I'm sure the answer to this is going to be "lots of hard work." But I am always hopeful. I live in a house built in the early 1900's. The staircase is the orginal wood, solid and extremely thick. It has been painted at least 4 times and every time, no primer. So of course, it is peeling off like a huge sunburn in some places. Same thing with the front door and the baseboard molding. Having lost an animal to chemical exposure, I am very hesistant about using a chemical stripper, which I know is the quickest way. I am also not sure about trying to take the stair case apart, I don't want to ruin it. I have used Ready Strip in the past, but you have to use so much of it and it is rather expensive. I am torn between peeling off what I can with a scraper, sanding, priming and painting or restoring it all to its natural beauty. Has anybody out there found a easy, non chemical way to do this?