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Scrapping and sanding away old paint is inefficient and can damage the underlying surface, which is why often your best option is stripping the paint with a chemical paint stripper. If the surface you’re stripping has paint layers that date back to before 1978, they may contain lead paint. This stuff is no joke, and the heat gun may vaporize the lead, allowing it to be inhaled. If you’re scraping and sanding, lead-laden bits of old paint can scatter on the floor or get on your fingers, only to be ingested later without your realizing it. For protection, wear gloves, a dust mask, and ensure adequate ventilation of your work. Launder clothing after work sessions as an added precaution.
In this case, my recommended plan of attack involves a heat gun and a quality set of paint scrapers. Rinse the cloth often if you're working with a large surface. Vacuum the area to remove any leftover dust.Once you’ve finished, you can paint or refinish the surface you just stripped. Use a damp rag or lint-free cloth to wipe down the entire surface that you’ve sanded. If you're stripping walls, cover the entire floor area with the sheeting and tape the plastic to the baseboards.
Safer for the customer
Keep in mind, you'll be working with a cord (unlike the propane torch, which is self-contained). They aren't really a viable option for large areas, but they do work well for small, difficult areas or for ornamental surfaces. One advantage of using a heat gun is that its heat can be dialed up or down, as needed. Even though heat guns do not produce flames, they still can catch dry materials on fire, if the gun is hot enough.
Plus, it is easier to work with smaller areas at least at first. A liquid paint stripper gets results faster compared to semi-paste, but it does tend to run when applied to a vertical surface such as a wall. Liquid Laundry Detergent is pet-friendly and can be used individually or as one of the ingredients for the mixture in paint removers.
home strip brochure
Krud Kutter’s spray bottle makes it convenient to use—just spray on the paint, let it sit for several moments, and then wipe it off, following up with soap and water. You’ll find that Krud Kutter is both easy to use and effective. While there is an odor to it, the manufacturer notes that the product is both biodegradable and low in VOCs. Home Strip is a new, safer and extremely effective water-based, vapour free paint, varnish and coatings remover based on dibasic esters. This means avoiding such products as latex or nitrile gloves.
Giving something a fresh paint job is a great way to give it new life. But applying new paint over old paint can cause a variety of problems, including chipping, peeling, and bubbling. To prevent this, sometimes you have to strip the old paint before you can apply a fresh coat. There are a number of ways to strip paint, but the safest and most reliable method is applying a chemical stripper to loosen the bonds, and then scraping and sanding away the paint. I had many layers of paint to remove from plaster coving and ended up leaving the paint remover on for 24 hours, covering it in clingfilm to stop it drying out. Once you get the surface to a certain state the layers just pull off like a strip of vinyl, but it takes a while to get this right, so you need time and patience.
Safety Tips and Precautions for Using A Paint Stripper
Orbital or belt sanders are a good option for stripping exterior paint. However, if you lay into the sander too hard, you risk gouging the wood. The blowtorch has been a perennial favorite of homeowners for many years because it is cheap and relatively fast.
If you do not remove the stripper, any new paint you apply will start to fall away quickly. Shake the paint stripper in the can or container first, then pour a little into a pot or other shallow container. This will prevent a concentration of vapor from the paint stripper to build up in the room. Semi-paste is not as fast but is a better all-around application, especially for walls and other vertical or steep surfaces. The heat gun must be applied to the area you want to clean the paint off until it creates small bubbles.
Chemical Based Paint Removers
Chemical paint strippers come in liquid, paste, and gel forms. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding exact application quantities and techniques. Gel strippers like CitriStrip can be applied with a brush or roller. Pastes like SmartStrip and Peel Away 1 should be applied with a trowel. Liquids can be brushed or rolled on.For two-part systems like Peel Away 1, apply the paper provided after you’ve coated the surface with the stripping agent. Brush Klean-Strip on a metal surface and you’ll be able to easily strip off paint, epoxy, or polyurethane.
To prevent drying out in hot conditions, or when left overnight we recommend that the treated area is covered with a cheap plastic dust sheets. Didn’t work for me - only removed top coat and had no effect on primer or undercoat despite several attempts. Just in case you want to hire pro painters in your local area, you can click here. We can instantly send you free quotes from trusted painters based on your specific requirement.
However, all strippers should be applied with a disposable paintbrush and applied in short brush strokes in a single direction. Make sure to apply the stripper with the grain when working with wooden surfaces. With this method, chemical paint strippers are applied to the paint surface.
You’ll want to find gloves that offer special protection from the paint stripper. If you don’t want to use chemicals or create your own paint removers, then this is a great alternative. Paint stripper is a chemical solution specifically formulated to remove paint from the surface of wood, metal, and even masonry materials like brick or concrete. This product is a paste, and it works well at removing paint from carved surfaces, moldings, or any surface with many crevices.
If the paint is still difficult to get off, then stop and re-apply the paint stripper with thick coats. You can start by putting down some plastic on the floor and cover that with some kraft or rosin paper to catch the paint and paint stripper as it runs off the area. Both types are effective in removing paint, although they work in slightly different ways. So, one of the best paint stripping options is to buy products without this ingredient in their composition.
High heat causes acrylic-latex paint to soften, making it easy to peel away with a putty knife. Can breath it in all day without it making me breathless, can even slather it on my hands if I feel that way inclined. Just wish it'd penetrate a bit deeper through the billions of layers of paint on the door frame I'm working on at present! It's also damned good at cleaning the paint brushes I last used 6 weeks ago and left wrapped in a couple of layers of cling film.
When using a heat gun, remain aware of where you’re directing the heat. Do not point the gun in one direction for too long; you can inadvertently scorch the wood or ignite the paint (or any flammable substance close to where you’re working). Scrapers are available with interchangeable steel heads, some flat and others with points or various contours for tackling curved surfaces. To quicken your work, keep scrapers sharp with a file or sharpening stone. For big jobs (e.g., large areas of wood siding that’s severely alligatored) consider using an infrared heater. This tool heats a larger area than a heat gun and can be mounted on a track for hands-free operation.
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