Stripping a wooden ceiling

[Timothy Murphy]

There is a wooden (pitch-pine) ceiling in one room in my Victorian house which was very badly stripped with a hot air stripper which burned the wood slightly. Then the ceiling was varnished (with polyurethane), presumably to hide the burn marks, but it didn't do this very well.

I'd like to strip the ceiling again, and I'm wondering if the best way is with a light sander, or with a Skarsten (or similar) scraper? Or maybe some other way?

[R]

Belt sander C/w vacuum attachment and plenty of elbow grease...

For the joints between the boards use paint stripper and a suitable scraper and don't forget the eye protection etc

[Timothy Murphy]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have one of these sanders which flail round a little like a catherine wheel. Is that what you mean?

[Stuart Noble]

I doubt if you'll get any kind of uniformity with a flapwheel (if that's what you mean). Also, even 100 year old pitch pine can still be quite resinous, and this will gum up abrasives quite quickly.

[R]

Nope

Look up Belt Sander (Makita do a good one) Hire shops will have them and the suitable grades of sanding belts