Glad to hear I'm not the only one who learned the hard way with metal scrapers... still cringe thinking about those gouges in my baseboards. Definitely second your mineral spirits tip too—saved me from a sticky mess more than once. Only thing I'd add is that ventilation really helps. Citristrip is mild, but the smell can build up after a while. Sounds like you've got it dialed in though, bet your trim turned out great.
I've gotta say, sanding gets a bad rap sometimes, but it can actually be quicker if you're careful. Yeah, Citristrip is gentle and all, but waiting around for it to do its thing can feel like forever... Plus, I've had some stubborn spots where sanding just seemed way more effective. Sure, it's messy, but nothing a good vacuum and mask can't handle. Just my two cents—sometimes elbow grease beats waiting around for chemicals to work.
You make some solid points there. I've restored a fair share of old woodwork over the years, and honestly, both sanding and chemical stripping have their place depending on the project. Like you said, sanding can be surprisingly efficient once you get into a rhythm—especially if you're dealing with flat or easily accessible surfaces. A good orbital sander paired with quality sandpaper (I usually start with 80 grit and work my way up) can clear things up pretty quickly.
On the other hand, I've found chemical strippers like Citristrip handy when dealing with intricate moldings or detailed carvings. Trying to sand those delicate profiles can be a nightmare, and you risk losing some of the original detail if you're not careful. But yeah, the waiting game is definitely frustrating... I've had times when it felt like watching paint dry (ironically enough). And even after waiting, sometimes you're still left scraping stubborn bits by hand anyway.
One thing I've learned is that prep work matters a ton either way. If I'm sanding indoors, I always seal off the room as best I can and use a shop vac attachment hooked directly to my sander—saves me from breathing dust for days afterward. And for stripping, covering everything nearby with plastic sheeting saves a lot of headaches later on.
Overall though, your point about elbow grease rings true. Sometimes there's just no substitute for rolling up your sleeves and powering through it manually. It's messy, tiring work at times—but seeing that clean wood emerge beneath all those layers definitely makes the effort worthwhile...
Good points about the prep—I've learned that lesson the hard way after spending hours cleaning dust from every corner of my house. One thing I've been wondering lately though: has anyone tried using heat guns for stripping window trim? I've heard mixed things—some swear by it for speed, others say it risks scorching the wood or cracking old glass panes. Curious if anyone here has personal experience with that method...
I've used heat guns quite a bit for window trim, and honestly, they're great if you're careful. The key is to keep the gun moving steadily and not linger too long in one spot—that's when scorching happens. Old glass can crack if you blast it directly, but a simple piece of sheet metal or cardboard shielding the glass pane usually does the trick. It's definitely faster than sanding layers of paint, just requires a little patience and practice to get the hang of it...
I've had good luck with heat guns too, but honestly, I still prefer chemical strippers for really detailed trim. Heat guns are awesome for flat surfaces, but when you get into those intricate grooves and corners, it can be tricky to avoid scorching or missing spots. A gel-based stripper and a stiff nylon brush usually does the trick for me—just gotta wear gloves and ventilate well. Either way beats sanding layers of old paint by hand... been there, done that, never again.
"Either way beats sanding layers of old paint by hand... been there, done that, never again."
Haha, same here. For detailed trim, I usually go chemical too—brush on gel stripper, wait 15 mins, scrub gently with nylon brush, then wipe clean. Way quicker than sanding or dealing with scorched edges.
I've tried chemical strippers before, and yeah, they're definitely quicker than sanding by hand. But honestly, I switched back to sanding recently—hear me out. The fumes from the gel stripper were pretty intense, even with windows open, and cleanup was messy. I grabbed a small orbital sander with a vacuum attachment, and it wasn't nearly as tedious as I remembered. Plus, less chemical exposure is always a win in my book...especially since I'm trying to keep things eco-friendly around the house these days.
I've gone back and forth between sanding and stripping myself, and I totally get the fumes issue—definitely not pleasant. Curious though, have you tried any of the newer eco-friendly strippers? I've seen a few popping up lately claiming to be non-toxic and low odor. Wondering if they're actually effective or just another marketing gimmick...might be worth experimenting with on a small section first before committing to sanding everything.
I've tried a couple of those eco-friendly strippers on some old baseboards, and honestly, results were mixed. They definitely cut down on fumes, which was great, but I found they took longer to work and needed multiple applications. Still beats sanding dust everywhere though...