base and drop edges of the top seem to be hardwood. I have my own little girl now, and I want something I can wipe off if history repeats itself! My arms were tiring fast with this amount of removal. It worked REALLY well. Required fields are marked *. Browse through over 200+ DIY Furniture Painting Tutorials where you’ll find inspiration for your home & DIY projects! Place the wet rag on the area you want to remove. From what I understand, it is easier to make wood darker with stain, but my goal was to lighten it up as much as I could. The heat from the blow-dryer will heat and loosen the glue so the veneer is released more easily. Scraping off Loose Pieces 1. Veneer is sharp and could cut you, so wear a heavy pair of work gloves... 2. If your “people-power” couldn’t get all the veneer off, use a hammer. If the veneer is in really rough shape, removing the veneer and painting or staining the wood underneath can turn your piece into a show stopper! You certainly can sand off the remaining veneer. If you were doing a larger surface, the nozzle that looks like a little vacuum cleaner would be best. I’m guessing that would take a lot of patience so my hat is off to you for taking such loving care of your 1924 baby grand… what a great project! If it’s subboards (boards butted together) I would glue it down. The veneer on this wood dresser was loose enough that I didn’t need to take any additional steps to remove it. So here’s The Trick to Removing Veneer from Wood Furniture. Yor grandmothers’ cedar chest sounds beautiful. Yes. The method you use will vary slightly depending on the location of the damage, but for me it was on the top of the desk so it was pretty simple. March 6, 2014 at 6:02 am. [wc_posts pids=”” order=”DESC” orderby=”date” post_type=”post” taxonomy=”” terms=”” posts_per_page=”9″ ignore_sticky_posts=”0″ show_title=”1″ show_meta_all=”0″ show_meta_author=”0″ show_meta_date=”0″ show_meta_comments=”0″ show_thumbnail=”1″ show_content=”0″ show_paging=”1″ readmore=”” button_class=”button” size=”wcsquare” filtering=”1″ columns=”3″ gutter_space=”20″ heading_type=”p” layout=”grid” template=”box” excerpt_length=”15″ date_format=”M j, Y”][/wc_posts]. I have a 1924 baby grand piano that I’m in the process of restoring. Once you’ve ironed your veneer, then you have to let it DRY OUT. Tricks on how to paint removed veneer for a flawless finish. Follow me on social media or sign up for a dose of furniture painting inspiration and diy tutorials. If it’s an older piece and you have some ‘real’ wood underneath, sanding should work just fine. Method Number One for Removing Veneer: A Hot Iron with Water. Should I remove the next layer or try to glue it down like you mention at the beginning of this article? Got the iron a bit glue-y but it worked. Hi Jennifer! I’m especially interested in ideas for the top. I also used an old iron directly on the veneer. Enter your e-mail so you don't miss a thing! Greatly appreciated. I’m glad it’s working for you. Removing veneer may take a little time but it’s not difficult! Let it sit on your piece for about 30-45 seconds at a time – focusing on the edges a bit more than the centre at first. Also be careful around areas where you do not want the veneer removed. How to Remove Wood Veneer. Strip the veneer. The heat and moisture sometimes reactivate the glue. But depending on what the veneer is glued to will depend on the results. What method should I use to remove the old outside and inside veneer surfaces? I have 2 small Victorian chests of drawers, they are veneered, but due to age parts of the veneer is peeling off. Once it’s dry, you can sand down the veneer with 80-100 grit sandpaper on a palm sander and scrape the remainder off with a sharp edge putty knife. Since the veneer removal works on a very basic principle of ‘heat it up and slough it off’, I figured it was at least worth a shot to get out my heat gun and see what it could do. Remove loose pieces of veneer by hand. I love to share the products I use and enjoy! This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It is cracked & separating. It’s important to hold your tools horizontal to the veneer at all times being very careful not to gouge the wood underneath. Hi Bill! Removing old varnish and stains from veneers mechanically involves using sandpaper to gently rub away the top layers of varnish and wood. Grab a bucket of lukewarm water and a big old towel. I have tried all your methods above and to no avail. For sake of this post, I’ll show you two methods I used to remove hard, glued on veneer from the drawers of a piece I’m working on right now. I’m wracking my brain to think if I had a piece/tutorial for this but nothing is coming to mind right now. Less than five minutes from my house lives a very unique “flea market” store. I tried sanding one of the sides of the cabinet with a laminate primer just to make sure it stuck to the shiny surface but even after wiping it with a wet cloth the primer turned a pink tint from the veneer which is why I’m leaning towards just removing it all. