Journal
Dip and Strip: What Can Be Stripped? Doors, Furniture & More
Almost anything made of solid wood or metal can be dip stripped: doors, furniture, staircases, cast-iron fireplaces, radiators, gates and railings. At Double Dipper in Honley, sound pieces go in the stripping bath, while fragile, veneered or glued pieces are stripped by hand. We don't strip uPVC, composite or laminate. Internal pine doors start from £60.
- Dip and strip works on wood and metal. It isn't suitable for uPVC, composite or laminate.
- Sound pieces are dipped; fragile, veneered or glued pieces and glass that can't come out are stripped by hand.
- Every piece is neutralised and dried, and metal is rust-treated before it leaves.
- Most doors take 7–10 working days; fireplaces, radiators and metalwork usually take 2–3 weeks.
What is dip and strip?
Dip and strip (or strip and dip) means removing old paint and varnish by lowering the whole piece into a stripping bath, instead of scraping, sanding or burning it off by hand. The bath reaches every corner at once, including mouldings, beading, carving and the gaps in cast-iron decoration that a scraper or wire brush can't get into.
Dipping is only half the job. Every piece is neutralised afterwards and dried before it comes home, and the detail is finished by hand. That's what makes a stripped piece sound and ready to wax, oil or paint. If you want the full comparison, read dip stripping vs hand stripping: which suits your piece.
Can you dip strip doors?
Yes, and doors are the most common thing we strip. Internal four-panel pine doors, front doors, cupboard doors and shutters all come through the workshop. Sound pine doors dip very well, and the paint comes out of the panel corners and mouldings completely.
Front doors with stained or leaded glass that can't come out are stripped by hand around the glass. Stained-oak doors need a little more care and cost a little more. See our door stripping and door dipping service for the details.
Can you strip furniture and staircases?
Yes. Painted and varnished pine and oak furniture strips well: chests, dressers, tables, chairs and wardrobes. This is paint and varnish stripping, so old varnish, stain and paint can all come off.
Furniture is where we're most careful about method. Pieces held together with old glue, or with thin veneer, can suffer in a bath, so they're stripped by hand instead. We check every piece first and tell you which method we'll use before we start. A Victorian or Edwardian staircase is £650–£1,200, depending on the job. Our furniture stripping service page explains more.
Can you strip cast-iron fireplaces?
Yes. Cast-iron fireplace inserts and surrounds are stripped back to bare iron, including the paint packed into the casting. Rust is treated before the fireplace leaves, and we can finish it in waxed black, clear lacquer, high-temperature enamel or oil gloss, or send it back bare.
A cast-iron insert costs from around £90 to strip and refinish. More on our cast-iron fireplace stripping service, or read our guide to the best way to strip paint from a cast-iron fireplace.
Can you strip radiators?
Yes, cast-iron radiators strip very well, and it's one of the best ways to bring an old column radiator back to life. Paint, powder coat and old enamel come off to bare metal, and rust is treated before it leaves.
There's one rule: a radiator must be drained and disconnected by a plumber before it comes in. Once it's here, we can finish it in any of our metal finishes. See our cast-iron radiator stripping service.
Can you strip gates and railings?
Yes. Metal gates, railings and other ironwork are stripped to bare metal, including old paint and powder coating. The rust underneath is treated before anything leaves the workshop, which is what stops it bubbling back through a new coat of paint.
Ornate ironwork is where stripping at home is hardest, because scrolls and joints hold paint that a wire brush just skims over. Find out more on our metal gate stripping service page, or read how to remove rust from cast-iron gates before repainting.
Not sure if your piece can be dipped? WhatsApp us a photo or call Daniel on 01484 666 333. We'll tell you honestly whether it should be dipped, hand-stripped or left alone, and give you a price.
What can't be dip stripped?
We strip wood and metal only. That rules out:
- uPVC doors and windows.
- Composite doors.
- Laminate and laminated boards.
Some wooden pieces shouldn't go in the bath either. Fragile pieces, veneered furniture, pieces relying on old glue and doors with glass that can't come out are stripped by hand instead. That's not a refusal; it's choosing the method that suits the piece. If something really isn't worth stripping, we'll tell you before you spend any money.
How much does dip and strip cost?
These are our published prices. Everything includes neutralising and drying:
| Item | Price | Typical turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Internal four-panel pine door | From £60 | 7–10 working days |
| External or stained-oak door | £80–£95 | 7–10 working days |
| Whole house of doors, as one batch | About £55–£80 per door | About a fortnight |
| Cast-iron fireplace insert, stripped and refinished | From around £90 | 2–3 weeks |
| Dining suite (six chairs and a table) | £320–£480 | Confirmed with your quote |
| Victorian or Edwardian staircase | £650–£1,200 | Confirmed with your quote |
Radiators, gates and other pieces are quoted from a photo. The full breakdown is on our door stripping price guide.
How do I get my pieces to the workshop?
We collect for free within 20 miles of Honley, which covers Huddersfield, Holmfirth, Honley, Halifax, Wakefield, Leeds, Bradford and Barnsley. From further away, such as Sheffield, Manchester, York or Harrogate, you can drop off at Unit 3, Crossley Mills, Honley, HD9 6PL, send smaller items by overnight courier, or we'll quote a van collection.
When pieces are stripped, you can take them home bare or have them finished in the workshop with the products we sell, including Osmo, Fiddes, Farrow & Ball and Little Greene. Browse our wood finishes if you'd rather finish them yourself.
Get a quote for dip and strip
Double Dipper Paint Strippers is a Guild of Master Craftsmen member, trading from Crossley Mills in Honley since 2016. Open Monday to Friday 9am–5pm and Saturday 10am–2pm.
- Call 01484 666 333 or email info@doubledipperpaintstrippers.co.uk.
- Send a photo of your door, furniture, fireplace, radiator or gate through our contact page.
- See finished work in our gallery.
