Tripod member Squarshy asks:
I want to strip and refinish a dresser that has thin (1/8") overlays of maple on the drawer fronts and on the top of the dresser. The dresser is now stained evil '50s dark, and I'd like to give it more of a cherry stain. I have a few questions about the process:
1) Can you recommend one or two good stripping brands?
2) Will I have trouble if I try to lightly sand the wood veneers? They're in pretty good shape, although a few are a little snaggy on the edges.
3) It's a fairly large dresser. What kind of time commitment should I expect to put into the project?
4) What are some good stain brands?

Handy Girl Jennifer suggests:


I don't know all that much about stripping furniture, and the reason is because it really, really sucks. I helped my friend Kyra strip her desk this summer and it took three months, mainly because it is so boring. As a responsible Handy Girl, I have to know when to turn to a professional, and when it comes to stripping large pieces of furniture, I turn. It can be done, but you must consider all the requirements to do this safely and effectively. You cannot sand veneer. It's too thin and you'll go right through it without even knowing it. You'll need a very large room so that you can move around the piece easily. You must have ventilation — a respirator is a good idea. You'll need drop clothes, rags, spackling knives, wire brush, and dental picks to get in the nooks and crannies. It is imperative that you use eye protection. This stuff really burns. It burns your skin, it burns your floor, and it burns paint.

Of course, you'll need to choose the chemical stripper. Realize that the glue holding the veneer on is made of rabbit skin. Many strippers interact with organic glue and your veneer will come right off. Ask at the hardware store. You may have to make some 800 calls. The stronger the stripper, the more toxic it is. Because of the toxicity, you must also properly dispose of all the stripper and old paint gook, rags, and any thing else contaminated by the stripper. If you have it done professionally, I don't think it will cost all that much more then you doing it yourself, once you've bought all these supplies.

The stripper will simply dip the entire piece into a tub of chemicals that will get into all the detailing and remove all the old yellowing and discolored oil-based finish that's been on for years. What will emerge is a beautiful maple veneered dresser without all the dirt that years have left. At this point I would stay away from stain. It's really hard to stain large surface areas evenly and there is very little that is more hokey and first apartmentish than a poorly refinished piece of furniture. The best choice would be to give the dresser a couple of coats of a water-based urethane. An oil-based urethane will yellow much more quickly and start the aging process all over again. Weigh the pros, cons, and your commitment to the dresser. I'm behind whatever decision you make.

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