Best Paint Stripper for Wood

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Major Takeaway
Pros
Cons
 Best Bang

Safe 'n Easy

Paint & Varnish Remover Gel
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This paint and varnish remover works on most all surfaces and has a great smell. It removes up to 15 layers of paint or varnish at a time. Made in the USA.
° Works on Acrylic, Latex, Oil, & Water-Based Paints, Varnishes
° Removes up to 15 layers at a time
° Strong enough for professional usage and user-friendly enough for DIY projects
° Pleasant Smell
° You may need to re-apply once or twice depending on the partical situation
Best Value

Dumond

Confined Space Paint Strip Gel
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Best value paint strip gel on the market. It is more affordable, and it has a higher success rate than other brands.

° Good for small space
° Citrus lime aroma
° Removes up to 20 layers at a time
° Gel is easy to work with
° Made in the USA
° NOT recommended for removal of lead-based paints & primers
Best Overall

Dumond

Professional Strength Formula
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Best overall wood stripper that can be used on any type of wood surface. It can be used on both soft and hard woods, making it an excellent choice for any project.
° Easy to use
° Strips 20+ layers at a time
° AI Technology for hazard detection
° Made for professionals, by professionals
° Made in the USA
° More expensive than other on the list
Best Budget

DeckGeneral

Downstream Injectable Stripper
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Water-based wood stripper is a type of stripper that does not use harmful chemicals. It uses water and a surfactant to soften and remove the old coating from the wood.
° Budget-friendly
° Eco-friendly
° Water-based
° Does not produce any hazardous waste
° Not as strong as others on this list
 

Woodrich

Heavy Duty Wood Stripper
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Great for wood decks, wood fences, wood siding and the like. One container covers up to 750 square feet. This is a heavy duty wood stripper that won't disappoint. It's designed to remove semi-transparent and solid deck stains and sealers, including dirt and grime.
° Affordable
° Safe on all types of wood
° Covers up 750 sq ft, that's $0.039 per square foot
° Two step process
° Not as strong as some on this list
° Only 2 pounds per container
Best Bang

Dumond, Safe n' Easy

Dumond Safe n' Easy Wood Stripper
Major Takeway
Dumond's Safe n' Easy is an amazing paint and varnish remover. The citrus small is refreshing and contains no dangerous fumes. This paint and varnish remover works on most all surfaces and has a great smell. It removes up to 15 layers of paint or varnish at a time. Made in the USA.
Pros
° Works on Acrylic, Latex, Oil, & Water-Based Paints, Varnishes
° Removes up to 15 layers at a time
° Effective on most surfaces
° Strong enough for professional usage and user-friendly enough for DIY projects
° Pleasant Smell
Cons
° You may need to re-apply once or twice depending on the partical situation
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Best Value

Dumond, Confined Space Paint Strip Gel

Dumond confined space wood stripper
Major Takeway
Best value paint strip gel on the market. It is more affordable, and it has a higher success rate than other brands.
Pros
° Good for small space
° Citrus lime aroma
° Removes up to 20 layers at a time
° Gel is easy to work with
° Made in the USA
Cons
° NOT recommended for removal of lead-based paints & primers
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Best Overall

Dumond, Professional Strength Formula

Dumond Smart Strip profssional strength Paint Remover
Major Takeaways
Smart Strip Pro is the best overall paint remover. As compared to all of the other paint removers on our top 5 list, the Dumond, Smart Strip is the top performer on the most surfaces. That includes: Wood, Brick, Stone, Metal, Marble, Terra Cotta, Granite, Concrete, Plaster, Cement, Copper, Tin, Enamel, Slate, Cast Iron, and More!
Pros
° Easy to use
° Strips 20+ layers at a time
° AI Technology for hazard detection
° Made for professionals, by professionals
° Made in the USA
Cons
° More expensive than other on the list
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Best Budget

DeckGeneral, Downstream Injectable Stripper

DeckGeneral Downstream wood stripper
Major takeaways
Water-based wood stripper is a type of stripper that does not use harmful chemicals. It uses water and a surfactant to soften and remove the old coating from the wood.
Pros
° Budget-friendly
° Eco-friendly
° Water-based
° Does not produce any hazardous waste
Cons
° Not as strong as others on this list
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Woodrich, Heavy Duty Wood Stripper

Woodrich wood stripper
Major Takeaway
Great for wood decks, wood fences, wood siding and the like. One container covers up to 750 square feet. This is a heavy duty wood stripper that won't disappoint. It's designed to remove semi-transparent and solid deck stains and sealers, including dirt and grime.
Pros
° Affordable
° Safe on all types of wood
° Covers up 750 sq ft, that's $0.039 per square foot
° Two step process
Cons
° Not as strong as some on this list
° Only 2 pounds per container
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HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in a space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

Buying Guide for

Best Paint Stripper for Wood

Best Paint Stripper for Wood: Picking the best paint stripper for wood can be a difficult task. There are many different types of paint strippers to choose from, and they vary in strength, cost, and effectiveness.
wood fence that needs wood stripping work
Does your wood look like this? Time to solve the problem.