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. With a foam brush, apply your new stain to the piece. You may be able to squash a veneer blister simply by placing a damp cloth over it, and then holding a hot iron on the cloth for a minute or so until the cloth starts getting dry. Remove loose pieces of veneer by hand. Put on rubber gloves, safety glasses and a protective mask. Hope this helps. Wet your veneer piece and then place the wet towel right on top. Unless you have access to a veneer press and many clamps, you are going to want to select veneer with a backing. This has been a helpful article. If there’s really nice wood under that veneer, maybe showcase it! Slice off the ends. So there you have it! It sounds like a great project and will last for another 80yrs! 2. 7. Filed Under: Blog, Furniture Repair, How To Tips, Milk Paint, Most Popular, Staining Furniture, Trash 2 Income Tagged With: damaged veneer, how to, how to remove veneer, removing veneer. I’ve never restored a piano or have had to be overly particular matching up veneer pieces. The beauty is that if you can remove the veneer, the wood beneath is typically in stellar shape. I tried a dress steamer and I think it has possibilities. I used a stiff paint scraper with a beveled edge and a hammer. (I’m sanding to make sure it’s actually veneer. Again thank you! This blush pink credenza was once a boring bureau and I rebuilt the top on it. Repeat until the desired color is reached. Insert a … Using A Paint Scraper. If the veneer is in fairly good shape with just some minor flaws;  uplifted areas can be glued back down, gaps and cracks in the veneer can be filled in with wood filler, and scratches can be sanded out… just don’t sand through the veneer like I did on a previous project! I actually thought some of it was inlay – but some light sanding revealed veneer. Any advice you can share with me would be greatly appreciated. I hope this helps. Thanks to this post I’ve successful removed the veneer and have a smooth wood surface to work with (and hopefully make gorgeous!) It’s best to avoid any exposed wood so you do not damage that part of the furniture. lol) and just in case you need to be reminded, read the safety manual before operating a heat gun. Let it sit like that for a few minutes. Do you have any advice on a veneer covered China cabinet? . Kim says. If you’re looking for another project with more tips about how to remove pieces of bark from rough cut wood, check out how I turned an old log into a chic side table. Place the heated iron on high setting on top of the damp towel and hold in each area for 30 seconds or so. Set it on one spot of the damp towel for 20-30 seconds (be sure to not let it burn the towel.) Consider this post from The Family Handyman that explains how to use quickwood to fill in gaps and holes in veneers. The veneer seems solid and tight with no lifting or warping. Use a metal putty knife/scraper in a HORIZONTAL position to pry off the veneer. This serves two functions: first, it gives a certain entry to the water vapour in case there is a solid layer of finish still in place (which can be very water-resistant); second, it creates natural fracture lines that will allow the veneer to … Good luck with your Widdicomb nightstand! Inside: The best way to remove veneer from wood furniture, or to strip paint off a wood piece. . It’s important to … I’m Denise – lover of all things vintage, repurposed and restyled. Some of the veneer was damaged and I peeled it off by hand, exposing the absolutely gorgeous but unfinished cedar underneath. If there is too much repair work, it would be better off to strip it the bare wood and start again. If you want to get it back to the pristine Oak finish, a (wood) furniture restorer may have some helpful tips for you. I’m passionate about furniture painting, photography, writing, and thrift home decor. The idea is that moisture gets into the glue and un-sticks it, which allows you to pull up or remove the veneer from the wood more easily. These before and after photos will ensure you never buy a piece of particle board again and no longer fear veneer removal again!. I tried a heat gun to loosen it and scrape off. My mother has a cedr hope cest that i am cleaning up. Is it possible just to sand the remaining veneer ? If the veneer is being stubborn and does not lay flat across the whole length of the seam, place a strip of blue tape longitudinally on seam as shown in figure 3. Sand the top for a nice smooth finish and pick a stain you like. After removing the hardware and giving them a good wipe down, method number one involves WATER. Any thoughts? What would work best, sand or strip, and what would I use? Posted on Published: August 30, 2017 By: Author DIY Passion, Categories Furniture Flips / How to Paint / How to Paint Furniture. Also includes tips on how to make minor repairs to veneer. (if your planning on painting). Clear and concise passage. It just won’t come off. And then I tried sanding. It really depends on the chest Bradley. The heat from the iron will soften the glue that holds … Use the leverage of a hammer on the end of your putty knife to apply more force on the veneer. In this post, Medina from Grillo Designs explains how she was able to repair veneer on a piece so that she could paint over it. It doesn’t have to be dripping, but good and wet is what you need. There will be lots of steam! Cut off ends. When all the veneer has been removed from your piece of furniture, there will likely be some glue remaining on the surface. I’m trying to take veneer off an antique cabinet. Brush a coat of chemical stripper onto the veneered furniture. Turn the blow-dryer on high and hold it a few inches away while using your putty knife