How do I lighten dark brown shiny finish on bamboo furniture?
Question:My bamboo cabinet is too dark. The manufacturer must have put a varnish, stain, or other product on it. The finish is semi-glossy.
Answers:
The finiish , if it is from a furniture manufacturer is probably stain and lacquer. If it is from a refinish (at home type) it is probably polyurethane over stain. You will need to strip it all off to lighten it. You can spend hours and hours sanding it or use a stripping product from your Lowe's or Home Depot. Follow the instructions to the letter especially the instructions for ventilation and to protect your skin and eyes and breathing. Natural bamboo does not need to be coated with anything. Yours may be fine unless you find gouges etc. You can smooth those out with finer and finer grades of sand paper. Quite a job, but it will be lovely.
Get some Strip-Eze and take the finish off. Then stain it whatever finish you'd like. People at Lowe's & Home Depot are glad to walk you through it, step by step.
Try stripping the bamboo with a comercial stripper. Clean everything according to instruction to bring in the original bamboo color , sand it very well and apply the shade you want in the cabinet. Finally apply a coat of lacquer either gloss or semi- gloss
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