Popular Paint Strippers

The two most popular types of paint strippers are remover gel and professional strength formula. Remover gel is a less expensive option that is great for stripping varnish off of wood. Professional strength formula is a more expensive option that is better for removing heavy duty paints like latex and oil-based paints.

Wood Floor Strippers

Wood floor strippers are special chemicals that can be used to remove layers of paint, varnish, and other coatings from wood floors. There are two types of wood floor strippers: gel-type and liquid-type. Gel-type strippers are applied with a brush or roller, while liquid-type strippers come in a variety of forms.

The main difference between the two types is that gel-type strippers must be left on the surface for a longer period of time than liquid-type products. Liquid-type products can be applied to the surface and then wiped off after about 15 minutes, while gel-stripping requires an hour or more to work its magic.

Best Wood Strippers

Paint and varnish are often used to protect wood surfaces from wear and tear. But what happens when you need to strip the paint or varnish off? You need the best wood stripper for your needs.

The best way to find out which is the best wood stripper for you is to know what type of paint and varnish you are using. There are three types of paint and varnish removers: Paint, Varnish, Remover Gel, Professional, Heavy Duty Wood Stripper. Knowing which one suits your needs will help you find the best wood strippers for you.

5 Best Wood Strippers Reviewed

Having looked at the top buying considerations, here are five wood strippers that check most boxes:

Dummond, Smart Stripe Pro - Best Overall

Smart Strip Pro is the best overall paint remover. As compared to all of the other paint removers on our top 5 list, the Dumond, Smart Strip is the top performancer on the most surfaces. That includes: Wood, Brick, Stone, Metal, Marble, Terra Cotta, Granite, Concrete, Plaster, Cement, Copper, Tin, Enamel, Slate, Cast Iron, and More!
Take a second look at the above image if you didn't notice the truck flipped on its side.

Dumond, Safe'n Easy Remover Gel – Best Bang

Dumond's Safe n' Easy is an amazing product that is safe on all surfaces and can be used for a variety of cleaning tasks. It is a powerful cleaning gel that will remove even the toughest stains. It is also very easy to use - just spray it on the surface and wipe it off with a dry cloth.
Dumond Safe n' Easy Wood Stripper

Dumond, Confined Space Paint Strip Gel – Best Value

The Confined Space Paint Strip Gel paint strip gel is designed to be used in any space where there is a need to remove old or damaged paint from walls, ceilings, doors, trim or furniture. It's especially designed for small spaces like closets, hallways, sheds, and attics where ventilation is an issue. It can also be used on surfaces like glass and metal.
Dumond confined space wood stripper

DeckGeneral, Downstream Deck Stripper – Best Budget

DeckGeneral Downstream deck stripper is a water-based and eco-friendly wood stripper that is used to remove the paint, varnish and other coatings from wood decks and other surfaces. It can be applied by spraying or brushing the wood.

The best value for the price is usually found in a gallon of stripper that costs around $20 and will cover about 400 square feet of decking.
DeckGeneral Downstream wood stripper

Woodrich, Heavy Duty Wood Stripper – Honorable Mention

The Confined Space Paint Strip Gel paint strip gel is designed to be used in any space where there is a need to remove old or damaged paint from walls, ceilings, doors, trim or furniture. It can also be used on surfaces like glass and metal.
Woodrich wood stripper

Closing Thought

You can't go wrong with any of these options. It comes down to the size of your project and budget. If you have the budget, go with the Dumond, Professional Strength Formula

Our Top Recs

Best Bang for the Buck

Safe 'n Easy

Bottom Line
SAFE'N EASY REMOVER GEL is another great product that will make your life easier by removing tough stains from surfaces without any hassle. You just need to spray the gel on the stain, wait for it to work its magic and then wipe it away with a dry cloth.
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Best Value

Confined Space

Bottom Line
Dumond's Confined Space Gel is an excellent choice for people who are looking for a high quality product that won't break the bank plus it has the added benefit of being designed for usage in confined spaces like walk-in closets, bathrooms or garages.
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Best Overall

Professional Strength

Bottom Line
Dumond's Professional Strength Formula is the best wood stripper designed for professionals looking for a product that is easy to use, made for professionals by professionals.
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Best Budget

Deck Stripper

Bottom Line
Helps in loosening the old coating from the wood without damaging it. The process is also eco-friendly as it does not produce any hazardous waste products.
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