Varnish stripping help required!

Hi,

i am in the process of renovating a wooden sailing dinghy. It had several layers of varnishes in a patchwork messy finish, so i used a chemical stripper to remove it all. I am now left with a blotchy uneven colour on the plywood underneath. Any ideas how i can get rid of this without sanding throught it all? as im worried that too much sanding might go through the ply?

Thanks.

 

You're correct to be concerned about sanding through the ply. Sanding is a terrible way to remove finish, it's much better at smoothing. Scrapping is the better way to remove finish, but it does require some practice and sharp edges.

Oxalic acid will probably beach the wood even enough to apply more color or clear finish. Work carefully, this stuff can quickly lighten wood. Read the instructions.

 

You can also use a heat gun.