The options you mentioned except #1 sound viable if you are comfortable with your ability. I reccomend useing wood filler aka pore filler. Wood filler is simply thin wood putty. Chose a color close to the stain color because fillers don't stain well.

I've thought about it all day, and here's my plan. I'll carefully remove the back, then strip/pick/sand/stain as needed to get the paint off.

If it doesn't work, I'm going to just buy a new piece of plywood for the back.

Why is refinishing never fast or easy?

I find it fast and easy, and I don't have to fuss with

1) leftover paint in the grain
2) any flesh eating chemicals, including mineral spirits
3) any scraping
4) any wood-destroying wire brushes
5) any steel wool
6) any sanding, other than a 220 to smooth the final, raw grain.

And yes, fast. I've stripped as many (so far) as 7 different colors off some antique doors, and the 2nd coat took the stain out. Overnight, without touching it.

One word, one product: Citristrip.

Eh. I used Citristrip on this piece. I didn't let it sit overnight, though. It's still pretty hot here, and after 45 minutes or so, the stripper was starting to dry out. I do like the product, but I don't know that I've ever had your results with it. I have another piece to be stripped when the weather cools off, so maybe it can be left overnight then.

To solve the current problem, though, the simple, elegant answer came from my 80 year old mother. I was whining about what to do, and she said "Why don't you just take the back off and turn it over?" Well. Of course.

Sure enough, I popped off the staples, loosened some glue residue, and it came right off. A quick sanding took off the old manufacturers markings, and i have a fabulous unblemished piece of ?oak plywood. That mother of mine is just brilliant!

LOL! True. Sometimes we make things harder than they need to be.

Franksmom, the next time you use Citristrip, cut open one of the millions of plastic grocery bags you probably have somewhere. Press it into the Citristrip and press out the air bubbles. Not only does this hold the stuff against the wood, allowing it to continue to work, but it keeps it from drying out.

Know how it comes up in ribbons? Once it's left the surface, it's not going to be doing a thing but stare at you.

Love to see a picture....!?

I've thought about your Mom's advice several times the last few days and it makes me smile! Sounds like a very sharp, practical lady.

Thanks!

My mother is indeed sharp and practical! And she's gotten a kick out of strangers on the internet liking her idea.

I put the last coat of varnish on the piece yesterday, so now it's just sitting and waiting to cure. I wasn't wanting to rub it out, but it needs it.

This has not been one of my finer refinishing jobs...I should have raised the grain and sanded a few more times. I should have used something pre-stain, as it turned out a bit blotchy. I should have chosen a stain color that was a bit more brown. I probably should have used wipe on poly instead of varnish, because I like the satin finish of poly, and it might have saved me the rubbing out of shiny varnish.

This was a pitiful little bookshelf bought years ago at a thrift for $10. It would have been far faster and easier to just buy a cheap laminate shelf at Walmart, but I already owned it, it's actual wood, and it fit the space it's going into exactly. It's going into my craft room, and I had to remind myself that the goal was to simply have it look like wood again, rather than some heirloom piece of furniture. I didn't even bother with a "before" pic, but I will try to post a pic when it's all done. Hopefully the books and accessories will add some charm.

There are several other pieces for that room waiting in the que, so lots of opportunies to either make them shine or mess them up. Every time I do a finishing job like this I swear I'll never do it again, but there ya go.