How to remove drywall from wood furniture?

February 21, 2022 7:48 AM

We had a burst pipe in the house, which caused some drywall to come off the walls and ceiling. What's the best way to remove drywall from wood furniture and glass?
posted by La Gata to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

When it's dry, use a plastic scraper to get most of it off without damaging whatever's under it and use a damp sponge and some elbow grease for the leftovers. It's basically just plaster and paper.
posted by mhoye at 7:52 AM on February 21, 2022 [3 favorites]

What are the finishes on the wood?
posted by clew at 11:56 AM on February 21, 2022

Response by poster: What are the finishes on the wood?

I'm not sure how to answer that. It's just normal finishes on some nice wooden cabinets, not a heavy lacquer or anything.
posted by La Gata at 1:04 PM on February 21, 2022

If they’re polyurethane or other waterproof finishes you don’t need to be as careful as with wax polish or shellac or other older finishes. In either case, wiping off the slightly abrasive gypsum might get you cloudy scratches, but adding more water to the latter can increase the existing water damage.

If everything got really wet already, any bulk removal so the wood can dry out seems most important to me. And most finishes can be touched up or recoated, though the process is different with different chemistries.
posted by clew at 1:41 PM on February 21, 2022

If you’re concerned about damaging the finishes, vacuum them first which will pull off larger particles that might otherwise scratch the surface, then use a slightly damp microfiber cloth to wipe down, then a new dry microfiber cloth to pick up any remaining dust. If you really want to be fastidious, vacuum the area again to get the particles you may have knocked off the cabinets onto your counter, floor, backsplash, etc
posted by Summers at 3:10 AM on February 22, 2022