How to Refinish Old Wooden Snow Skis

Old wooden snow skis are often still usable despite many being used as decorations. Refinishing old wooden snow skis can help recreate their initial luster and look. Using a traditional finish can make the skis usable both as skis and as decoration. More modern finishes might work well for decoration but work less well as a usable ski finish. The following is a traditional finishing technique.

Things You'll Need

  • Furniture stripper
  • Paint brushes
  • Putty knife
  • Sandpaper (varying grits)
  • Boiled linseed oil
  • Turpentine
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the bindings and other hardware, then apply furniture stripper to all ski surfaces. Apply the stripper with a paint brush as directed on the packaging.

    • 2

      Allow the stripper to soften the paint as directed on the packaging--which is usually two to four hours--then scrape the old finish off with a putty knife. In some cases, such as grooves in the wood, you might need to use a piece of rolled up sandpaper to scrape out the old finish.

    • 3

      Clean the skis as indicated on the furniture stripper bottle once you have removed the finish. Allow the skis to dry.

    • 4

      Sand the old wooden skis with very fine sandpaper to smooth out raised wood grain caused by the furniture stripper.

    • 5

      Apply several coats of boiled linseed oil as directed on the packaging. Boiled linseed oil is not, in fact, boiled. It has solvents added to it to help it cure faster than raw linseed oil. The curing time between coats will vary, depending on the brand of boiled linseed oil. Lightly sand between applications to create a high-gloss finish.