Unlike lacquer, shellac and varnish, which have been around for centuries, polyurethane is a product of 20th-century lab technology. In some ways, polyurethane is better than traditional film coating.

Once that's done, I'm left with a clean slate that I can leave as it is, paint, or stain. For this review, I put four of the most popular wood strippers to the test: Max Strip, Minwax, Citristrip ...