Hot dipping is well suited to removing layers of paint from architectural elements of a home, including doors, moldings, and banisters. It can also be used on painted furniture. Modern chemicals are much easier to work with and less likely to cause any damage to furniture than older methods, but any stripping process has the potential of causing some discoloration or other stress. The most difficult finish to remove is paint, especially on pieces that have a lot of detail. For example, the paint on flat surfaces of a dresser may come off relatively easily, but it requires a lot of handwork to get the coating off of carved decorations, spindles, joined edges, and interior angles. Some practitioners use sprayers to get a stripping solution into tight spaces and objects as fine and small as jeweler’s or surgeon’s tools. The final step may be to return the near-raw wooden piece to the customer for application of a new finish, or you may offer that service yourself. Some furniture strippers partner with expert furniture finishers.
Advertise your availability at home centers, community centers, and retail stores. Make your services known to interior decorators, auction houses, and used furniture dealers. Place ads in newspapers and shoppers. Ask satisfied customers to recommend you to friends and acquaintances; offer a bonus or discount for new business they send your way. If the customer has not already removed hardware such as knobs, hinges, and badges add time or a fee for that service. Add a freight charge for pickup and delivery. Many companies also add a charge for disposal of hazardous wastes, either as a percentage of the total price or as a flat fee.