Paint stripper...
 

I've used a number of paint strippers in the past, but none of them seem to cut through both oil and latex based paints with great ease. I've heard of some that are homemade with normal household ingredients, but am afraid of adverse chemical reactions.

My entryway in the house is stained wood, majority of it mahogany. It's beautiful. Over the years, past owners painted over the trip in the rest of the house, and I've counted at least 5 coats of paint that needs stripped. I'd like to take it back to bare wood, and match what's in the entryway.

What paint stripping chemicals do you guys recommend? I'd like something that will strip it with ease, and not leave much residue behind.

Citristrip works okay.

http://www.wmbarr.com/MSDSZipFiles/Citristrip-Sep-09-2012_09-18-50.zip

This page lists a few more. I haven't tried them. Safer Paint Strippers | Furniture | This Old House - 1

• 1-pound household lye
• 2-4 boxes of common cornstarch
• 2 gallons of warm water

I've used Citristrip in the past...it did a good job on the latex, but needed multiple applications on the oil based.

Luckily, the baseboards and doors aren't too intricate in design, so if I need to sand them a bit, I can. The corners of the doorways will be difficult, because of the rosettes.

I found a solution that will take care of the paint on the cast iron door hinges and other metal bits.

I'll try the one you gave the recipe for...

The most potent one that I know of that can be purchased retail is "Aircraft Paint Remover" But, I haven't used it in years. It's likely been reformulated.

I doubt that would be safe to use in a house...especially if it soaks into the woodwork. I've used it in the past on cars and old machinery. I had a connection at the local AFB that would let me have a gallon or so of it when it was close to date.

I would think sanding would be safer.

I would think sanding would be safer. Before committng to strip a large area of floor I would try it out on a small area. If the paint is into the pores of the wood you will end up sanding anyhow.

Most mahogany is pretty porus. Perhaps as you have so many layers of paint to remove. There are many variations of electric paint strippers that pose no fire hazzard if used intelligently.. I have a couple with what looks like a small stove element in an enclosure with a scrapper on one end. You heat the old finsh up till it bubbles and drag the scapper blade over it. Gets the majority without changing the color of the wood. Personally I do not like using the old method of a naked flame to strip with because of the fire hazzard.

Most really good chemical paint strippers have been taken off the market because of health and enviroment issues quite a few years ago. Actually the active ingredients were removed and substituted with much weaker and slower acting chemicals..

Since imiron is the preffered aircraft finish over metal usually.. Aircraft paint strippers would be pretty powerful. A fan to direct the fumes out of say an enclosed porch should work. After stripping you clean the remaining residue on the wood down with laquer thinner and steel wool pads usually.

I've got an industrial heat gun, I forget how many BTUs it is. I thought about using it, but fear the wood catching fire.

I"m getting ready to head up to the local paint store and ask them what they recommend now that the good stuff is no longer found.

Wood will emit smoke and begin to char before it ignites.

Is there a chance of finding lead in your paint? Some places sell a test kit. You might not want to sand it if it contains lead.

The house is 112 years old...lead is guaranteed. I forgot about that, thanks for reminding me. Chemical is going to be the only way to go...

In my experience the paint bubbles off the wood well before the ignition temperature of the wood is approached.

Another way I can express it is I never had a fire or even seemed to be approaching that point. But if you let too much paint build up in the tool before cleaning it out the softened paint could ignite if against the element. Personally I never found my devices scary at all.

I have never used an electric heat gun and a separate scraper so cannot comment on that. The flat things I use that have a handle and built in scrapper seem to work reasonably fast.

Dow Chemical had a publication 30 years ago that gave the details of about 1/2 a dozen paint stripper formulations.
I had a copy but cant find it.
They were based on methylene chloride~ it will get the devil out of hell!
If you can get your hands on the publication, it was not in general release ~ only to paint co's etc, you could make your own brew.
The alternate is hot caustic, it will bleach the timber as well.
Good Luck !

The patina of the old wood can be retained if you stay away from sanding or bleaching as well.

That's my goal...