Owens Corning
How to Strip Paint
Removing or stripping paint is not a pleasant job, but sometimes you're not left with any alternative. If you're painting wooden siding, doors or furniture the surface must be smooth and free of loose, flaking paint. So it's often necessary to begin a paint project by first removing heavy layers of old paint.

To strip paint from a surface, you can attack it with chemicals, heat gun, or for large areas, high pressure water. While sandpaper has been around for a long time, it's most effective smoothing the surface after heavy paint has been removed. Get an inexpensive sanding disk that fits onto an electric drill and use an open coat 80 grit0-grit abrasive disk to feather rough paint spots smooth. Be careful with this disk because it removes paint quickly and can gouge the surface.

There are a variety of chemical paint strippers on the market and the best ones are the new water-based strippers that are biodegradable and take off layers of paint without the danger of using harsh chemicals. The secret is allowing the stripper time to work. Apply it with an old paint brush and then be patient. Let it set for as long as the manufacturer suggests. Wait until the paint lifts up from the surface before you scrape it off.

An electric heat gun looks like a heavy-duty hair dryer, but produces a much hotter air stream that is concentrated on a small area. It needs a few seconds to get hot after you pull the trigger and then it is ready to use. Wear heavy gloves to protect your hands and don't point the gun at surfaces you don't want to strip. Direct the nozzle at the painted surface and move the gun around slowly in one area. Hold the gun in one hand and a scraper in the other as you work. Switch hands because the gun gets heavy.

Whichever method you use, the paint is ready to scrape away when it has softened or bubbles up. Gently dig the scraper into the paint and push it up onto the scraper. Be careful not to gouge the surface below the paint with the blade of the scraper. Choose a putty knife the approximate width of whatever you're stripping and use it on the flat surfaces. A wad of medium grade steel wool is ideal for getting old paint out of curved areas because its course texture lets you wipe off the paint.

The key to the operation is a sturdy cardboard box with its flaps cut off at the top. As you work, wipe globs of paint off of the putty knife onto the sides of the box and contain all the messy steel wool and paint inside the box.

You don't have to remove all the layers of paint down to bare wood. The goal is a smooth surface for the new coat of paint. More than one application of paint stripper or heat gun is often required.

To prepare exterior wood siding for a new coat of paint, it's important to remove any flaking paint. This is a big job, but for about $50 a day you can rent a power washer. This machine uses high pressure or 750 to 3000 psi (pounds per square inch) water to blast away loose and flaking paint. Be careful where you point the nozzle, because the high pressure water can be dangerous especially to exposed skin. Use a drop cloth to drape the shrubbery surrounding the house to protect it from the spray and paint chips.

Since lead contained in old paint presents a health hazard, it's a good idea to check the paint you plan to remove for lead before you begin any work. Easy-to-use lead paint check-test kits are sold at home centers and paint and hardware stores. Purchase one and follow the directions to test the paint. If you find the paint contains lead, contact your local health department for advice about removing it.


written by editors of HouseNet

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