I need my oak beams stripping of varnish so that they have a natural finsh?

Answer 1

You need a pro sand blaster to give it a smooth finish.

Answer 2

As a professional decorator I have had the 'pleasure' of this job many times. The best ? quickest results are from sand blasting but this has many problems associated with it such as the mess it leaves but mainly for me the 'false' finish it leaves. You will either love it or hate it so please think hard and long before you go down this route. My advise is to take a look at the results this can achieve and the best place can often be in a local pub (good enough reason to do lots of research I say) as many have this false look done to paneling. One such pub is the Smugglers Inn at Osmington Mills just outside Weymouth. I find the best results are given by using a 15-20mm wood chisel. You use it like a scraper but first give the sharp edge a 'burr' on an oil stone and then use it until the burr blunts. This is hard work but for gives the best finish. Oak is so hard that glass paper will not be effective at all. Best of luck and let us know how you get on.

Answer 3

Try sanding the old varnish of with sand paper. This is a long process but produces a better result than using chemical varnish stripper.

Answer 4

Sand blasting would probabl be the best method (as the beams will not be flat and sanding etc would spoil the natural shape/texture) ----- messy but would remove all teh varnish and get the best finish :)

Answer 5

Varnish remover, but wear a mask, it affects your vocal cords.

Answer 6

Sand and Sand and Sand and Sand again I'm afraid if you want the best result!

Answer 7

I did my cabinets i used electric sander sand paper cheese cloth and picked the color i wanted and did them myself they came out beautiful

Answer 8

ready strip - As seen on tv product safe to use, no smells,

Answer 9

sounds like a long boring job

Answer 10

hot air stripper and hard work