CITRISTRIP to strip varnish?

[jviss]

Has anyone used this stuff to strip the varnish off teak on deck? Results?

 

[rgranger]

I have used it a lot.

 

[jviss]

I have used it a lot.

How did it work out?

 

[PaulK]

I have used it a lot.

Is that because it takes a gallon to strip six inches of rail, or because you revarnish every three months? Or both?

 

[rgranger]

I use it for varnish…. For bottom paint I use my own homemade peel away formula

Here is a before strip, an after strip, and an after sand/revarnish

 

[jviss]

I just want to do my toerails and taffrail. I was thinking I'd mask off, strip it with this stuff, sand, clean, etc., and then use Cetol.

 

[nightowle]

It works, but it's tedious.....it's not magic. It will take multiple applications if the varnish is reasonably thick.

 

[Jim Legere]

Heat gun and a thin, flexible 'putty knife' is my go-to for varnish removal. Give it a try.

 

[jviss]

Heat gun and a thin, flexible 'putty knife' is my go-to for varnish removal. Give it a try.

I've heard that, it really works? It sounds a lot less messy than the stripper. Do you still have to mask?

 

[Jim Legere]

It does work well. You have keep the heat moving , just ahead of the putty knife. Flats are easy; on handrails and curved surfaces you have to be careful not to use too much pressure to avoid gouging (not really any different than when using a chemical stripper). No objectionable odour, like you get working with chemical strippers that have a strong solvent base. Not my picture, but one from a good DIY varnisher in Maine: