I need to do this.I thought if I sanded them first then polyurathned them ? What do you think?
They are scrached up and in bad shape. I have to do the wood work around the door way`s too.
TIA ! Sue

By Eve on Monday, October 31, 2005 - 01:34 pm:

I've never done it, but it shouldn't be too bad. Get some sand paper or the sander blocks and sand it well. Then, wipe it with a swiffer dry and then a tack cloth. (They sell them at Home Depot--they pick up all the little dust)

Then, you are ready for the poly. I would get a super fast dry, clear, semi gloss. Good luck! I love projects like those!

By Ginny~moderator on Monday, October 31, 2005 - 02:35 pm:

If it were me, I'd go to Home Depot first and ask for their advice - from one of their real experts, not just any associate.

I do know that when I had to refinish varnished wood in my old house, I used a heat gun to melt the existing varnish, and then sanded. BUT, I have since become aware that a lot of these finishes contain stuff I don't want to breathe. So do get professional advice. Because if I wouldn't want to breathe it, you wouldn't want to and wouldn't want your kids exposed.

By Colette on Monday, October 31, 2005 - 05:49 pm:

Ours are painted, but if I was revarnishing, I'd sand it (with a mask and plenty of ventilation), and then do as Eve suggested or even wash them down and let them totally dry out before revarnishing.

By Feona on Monday, October 31, 2005 - 06:05 pm:

I but the poisen dna killer vanish remover on it wait and then sanded lightly then stained then polyed it.

By Sue3 on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 - 10:27 am:

Thanks for your idea`s and suggestions.Maybe I should wait till spring when all the windows can be open????
I better finish the upstairs first before I think of any other projects LOL , I always do that !!!!
Thanks again ladies , Sue

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 - 11:53 am:

Absolutely this is something you do when the windows are open. And, cover all furniture with plastic, tape plastic across doorways and any heating and air conditioning vents, to keep any results of sanding in the room where you are working and if there are any odors from the finishing product, to keep those odors out of your heating/air conditioning system.

By Kaye on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 - 02:18 pm:

Another suggestion, start with an easy room, so that if you don't like how it looks, or it is too much work you can stop! You could always paint them

By Sue3 on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 - 02:36 pm:

I can`t paint them.The wood work is so pretty.The base boards are 8 in high.
And,we have wood pillars that seperate the di ning room and living room.
Also at our other house before kids my dh and I removed all of the 10 + layers of paint on the base boards and a built in bookcase with a heat gun.
It was a HUGE job.I wouldn`t want to paint over them thinking we may want to remove the paint someday.
That`s a good idea though to start on one room ,then the job won`t seem so big either.
Again thanks for the idea`s.
I was hoping that I wouln`t have to use the heat gun on the varnish because it is rather messy and smelly.Though,it can`t be any worse than the varnish remover Feona was talking about.
That stuff is nasty too !
I`ll have to get some professional advice like Ginny has mentioned.
Maybe there are new less toxic way`s to remove it now.
That would be great !!
Plus my youngest son has allergies and asthma so I really will have to be careful.
I may just have to wait until spring to do this.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 - 04:36 pm:

Sue, whatever you do, please be sure of the safety aspects. I know I wore a mask when doing this work, and from what I've learned since about varnish fumes, I wish I had worn a mask that stopped fume stuff as well as dust. And with your son, you really have some issues.

You might find that the chemical varnish remover is safer in some ways than other methods (including the heat gun) IF you do it when you have all windows open and can run an exhaust fan in the room in which you are working.

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 - 04:54 pm:

I have a similar problem, our trimwork/baseboards are all stained/varnished and I want them painted, but to paint directly over the varnish would mean chipping paint.

Just a hint from a bad experience with dust - DO NOT run your air conditioner unit while sanding! The dust will almost certainly ruin your evaporator coil unit. I have to replace mine due to cement dust.

I'd do that particular project in the spring when it's still cool, but at a good temp to leave the windows open.