Stripping wooden furniture - any tips?!

[user1484830599]

I've bought a lovely, huge old school cupboard but it has layers and layers of old paint on it. I'm going to strip the top back first to see how much of a faff it is, and wax that once its back to the wood. Once I've done that I'll decide whether to strip the rest or just paint over the top (I'd prefer to avoid this if possible!)

Any tips? Products to use/avoid? I'd prefer to avoid having it dipped if possible as I've been warned it can weaken the glue.

[JoJoSM2]

I’ve had best experience with sanding and have been disappointed by chemical paint removers. My experience is limited, though. I’d just mention that if you’d like it painted, you don’t need to get rid of all the layers of paint. Just give it a good sanding and remove any peeling bits.

[Namechangetothemax]

Peelaway is excellent. I used it to strip a mantlepiece. Worked a treat but you'll need a lot if it's a huge dresser. You can buy sample pots to see if it's the right product for your job.