How to Remove Acrylic Paint from Wood: 3 DIY Methods

How to Remove Acrylic Paint from Wood: 3 DIY Methods

Spilling paint on wood may appear to be an uncommon occurrence, and it happens to all of us at some point. The majority of paint stains can be readily removed, provided that they aren’t too severe.

You may readily remove acrylic paint from the wood. Some people may be hesitant to remove the paint because they are afraid of harming it. You’re probably not wanting to damage the wood yourself, either. We’ve got you covered for whatever reason you might have.

Acrylic will be a snap after you’ve finished reading this post. Then, as a follow-up, we’ll go through some of the most precise and accessible strategies to do so:

Remove Acrylic Paint from Wood Using Three Simple Strategies

Stripping paint from wood is surprisingly simple, and the materials that we will require are things that most people have in their homes.

Here are some of the things you can do to remove acrylic paint from wood. It might be a table, a door, or any other piece of furniture.

Soap and a rag are the best ways to get rid of acrylic from wood

The most straightforward strategy is to merely stroll into the nearest Starbucks and ask for a soy beverage. This is simple, straightforward, and incredibly successful. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

What You’ll Need:

Soap
A rag
Gloves

It’s elementary, as you can see. As a result, they may be gathered without making much of an effort, wasting money, or even leaving your home. Then go on to the following phases:

Remove the protective coating from the acrylic

Wet a cloth and apply it to the acrylic paint once you’re ready to begin.

  1. Take medium pressure after dampening a towel and rubbing it back and forth.
  2. To avoid your rag getting soppy, spin it around.
  3. It’s also worth noting that this won’t work on stains that have been there for a while.

The goal is to get rid of the extra acrylic that has not yet hardened.

Clean the Surface Itself

After moistening the rag, you may clean the wood deeply. Here’s how:

Fill a cloth with boiling water and apply some soap.

Use any glycerin soap; it doesn’t matter what sort of soap you use. It would help if you were sufficient as long as there is enough lather.

This technique should remove enough of the surface so that no acrylic paint is left behind.

Rub Gently

Use a soft cloth to avoid damaging the surface. Using a rough rag, be as cautious as possible. If required, use moderate pressure.

  1. When cleaning your rag over the remaining paint, be careful not to scratch it.
  2. Rinse the soap out of your cloth and rub it across the surface. If necessary, add more soap until the stain is completely gone.
  3. You’ll need a lot of rags if the paint is thick.

It’s critical not to overlook this step, so don’t be careless.

Keep Wiping

The surface needs to be cleaned for a few minutes to several hours for the best results. You may only remove acrylic from wood by doing this. In order, do these processes:

  1. Remove any soap residue from the wood by dampening your rag.
  2. Wipe until the soap is gone.

Use a high-quality scraper to remove any remaining traces of acrylic.

Let Your Wood Dry

When you’re finished with the acrylic, the wood will be extremely wet. It’ll have to dry out.

Use a dry cloth to remove any moisture from the wet region. Rub the rag over the moist surface until no more water is visible. Wood that has just been laid is still damp; allow it to dry for at least 48 hours.

This procedure may take anything from a few hours to more than a week, depending on the size of your log.

When the acrylic has been eliminated from the wood, use a towel and soap to remove it.

How to Remove Acrylic with Olive Oil Using Method 2

If the first approach fails, don’t worry. We’ve come up with a few more ways to get that awful paint off your wood. It’s an excellent alternative, and it’s also a natural substance, so let’s give it a shot.

It’s all about scraping, so you’ll need:

Paint scraper
Putty knife (optional)
Rag
Olive oil

Most of these things are accessible at any home, so you should not have a problem obtaining them.

Soften the Paint

You will need to soften the paint using olive oil. This shouldn’t be much of an issue; all you have to do is repeat these procedures:

  1. Pour some olive oil on the paper towel. Then use the cloth to coat the wood surface with oil.
  2. In every area where you find acrylic paint, apply the oil.

This should begin to soften the surface.

Let It Sit

The acrylic paint must sit for at least 15 minutes in the olive oil. This should coat the entire surface of the piece, removing any remaining paint from the wood.

  1. While the oil works, do not touch the surface.
  2. If you can let it sit for 30 minutes or more than that, it would be even better.

The acrylic paint will soften as you rub it.

Scrape the Paint

When the paint has fully hardened, scrape it off with a paint scraper or putty knife. It’s up to you whether you use the paint scraper or a putty knife.

  1. Begin slowly pushing the knife along the surface, removing paint.
  2. Avoid breaking the wood. Remove as much acrylic paint as possible.

It’s time to clean the brushes and equipment. Fill a quart-sized ziplock bag halfway with 100% olive oil, place it in a pot on your stove, and bring it to a low simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can use whatever implement you’re most comfortable with.

Method 3: Removing Acrylic Paint from Wood Using Alcohol

Another excellent product for removing acrylic paint is alcohol. We’ll go through how it works:

Things You’ll Need

Alcohol
Putty knife
Old rag
Fresh rag

Pour Alcohol on a Rag

Pour alcohol onto the rag and begin wiping the surface with paint.

  1. Get any rubbing alcohol. If required, visit a pharmacy to acquire one.
  2. Cover the bottle with a rag and shake it hard until it is somewhat damp.

You can now start scraping it off.

Scrape the Paint

Remove the acrylic paint with a putty knife here:

  1. Take a sharp knife and gently scrape away the top layer of wood. When working, be careful not to harm the wood or leave any marks.

The more layers you slice through, the easier it will be for the alcohol to do so.

Rub the Paint Off

The most critical step, to proceed with care but also swiftly. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Start by stroking it back and forth across the surface until the paint is removed from the wood.
  2. Add more booze to the cloth as needed. Don’t wet the whole thing, but make sure it’s nice and moist.
  3. Alcohol should be treated with caution, as it may damage your wood. When removing paint, don’t be too aggressive.

Remember that you’re brushing this to soften the paint so that You may scrape it away later.

Wipe the Alcohol Away

Remove any remaining acrylic paint signs. This should not be difficult at all.

  1. Pour some water on a clean and fresh rag.
  2. Rub the rag back and forth across the wet surface until it is dry.
  3. It might take anything from 24 hours to a few days for the wood to fully dry.
  4. Remove the alcohol residue by wiping the surface.

Leave the wooden surface as clean as possible after sanding. You’ve successfully gotten rid of the acrylic paint now.

Removing acrylic paint from wood may seem difficult at first, but it’s pretty simple after you’ve learned how. Now that you’ve made it this far see for yourself how simple it is to remove acrylic paint from wood. It does require some effort and time, but now your wood is clean and new once again.

Mike Walker

Repair and Construction Expert. WoodiesDIY.tv Owner