Stripping off Minwax

[Kim]

HELP!

After finishing my White Pine queen sized headboard relief carving, and sealing the wood, I used a brown Minwax.

Please do not tell me I am a bonehead, I already know.

The whole carving came out a dark chocolate brown, way darker than what was on shown on the can.

Is there ANY way I can get this horrible stain color stripped off completely?
I will try anything.

thank you for any suggestions!

Kim UnHappy

[AlArchie]

Did you use the finishing wax by Minwax or one of the Minwax stains? If it's the wax.......

Joe's suggestion will work, but in all probability the lacquer thinner will strip the sealer, too. You might try going at it with a rag soaked and wrung out in mineral spirits or paint thinner. Either one should cut that wax. If that doesn't work, go with the lacquer thinner, and like Joe said OUTSIDE!

If it's Minwax stain, his lacquer thinner suggestion is probably the way to go.

Al

[Thor]

Kim, can we see it? I would love to see your work in that scale even if you aren't happy with the stain.
I would do the same suggested attempts to at least lighten it.
Thor

[Kim]

Joe, Al, And Thor:

Hey thanks for the info!

I downloaded two pics of the headboard, one before I stained, and after.The pic with the stain I lightened up in Photoshop so you can see the carving. It is about 4 shades darker. I used BRIWAX as the stain,(got that mixed up) and Minwax sealer, water based.
Even if I can get most of it off, that would be just fine.

Thanks again for your help and time

Kim

[Kim]

oops, here are the attachments.

Kim

[Kim]

ok, let me try this again

[AlArchie]

Kim, I'm not quite clear on what you did with this. Did you put the stain on first and then the sealer, or the sealer first and then the stain?

If the stain went on last you should be able to remove it with a good scrubbing with one of those green scrubby pads soaked in paint thinner or mineral spirits.

If the water based sealer is on over the stain, I'd suggest you try one of those spray on paint and varnish removers to get rid of the sealer. That will still take a lot of elbow grease and some scraping with some small plastic or metal scrapers. Then go at the stain. By the way is that a water based stain or oil based. If it's water based, I haven't a clue........if it's oil based, paint thinner and elbow grease.

No matter what, sounds like you have yourself some work to do.

Al

[Thor]

Kim, it's a fine carving.

Please let us see how you progress with your work on it. I am now curious how much lighter you can get it to be.

I think I might even consider carving slightly deeper beyond some of the stain, but I would certainly try the suggestions of removing some of it first.

Thor

[Kim]

Al, Thor, and Joe:

Al, I sealed the wood before I used the Briwax. I had read that white pine soaks up stain, and can be blotchy. I looked on the can of Briwax, and did not find whether it was oil or water based.

I will let you know how it turns out.

Here is another carving I am working on, I will not screw this one up.

Thanks again for your help, I will get busy on removing the stain this weekend in my barn, where there is plenty of FRESH AIR!

Kim

[Irish]

Kim, there is an auto wax stripper that is very effective. You can get it at most auto parts stores. As others have said, do it outside!

Where mineral spirits and laquer thinner are meant for oil based colors this is made specifically to remove waxes.

Susan