Several substances can be used to thin polyurethane including turpentine, mineral spirits, paint thinner or, in some cases, water. Epoxies can be thinned with alcohol, but don't use the common 70% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). Mix with a wooden stir stick, scraping into the mixture any lacquer from the base and sides of the can. Wipe the brush off again on a rag, working as much stain out of the brush as you can. Not enough to be a serious problem for your application. Apply the solvent with a cloth rag. Now, you will need to apply the mixture to the polyurethane finish. … Scrape the area with a plastic scraper or plastic putty knife. Apply the mixture onto the polyurethane finish, covering the stained wood. Ensure you rub with the grain so as not to introduce any scratches that may become visible when the finish has been applied. Stir the mixture thoroughly with a wooden stick. After the wood is dry, stain, paint or install the untreated wood. Yes, it will make the product weaker, though I don't know how much weaker. Use a paintbrush to apply the solution to the polyurethane finish. Either 91% isopropyl, or denatured alcohol (Lowes, Home Depot, paint stores) should work. to thin I use denatured alcohol - but do note - the waxes will fall out of suspension with time, so don't thin a big batch for later-later-long term use. Not often used because it’s been replaced with polyurethane and other resins, shellac works best if thinned with denatured alcohol. 23. Thinner or denatured alcohol can remove polyurethane for the most part. A slight thinning (5-10%) generally allows the finish to flow out better but the primary way to remove bubbles is to first apply the varnish by flowing it on--don't do a lot of brushing back and forth--and then "tip" it off using an almost dry brush and just use long strokes just barely letting the bristle tips touch the surface. … Brush stripper onto an area adjacent to the area previously stripped.More items…. You can use a regular paintbrush to do this. The denatured alcohol will dry quickly and clean the wood. The advantage of this mixture of denatured alcohol and lacquer thinner is while it will remove the finish from the surface of the wood, it’s not strong enough to damage the wood itself. Step 3: Use the mixture of denatured alcohol and lacquer thinner to remove polyurethane . This task is accomplished through the use of chemical paint and varnish removers and light sanding.Assemble equipment. Scrubbing is futile without the right ingredients, so don't rub your hands raw. Polyurethane can be removed using solvents that can be found at your local hardware. Polyurethane is a clear top coating applied over wood finish and paint. What can I use to remove polyurethane? ... Pour equal parts of lacquer thinner and denatured alcohol into a small empty paint can. It depends on what kind of polyurethane coat was used on the wood, but there are more general solvents you can try first. The alcohol should dissolve any stripping solvents on the first pass. Mix equal parts denatured alcohol with lacquer thinner in an empty paint can. … Apply stripper using a brush. I wipe on oil base poly all the time - Minwax does not need thinning, others are noticeable thicker. At the same time, move any lacquer that might settle on the container’s base or sides. You can make your brush easier to clean by dipping it in mineral spirits or water, depending on whether you are using an oil- or water-based polyurethane … Take a wad of 0000 steel wool, liberally wetted with denatured alcohol, and wash down the piece one area at a time. Step Two: Mix the Lacquer and denatured Alcohol. No Result - Pour equal parts of lacquer thinner and denatured alcohol into a small empty paint can. Pour equal parts of lacquer thinner and denatured alcohol into a small empty paint can. ... - Apply the mixture onto the polyurethane finish, covering the stained wood. For a better result, stroke the place two or three times so that every part of the polyurethane gets covered. In this procedure, denatured alcohol acts as a cleaning agent. Similar Asks. Step 3: Use The Mixture To Remove Polyurethane. Therefore, it won’t strip away the stain. Away the stain Home Depot, paint stores ) should work be thinned with alcohol, but there are general.... 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