Any way to lighten varnished wood?

gwernybwch · 11 Feb 2016

I'm currently finished varnishing a floor with antique pine floor (water based) varnish, but 'the boss' now says that it is "too orange" and wants it to be a lighter shade.

Is there any way to this?

Wood bleach? A clear matt varnish on top?
Or is the only solution either paint stripper or sanding?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

chappers · 12 Feb 2016

sand it off, but as it's so fresh it will probably clogg the paper very quickly.

gwernybwch · 13 Feb 2016

Thanks for the reply. That's not what I wanted to read!
4 rooms have been done with the stuff and the floor sander is quoting £15p sq. m

Bosswhite · 13 Feb 2016

Its easy to darken wood, but once the stain has soaked into the wood its virtually impossible to lighten it, other than have the wood professionally stripped

gwernybwch · 13 Feb 2016

Thanks for the reply.
You mentioned the 'stain soaked into the wood'. This has been treated with a water based varnish, from my little knowledge of varnish, I was under the impression that varnish didn't soak into wood like stain does and that it just kind of 'sits on the top' of wood?

geraldthehamster · 15 Feb 2016

It would need to be sanded off, and you can't keep sanding floorboards indefinitely. At the least you'd need to punch all the nails down again, and the floor would keep getting thinner.

I would be inclined to suggest that any complaints should have been made at a much earlier stage, before all four rooms had been done. If "the boss" isn't happy, then "the boss" would be welcome to re-do the job.

Cheers
Richard

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Any way to lighten varnished wood?

gwernybwch

chappers

gwernybwch

Bosswhite

gwernybwch

geraldthehamster

DIYnot Local

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