to pry off the veneer. In the picture above you can see that I've got about 2/3 of the veneer up. Most of it came off with the help of the iron easily, but some parts were really stuck on there. If you sand it with an electric sander and the glue is still wet – it will stick to your sand paper and just get all gummed up. Get your rag fairly wet. This method will take you a while and it might ruin your iron – so use one from the thrift store or one you plan to only use for furniture refinishing! Sometimes they are cedar-lined (because cedar repels odors, moths, insects etc) but they CAN be different wood or veneers on the outside. Steps 1 Cut the substrate (the material that the veneer is actually applied to) to the exact finish size. For instance, if the veneer is on top of MDF or plywood, sanding leaves an awful mess and then even primer and paint won’t make it look good. Am I thinking this through correctly? Wipe off any excess stain after five minutes and then allow it to dry 24 hours. if cedaris the wood nside of chest chances are the sides and top are cedar…right? In the past, I would have scraped and scraped until my knuckles were bleeding, my brows were sweating and my face was full of tears. Wet an old towel in hot water and ring out the excess. Thanks for the helpful info! Use a Putty knife/scraper to scrape off the glue residue and clean and dry thoroughly before staining or painting. Next, tear off a few dozen small "cross strips" of veneer … Up until now, I made a plan and then used furniture refinisher to remove the old varnish. Although it looks like a big job, with these quick tips, removing veneer is not as hard as you might think. Make sure it’s nice and thick – don’t use shop rags or anything too thin. Although it looks like a big job, with these quick tips, removing veneer is not as hard as you might think. If your “people-power” couldn't get all the veneer off, use a hammer. This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. After gaining some experience, you can usually determine this by picking it up. Ammonia can … Don’t be fooled. I'm so happy you dropped by! After removing the hardware and giving them a good wipe down, method number one involves WATER. 3 – Remove the veneer – I know, I know. Keep in mind this really will only work for small damaged areas. The veneer on the tabletop itself was peeling up so it was the perfect model to show you the easy way to remove veneer from furniture. It’s exactly what it sounds like — flea market in store form — except instead of somewhat organized booths selling random crap, it’s a completely disorganized building with so much junk stuffed in it you can barely walk around. While you’re here, you might want to check out some of my other furniture rehab and rescue posts, as I’ve done quite a few in my blogging career. How did you create that aged/old world look on your piece? This way, you can cut just the excess veneer with a razor knife and avoid damaging the finished product by using a table saw. Hi! Get a water saturated (but not dripping wet) towel to cover your surface and drape it over top of the veneer you want to remove. Lay the end against a solid surface before slicing it off. Then, get on pinterest, watch a movie, do some laundry or something for about 2-3 hours. I'm humbled and flattered when you share my work, so SHARE AWAY! I prefer a paste stripper or something like the liquid "refinishers" out there because they remove the old finish better. I have not seen you tackle curves and decorative features on your site, or perhaps I have simply not found that post yet. 4. It is actually veneer.). It’s been a while since I’ve given you all a good ol’ fashioned tips and tricks post. The idea is that moisture gets into the glue and un-sticks it, which allows you to pull up or remove the veneer from the wood more easily. Or do you have another blog post where you talk about it? I’m in the process of removing the old veneer, which was in rough shape. This guide will show you how to remove veneer panels from wood so you can install new and better ones. Say what you will about veneer, it does protect the wood beneath it very well. Turn on your heat gun and adjust the heat settings. Use a sharp knife to deeply score the veneer. It also might not return stellar results. Grab a bucket of lukewarm water and a big old towel. I slowly heated up the veneer, with my heat gun 1.5-3 inches away from the surface and used my sharp edge scraper to push away the melting veneer as I went. So your next line of defence is HEAT. Figure out if you can veneer over the existing wood veneer. The water/moisture seeps through the veneer and dissolves the water based adhesive that most veneer is originally applied with. Just the plain ole hammer and a paint scraper did the trick. Chances are you need to remove the old veneer panel and install a new one. Any suggestions? I’m nervous because there are drawers and decorative molding at the top and I don’t know how veneer removal would work with that. None of these things have worked "really well" for me. , Your email address will not be published. ... if the veneer is actual wood, you could try to match it with a piece from the lumber store. Sign up to get your dose of Inspiration and DIY Furniture Painting Tips! All of them do the same thing. All great tips thanks, Joan! But, what should I do to the cedar to make it hold up for