safe way to remove old varnish?

[Allowishish]

This last weekend I did some finish work on the companionway boards... removing to old varnish and prep work for re-varnishing them.

My question is the trim work around the companionway now needs to be addressed, is there an easy way to strip the old varnish without removing the wood trim from the boat?
Can I mask off with painter tape then apply a chemical stripper with a damp rag? or should I just bite the bullet and hit it with a sander carefully.

I obviously do not want to damage the finish or the fiberglass next to the trim.


Thanks in advance...

 

[dlochner]

Have you tried heat and a scraper? A hot air gun will work.

If you use a stripper try a soy based stripper. Check out the Franmar website, I think the product is call Blue Bear or something like that it used to be called Soy Strip. Environmentally safe and effective. No odor and not harmful to skin.

 

[Gunni]

tape it off and use a quality scraper, finish with hand sanding. Avoid the power tools.

 

[TomY]

I think the easiest-fastest-cleanest - and safest way - is with a heat gun and a stiff, not too sharp, push scraper.

Be careful around your gelcoat. Use a low setting and put a couple layers of painters tape on the gelcoat to give it extra protection from over heating (if the tape curls, you're too hot).

Then I like to use sharp pull scrapers of various sizes and shapes, to clean up the last of it. Be careful with scrapers, you can do a lot of damage if you're not used to them.

The thicker the varnish is, the easier it comes off with a heat gun. Some use a light chemical stripper after this but I usually sand lightly, with a flat block. Sometimes some areas I'll use a RO sander, but very carefully so as to make the surface flatter than I found it. This is easy!

The most difficult way to remove varnish is by sanding. It's also the easiest way to damage, cup, dish, etc. the wood.