tough varnish removal

[imster]

hi everyone,

Reclaimed solid wooden flooring boards - very dark in apperance and scratched however hides a beautiful mahogany wood / patina underneath. Problem.....the manufacturers 'baked on' Varnish and possibly one other coat on top of that too.

Must remove this - have tried the following:
Sanding (all grit types) - powdered varnish cloggs up paper. Tried very course paper but sanding circles are a mission to remove.
Nitromors and other paint/varnish stripper - removes something but not much, ill be at it for months otherwise.
Turps - same as above
Thicknesser (running @ 0.5mm)- fine untill you reach a knot in the wood, then rips chunks out.

So...i need a cost effective way of taking this nuclear rated varnish off. Would prefer an acidic solution to use like paint stripper but with better capability than nitromors...any other solution...??

all replys much appreciated. I getting cheesed at this cos i know this should not be a difficult thing to do...

thanks

imster
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[russa]

Could you take them to be dipped?

 

[dextrous]

Take it you've tried a heat gun?

 

[imster]

hi there,

Heat gun..wanted to avoid the scare stories ive read on other posts regarding fumes and chest issues..im already an asthmatic..!!

taking them to be dipped an stripped...my local is asking 2.50 a foot..!!!!
on a 20m2 floor...thats way over budget...
Would be interesting to know what chemicals are used in this process though...may be able to do it home if chemicals are available...

cheers

imster

 

[dextrous]

Wonder if a local timber yard with a thicknesser plane would do it - taking off a mm or so, with added advantage that the finish would be as good as new

 

[imster]

hi dextrous,

i used a thicknesser before, it worked to an extent but it ended up ripping off chunks of wood, especially in the knotty parts. Or would a thicknesser of professionalg grade work better...

thanks
imster

 

[dextrous]

Think a big industrial one wouldn't worry about knots etc - after all, how else do they thickness wood up and get it smooth. Can't believe they bother with sanders!