On Apr 27, 10:59*am, Mikepier wrote:
Greetings. I would like to refinish my *6 panel oak front door. *It
currently is stained and has polyurethane or varnish on top that has
faded. What would be the best way to strip it, chemicals or heat gun?

Varnish (common type) doesn't fade...it may yellow. For a fresh start
on something visible to everyone who can see your house, you may want
to consider some professional help. Without it, the end result may be
something really ugly. Of course if you have practical experience such
as refinishing boats or pianos commercially, just ignore this advice.
Regarding strippers, methylene chloride-based gel types are most
effective on the most materials. You definitely don't want to attack
the project with the door in place, so plan for providing a nice
horizontal work area, using sawhorses, for example. Work outdoors, and
provide some sort of cover for unexpected weather with an EasyUp
canopy or similar. Follow directions on the stripper container to the
letter. Buy several grits of sandpaper down to 400 grit or so and use
sanding blocks, other tools based on the wood shapes. Expect to spend
many hours getting the results you want, like a week of spare time.
The alternative is to take the door to a furniture stripping shop
(yellow pages), and have them do the hard work in far less time. They
can often give you good advice on finishes and procedures if you want
to do that yourself. Pro paint stores are also dandy folks to get
sensible answers from. HTH and good luck.

Joe