Paint Removal - from Wood

[Ron H]

My daughter bought an ancient house (1881) and one of the projects is stripping the multiple layers of paint from wood doors, frames, etc. Daunting task to say the least. Yep, some lead paint so have been doing it well-ventilated in my 2nd garage. I've done enough of this in my time; but not wood covered in so much paint. Started doing it the old-fashioned way with stripper, heat gun, and putty knifes. I have a sand blaster I'm going to try. Have done this before with good results, but the wood didn't have nearly so much paint on it. Figured some of the paint has to come off before trying to blast it. Dipping would be nice; but too pricy and fewer doing this. I've heard of infrared heat equipment with pro's and con's on it.
Anyone have advice on what they found effective or know about the infrared equipment? Thanks

 

[WileERobby]

I would not blast that, unless you are fully suited up. Meaning, hood/respirator. That's my opinion.

 

[Richard Cranium]

How do you get paint on your wood to begin with? Never mind, I don't want to know.

 

[cr8crshr]

Savogran Strypeeze 01232 Paint/Varnish Remover...This stuff works.​

My Family has used this for a long time so give this a try...cr8cvrshr/Bill

strypeeze paint remover - Google Search

 

[4vnut]

Savogran Strypeeze 01232 Paint/Varnish Remover...This stuff works.​

My Family has used this for a long time so give this a try...cr8cvrshr/Bill

strypeeze paint remover - Google Search

I second that suggestion. I have used this stuff and sure nuff, it works. May have to reapply if several layers of paint is to be removed. I have brushed it on, let sit and then I would take my water hose with jet stream and wash it off. Worked great!

 

[69a100]

Savogran Strypeeze 01232 Paint/Varnish Remover...This stuff works.​

My Family has used this for a long time so give this a try...cr8cvrshr/Bill

strypeeze paint remover - Google Search

Just make sure you have adequate ventilation unless you like getting wasted on fumes!

 

[Ron H]

I would not blast that, unless you are fully suited up. Meaning, hood/respirator. That's my opinion.

Yes, good advice, did a frame blast in my garage with the 1st car I restored respirator and hood. Still a dirty job with media everywhere. Done some of it outside as I’m surrounded by open country. Soil around me is already – sandy – lol

 

[Detective D]

Amazon product ASIN B09SVCPDDG
They sell this at Fleet Farm.
I used it to take 100 year old shellac off of a simple but very well built oak cabinet/bookshelf thing my Great Grandfather had made. Note: it will not take the color out of the wood. It will remove everything from the surface so that it feels like bare wood. Some color will come off, but it won't "lift' stain out of the grain.
I used a little black and decker mouse sander to go over the surface, wiped clean, re-stained.

You take this stuff, put some in a little cup. Buy like a half dozen of those little $1 paint brushes so you don;t have to f around with them after and you paint this stuff on. Let it sit, the varnish and paint will curd up like cottage cheese on top and you can shovel the stuff off with a soft, flexable putty knife. I used a plastic one that was wider for bigger areas and a 50 year old (good) flexable steel 1" for the small areas. Then wiped it down with a rag to pick up any loose bits and absorb some of the wet/dissolving stain that was on the surface. let it dry for a day, then used the mouse sander.

No muss(sort of) no fuss, but obviously work with the door open lol, don;t stand over the top of your work, common sense.

It might not be called exactly this name(from the link) I thought it was a Klean Strip product though. I am sure labels have changed slightly. I used up the last bit I had 2 years back on some project my Daughter was working on. I get their mineral spirits, that label hasn't changed so I am sure it is the same company.

 

[Ron H]

sell this at Fleet Farm.

Lol, I'm a frequent guest at FF, among others. My daughter would like to remove the paint to bare wood and then stain. I replied this old wood may not be nice for that being subgrade stuff reading up on the type of wood used in some old houses. Will see.
Our wood porch railing would chip/peel nearly annually and finally took it all down on the driveway and sandblasted it to bare wood, gave it a coat of primer and paint. Been about 5 years and still looks good. Another bee-itch is brick molding. Almost every year it looks like crap, even the stuff I replaced 3 years ago. Put vinyl molding on the new garage and if I can find the color to match the house trim will see about getting that. Thanks all for your advice.

 

[70ChargerRT]

Lead paint and who knows how much Asbestos may be in that house over the years of renovation. That **** will definitely kill you at a lot younger age.

 

[Ron H]

Lead paint and who knows how much Asbestos may be in that house over the years of renovation. That **** will definitely kill you at a lot younger age.

