Stripping Paint with Chemicals
A variety of paint strippers is available, and the type you choose will depend on the project you are stripping. Semi-paste strippers are the best choice for tough jobs such as removing epoxies, polyurethanes, enamel or marine finishes, or where multiple layers of paint or finish must be removed. Use either a semi-paste or a heavy-bodied remover for stripping vertical surfaces such as the side panels of chests, or the legs of a chair or table. Spray strippers are available either in aerosol cans (for small projects) or in quart or gallon cans, complete with a 3-foot hose and a spray nozzle. Explain your project to the dealer and ask for help choosing the right stripper for your project.

Professional paint strippers have large tanks full of stripper, so they can completely submerge the piece in the stripper. The problem may be that immersing the furniture piece may cause a failure of the old glue and loosen the joints such chair rungs or legs. The option is to do the paint stripping yourself, in a well-ventilated area.

Stripping paint has never been an easy job, but you can reduce the work and the mess by following the manufacturer's directions.

Paint stripper must lay wet on the surface long enough to dissolve the old finish. Work outdoors if you can, but never work in direct sunlight, or where a breeze is blowing. Sunlight or moving air can dry the stripper before the paint is dissolved.

To mix the stripper, shake the can, then open the lid slowly to permit builtup pressure to escape. Lay on a heavy coat of stripper with a stripping pad or a soft brush. Do not brush out the stripper as you would paint: flow on a generous amount and do not brush back over it. If the workpiece is small you may be able to apply the stripper, then place the piece in a large plastic garbage bag. Tie the top, and the stripper will stay wet for a long time.

Let the stripper work for the time specified on the label, usually between 5 and 45 minutes, depending on the age, type, and number of coats of finish. Then test the finish with a paint scraper. Plastic scrapers work best and do not scratch the wood. For spindles or other intricate areas, twist strands of steel wool into a rope, wrap the steel wool around the grooves, and use a sawing motion to remove the old finish. Optional tools include using an old toothbrush or various special stripping tools that are available at paint dealers.

If the old finish is stubborn, you may have to apply repeated coats of stripper. With each application, do not rush the project. Let the stripper do the work. Deposit the finish/stripper sludge in a metal container.

For stripping furniture legs, place the bottom of the legs in cans to catch any sludge that drips down the leg.

When stripping the legs or other vertical surfaces, work from the bottom upwards.

When using water-wash strippers, dip the stripping pad or brush in warm soapy water, and scrub away the residue. Remember that the water may raise the grain of the wood, or may loosen glue joints. The best procedure is to scrape the old finish away and use a wash product to remove any remaining residue.

When the stripping is done, clean up all tools and remove materials used for coverup, drop cloths or stripping. Remember that materials soaked in paint chemicals can ignite from spontaneous combustion. Used rags, steel wool, papers or other materials can be left outside in the open air to dry, then placed in a metal container that has a tight-fitting lid. Follow label directions, or call your city offices for instructions for disposal of used or leftover stripper.


written by the editors of HouseNet
copyright HouseNet Inc. 1996

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