How do I remove cured epoxy from wood, a floor, or another surface?

Sanding is the most common way to remove cured epoxy. Sand it down, then wipe away the sanding dust with a clean rag and denatured alcohol or acetone. Where epoxy has leaked out of a form and cured into thick wings, you can router or sand off the excess. For epoxy cured into the grooves of textured brick, a small chisel used carefully may be able to chip away the bulk without damaging the brick face too much; following up with acetone may help remove the remaining residue.

If sanding isn't an option, the only other route is a chemical stripper. Customers have told us that Premium Stripper by Klean Strip works well to completely remove epoxy, and you can find it at a local home improvement store. Every situation is different, though, and you may not get the same results. You use it at your own risk and must follow the instructions on the can. It is a very harsh chemical, so use it with caution: it can damage any finish on the wood underneath and anything embedded under the epoxy, such as bottle caps. We don't have any other information on this product.

If you sand all the way back to bare wood or another porous substrate and plan to recoat, brush on a seal coat of UltraClear Bar & Table Top Epoxy before pouring the flood coat.