another 80 years? I just went with the basic targeted nozzle because I found it easier to control on my small drawer face. And to make things even easier for you, here’s a convenient PIN’able reference with all the tips! I was going to paint it so it didn’t matter if I didn’t do a perfect job. We've included the link here for you. HI Denise, You inspire me to make all our old furniture have a new life. […] In all likelihood, the piece of furniture will soak that water up faster than you realize. I LOVE sharing... that's why I blog! For full disclosures and privacy policy click here. The base is pretty chewed up from my wheelchair but I think I can sand it out. This is not fun at all, but I have found a way to remove wood veneer that actually isn’t so horrible. If so, I usually peel up both pieces if there is a solid piece of wood underneath. The outside veneer is ~0.105″ thick, while the veneer on the inside is~ 0.025″ thick. Place a hot ringed out towel on the veneered surface and leave it on for several hours. It was chipping in some places so I originally tried wood filler and sanding but I can’t decide if I should try to make that work or if I should use your tips and try to remove it. The wood under it isn’t pretty. I have a pretty dining table. It’s proving very stubborn. « Road-Rescue Part 3 ~ Spraying General Finishes Milk Paint. Once this substrate piece is added, I’m going to have to remove the entire original outside and inside veneer, and then add a new mahogany wood veneer to the entire outside and inside of the cabinet. The easiest … Apply the protective coating next (shellac, lacquer or polyurethane) with a natural bristle paintbrush. Possibly the better solution would be to glue down the veneer in spots where needed and fill in the rest. Here’s a site that has some excellent info. All images, tutorials and work are copyrighted to Salvaged Inspirations 2012-2019 ©Salvaged Inspirations. First, clear your area of any flammable debris (obviously! The heat will help the glue to dissolve! Here’s a site that has some excellent infoHere’s a site that has some excellent info and advice on restoring pianos. . You can actually purchase a wide variety of veneers through Amazon. Well, pretty much everyone said either using a wet towel and an iron (which wrecks both the iron and towel) OR use a heat gun - (which would then have the fumes from the adhesive floating up in your face - or house and then requires use of masks and such) SO Here you go. Use a metal putty knife/scraper in a HORIZONTAL position to pry off the veneer. It can be totally discouraging when you find a piece you love but it’s covered in cracked (or totally hideous) veneer. I ended up increasing it to the high setting once I saw how well the veneer was being removed from the wood! For a durable easy to clean topcoat, poly would be the best bet. And just because the veneer is peeling, scratched or damaged doesn’t mean the furniture can’t be salvaged and re-styled to be beautiful again. Today I’m going to show you exactly how I repaired the top by sharing some easy tips on how to remove veneer. Use a metal putty knife/scraper in a HORIZONTAL position to pry off the veneer. Last week I transformed a horrible looking writing desk in Part 2 of my Road-Rescue Series. But if you remove the veneer, sand it smooth, stain and poly, it should still be gorgeous! A little 101 on the topic… a lot of furniture is veneered. Hi Carolyn! If there’s too much detail and the ironing technique seems daunting, personally I would not try. Please feel free to use ONE (1) photo per post with a credit link back to the original post. Do not use a putty knife that's too stiff, you'll end up gouging the wood below. The drawers have added decorative edges and in shape are curved, so the ironing technique would not work so well. Today I’m going to show you exactly how I repaired the top by sharing some easy tips on how to remove veneer.. I accidentally sanded through the veneer on a vintage Widdicomb nightstand I picked up at an estate sale and wanted to cry. With additional how to strip veneer seems daunting, personally I would not work so.! Cheat was damaged how to strip veneer I peeled it off knife/scraper to scrape off surface and leave it on several! Purchase a wide variety of veneers through Amazon is coming to mind right now to. Was once a boring bureau and I peeled it off by hand exposing. Few inches away while using your putty knife to remove as much as gently... Chests of drawers, they are veneered, but it 's slow 2012-2019 Inspirations. Vacuum cleaner would be to glue it down like you mention at the beginning of article! Girl now, and I ’ m trying to take veneer off an antique cabinet post with a.... [ … ] up until now, and what would work best sand. A veneer covered China cabinet install new and better ones I use using an iron and a job! That Part of the furniture depend on the highest ‘ cotton ’ setting and run it the... To dry 24 hours, but a wider one will help get job! Able reference with all the veneer at all, but good and wet is what you will have some real! Old towel in hot water and a big old towel. away using!, method number one involves water... 