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.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

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

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Remember, Safety Third!
'99 E300 Turbodiesel, '82 300TD, 1996 12V Cummins Turbo, '94 Neoplan - Detroit 6V92TA

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...

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

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.

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Remember, Safety Third!
'99 E300 Turbodiesel, '82 300TD, 1996 12V Cummins Turbo, '94 Neoplan - Detroit 6V92TA

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.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

I would think sanding would be safer.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

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.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

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.

Turco Acid Based Stripper. Used to be the thing, get splash drops on your arm, you got infected zits. It was the cats ass.
I'm talking 1987 at DTW.

Best I ever saw.....took Poly U off a 727 in one or two coats.

This is the best painted stripper I've found...

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

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 !

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

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

That's my goal...

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Jon,

It's been many years since I used this, but if was effective on multi-layered windows and trim in an old NYC co-op.
Strong fumes iirc. Vent well.

Last?n?Last - Wood Finishes for the Professional - Zip-Strip Premium

That is surely the most nasty, uber, incredible, bees knees, dogs nads, Panzzer tank - stripper for sure. It surely is true that it can be used to evict Mr Satan from 666 Hell Abode..

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)