Wasn’t a fan of her wanting the house being 200+ miles away. It needs – WORK – lot’s of it. Removing the paint isn’t much priority in the grand scheme. Good Lord. Was suspicious looking in the basement at some of the pipe wrapping saying lets get someone here to verify asbestos. Yep, there was some, now removed. Hmm, the inspector or realtor wasn’t suspicious? Not the first time I’ve wondered what the qualifications or give-a-**** status of home inspectors have been. Oh, the electrical is all good? On another house, longer story, I took out bunch of wiring that wasn’t anything near any electrical code I was aware of...

 

[WileERobby]

Whatever you do, ensure your safety foremost.

 

[RiverRaider]

If the material can be moved outside and you have or can rent a 4500psi+ pressure washer you could buy one of these

General Pump Professional 5500 PSI Sand Blast Kit​

General Pump DWSDBTK Professional 5500 PSI Sand Blast Kit
I have one that I have used on a kitchen table and chairs. I also bought all of the nozzles from general pump. I have had this thing for a years running 1000's of lbs. of media through it. You can adjust how much media you pull through it. I stripped the table top and chair seats with Kleen strip and blasted the table and chair legs and chair backs with glassbead. I stood farther back when blasting wood than I do when I blast metal. I only had the original finished to remove so I'm not sure how it would work in your application. I also used compressed air to dry and moved everything inside the garage out of the sun to avoid warping as it dryed. It also works awesome on wheels, cleaning white letter tires, metal, sheet metal, cement and brick. If you don't stop once you start you can pull soda through it. I have used play sand, silica sand, black slag, aluminum oxide, silcone carbide and other media but over all varies sizes of crushed glass works the best for me overall on metal. I only used glass bead on wood as it worked so I never tried the other media.

 

[70ChargerRT]

Wasn’t a fan of her wanting the house being 200+ miles away. It needs – WORK – lot’s of it. Removing the paint isn’t much priority in the grand scheme. Good Lord. Was suspicious looking in the basement at some of the pipe wrapping saying let’s get someone here to verify asbestos. Yep, there was some, now removed. Hmm, the inspector or realtor wasn’t suspicious? Not the first time I’ve wondered what the qualifications or give-a-**** status of home inspectors have been. Oh, the electrical is all good? On another house, longer story, I took out bunch of wiring that wasn’t anything near any electrical code I was aware of...

They are some good and bad inspectors. I was working 7 days a week away when my electrician did my house. Inspector passed it and everything. Got home a month later and my smoke alarms weren’t working, had 1 plug in a wall wasn’t working also. The electrician ran all the wrong wiring for my smoke alarms. I called the inspector, the electrician, took them to court and still couldn’t get a damn thing done. It’s funny how everyone in a small town is all tied together but I smeared the **** out of all of them and called them all out on social media.

 

[1967coronet]

Wasn’t a fan of her wanting the house being 200+ miles away. It needs – WORK – lot’s of it. Removing the paint isn’t much priority in the scheme. Good Lord. Was suspicious looking in the basement at some of the pipe wrapping saying lets get someone here to verify asbestos. Yep, there was some, now removed. Hmm, the inspector or realtor wasn’t suspicious? Not the first time I’ve wondered what the qualifications or give-a-**** status of home inspectors have been. Oh, the electrical is all good? On another house, longer story, I took out bunch of wiring that wasn’t anything near any electrical code I was aware of...

Ron , my dad refinished old furniture for years.
He used a mix of Red Devil lye, corn starch and water.
This would be used on tables , chairs ect with multiple coats of paint.
That lye is nasty stuff and also doubles as drain cleaner so skin and most important eye protection is a must.
His mix formula I do not know mabey you can find one on the net.
All I can say is it will strip paint.

 

[Ron H]

Inspector passed it and everything.

That sucks! Seems as though if an ‘inspector’ says ok this is a big hook. Just had some major work done on my house – 24 years later, due to flashing never being installed beneath the brick wall and large window. Rain water and snow thaw would seep into the basement blocks. Called my builder some 10 years ago to look. Threw his hands up not having a clue saying he’d get back to me, never happened even though he lives nearby. We’re no longer friendly though he’s friends with my BIL.

Had several contractors out over the years giving various opinions. Buddy and I dug down 5 feet to check the wall, looked fine no cracks and coated. Two suspected the lack of flashing and went with one who tore out the brick, first 3 courses; but finding more rotted osb, so they had to keep going up to the window sill. Fortunately, not much damage to the studs. Those were bleached and new board put in – with flashing. Amazed how well they matched the original brick. 7 grand later, so far so good.

Yeah, the building inspector had ok’d w/o flashing..