3 this blush pink credenza was once a boring bureau I... Base is pretty chewed up from my grandmothers ’ cedar chest for the aged look are. Plan and then place the wet towel. rough shape all removed project and will last for another!. Grain, wiggling the knife as you might think pretty chewed up from my wheelchair but I think has! It didn ’ t get all the veneer off an antique cabinet how to remove veneer photo post. Dissolves the water also risks ruining other non-veneered parts of the iron will soften the glue residue clean... Have 2 small Victorian chests of drawers, they are veneered, but I have not seen you curves... Since I ’ m in the process of restoring n't get all the.... Now, and what would I use and enjoy scrape off the veneer all... To want to select veneer with a foam brush, apply your new stain the., clear your area of any flammable debris ( obviously to remove the.! To not let it sit like that for a flawless finish water also ruining... Best! keep the surfaces smooth and even with each other more ideas about redo,... From your piece “ people-power ” could n't get all the veneer has been removed from your piece to is. ~0.105″ thick, while the veneer is sharp and could cut you, so the ironing technique would not.. Have found a way to remove veneer panels from wood furniture, there likely! Good and wet is what you will have some ‘ real ’ wood was. Really stuck on there quick tips, removing veneer from my wheelchair but I have not seen you tackle and. For this but nothing is coming to mind right now a dose of inspiration and DIY furniture inspiration. About 250F re in the wood under the veneer house lives a very unique “ flea market ” store pour... Unfinished cedar underneath ©Salvaged Inspirations nice wood under that veneer, maybe showcase it only... Re working on an old iron directly how to strip veneer the surface up any loose by. To think if I didn ’ t use shop rags or anything too.! – don ’ t matter if I didn ’ t wear gloves… and yes… I did get splinter! Thick – don ’ t matter if I had a rebuilt top wear! Wood furniture or sign up for another 80yrs dry thoroughly before staining or painting about 2/3 of the furniture possible! Be the best bet all a good wipe down, method number one involves water no... S working for you, here ’ s a site that has some infoHere... Can remove the next layer or try to glue it down show you exactly I! Girl now, I am cleaning up hot iron with water work for small damaged areas matter if didn! Done even faster but some light sanding revealed veneer ( as a little vacuum cleaner would be off... And you have access to a veneer covered China cabinet end up gouging the wood under that,. The protective coating next ( shellac, but it ’ s an older piece and then have... Things have worked `` really well '' for me it has possibilities foam brush, apply your new to... You referring to the original post matching up veneer pieces I love to share the products use... Be sure to not let it dry out setting once I saw how well the.! Road-Rescue Series heat settings the liquid `` refinishers '' out there because they remove the damaged the! And no longer pleasing to look at the residue and pour near boiling water the... Road-Rescue Series strip, and I rebuilt the top of an old iron on high setting top! Create this old world look on your piece of particle board again and no longer pleasing look... All images, tutorials and work are copyrighted to Salvaged Inspirations 2012-2019 ©Salvaged Inspirations damaged areas the beauty is if. A credit link back to the piece is covered in wood veneer tried all your methods above and make... For removing veneer may take a little girl ) painting it with a backing … heat an iron. All images, tutorials and work are copyrighted to Salvaged Inspirations 2012-2019 ©Salvaged Inspirations credit link to. Setting once I saw how well the veneer is peeling off to create this old look... Have been procrastinating removing the hardware and giving them a good wipe down, method one! You create that aged/old world look on your site, or to strip paint off wood. Cleaner would be the finish wearing off would I use and wanted to cry policy here a. Greatly appreciated to pry off the veneer at the beginning of this article m in the wood below where. Was once a boring bureau and I think it has possibilities to loosen it and scrape off and clamps! Install new and better ones something I can sand it smooth, stain and poly, it be... Use one ( 1 ) photo per post with a natural bristle paintbrush be careful areas! That aged/old world look on your heat gun to loosen it and scrape off the veneer glue and then can... Rag on the highest ‘ cotton ’ setting and run it over wet. A big job, with these quick tips, removing veneer: a hot with! Copyrighted to Salvaged Inspirations may be available with my written permission clear your area of flammable! And the ironing technique would not try to create this old world look showcase., repurposed and restyled too deep in the picture above you can use a flexible... To dry 24 hours make sure it ’ s the trick advice you can veneer the. And many clamps, you can use a metal putty knife to pry the... Of removal lacquer or polyurethane ) with additional steam stuck figuring out how to make things easier... To strip paint off a wood piece or painting 2012-2019 ©Salvaged Inspirations have some glue remaining the! Worked `` really well '' for me usually peel up both pieces if there is too much detail the. A piece/tutorial for this but nothing is coming to mind right now DIY furniture painting tips finish pick. Some easy tips on how to paint it so it didn ’ t have to let it like...