Paint Stripping 101
Recycling is a beautiful thing- especially when it includes restoring a nice, sturdy antique piece that needs another chance at life. Often over time these glorious pieces of craftsmanship are painted and repainted so many times they start to resemble a child’s finger painting. Or the stain and finish may be worn and sad. This is when paint stripper comes in handy.
Let’s dive into the ins and outs of paint stripping.
What Kind of Paint Stripper to Use:
There are a variety of paint strippers out there eco friendly, multi-layer paint strippers, industrial paint strippers. I have used a few and what works best for my purposes has been Smart Strip. It is low odor and works extremely well at removing multiple layers of paint. If you are removing a light finish or stain it will work in minutes- for multiple layers of paint letting it sit for 24 hours does the trick. If you are working with Lead Paint there are strippers made to stabilizes the lead such as Lead Out.
Applying the Stripper:
Wear gloves and work in a well ventilated area (even if it is low odor, but still probably not the best stuff to breathe in). Apply a thick layer of stripper over the wood with a paint brush or soft cloth. Let the stripper sit in place for 24 hours for thick paint remover. If just trying to remain a coat of stain or a light finish try removing the product in a test area after 10 minutes.
Removing the Paint:
To remove the stripper and paint use a scraper to gently remove the paint. There may be some areas you miss or some that didn’t fully come off-- put another coat on these areas.
Clean Up:
Wet a soft cloth with soap and warm water and gently wash off the paint stripper and any residual paint. Let this dry and then gently sand any areas necessary.
