Jump to: navigation, search

Firstly, I would like to start with blowtorches and make the comment that in my 20 years in the paint removal industry, I have never come across a more destructive and dangerous tool in the hands of a novice. So therefore I do not recommend this tool to be used in the removal of paint from any form of timberwork, plastic, or glass. That said, they are a very handy tool for removing paint from cast iron and thick steel. Caution should be taken when using blowtorches on thin steel or tin, due to warping and buckling occurring from too much heat.

There are a few simple precautions that you should be aware of when paint is stripped with any heat appliance, namely fire hazards. So, if you are working indoors, do not leave any newspaper on the floor. Keep a steel tray below to catch hot paint peelings. Have a bucket of water handy in which to drop any paint that may smoulder or catch fire.

Outside, check for birds' nests under the eaves or rotten wood that could smoulder and catch fire if overheated. Keep all heat appliances well away from plastic guttering, down pipes and cladding, all are quickly damaged by heat. If you have plastic gutters and brackets remove them if you are working on the fascia boards (the boards which support the gutters), or shield them well from the heat to prevent damage.

[edit] Hot Air Gun

Hot air guns are designed to soften paint so that scrapers can remove it more easily. This cuts down the time and cost that it would take to strip wood. A hot air gun is much easier tool for a beginner to use, but must still be handled carefully as it too can be just as destructive as a blow-torch. When contemplating on the purchasing of a hot air gun there are a few simple things that you should consider;

1. That the hot air gun feels light and comfortable in your hand, (as you will be holding this tool for long periods of time at different heights and angles).

2. The cost of the unit, remembering that the cheaper the hot air gun the cheaper the parts that have been used, therefore the quicker it will wear or burn out.

3. Most importantly that the hot air gun has multiple heat settings. It is very important that you can adjust the heat settings to avoid burning or charring when working in corners, tight spaces or on mouldings.

4. That your hot air gun comes with attachments. One of the main attachments that you will need is a glass shield, (to stop the glass cracking when stripping paint from the surrounding timber framework).

[edit] Method

1) A good place to start is in corners or mouldings as these areas are often heavily painted, therefore requiring more heating than flat surfaces. Soften the paint by moving the hot air gun backwards and forwards. If the heat is very strong and you concentrate in one area, you may burn the surface so adjust the heat setting lower to compensate. The paint should soften in seconds (it may take longer if it is thick), you must scrape the paint while it is soft or the paint will start to harden again and your scraper will stick and you could damage the timber. As you strip the mouldings also strip slightly into the adjacent flat areas so that you do not have to reapply heat near your finished surfaces, thus elevating the problem of burning and scorching the timber. The tool to use on mouldings is a shave hook.

2) Strip the paint from flat areas with a broad-bladed scraper. Push the tool away from you or upwards. When scraping a vertical surface, make sure your hand is not immediately below the hot paint, which may drip. As an extra safety precaution, wear cotton gloves to protect your hands. As burns from the hot air gun or hot paint are painful.

3) When using a shave hook on mouldings, also hold it at an angle so that hot paint cannot fall onto your hand.

Trade Tip! Round the two sharp corners of the blade of your scraper with a file or grinder, this will stop the likelihood of the scraper digging into the timber. Also make it a habit to clean the scraper often, as this will stop paint build-up and result in a cleaner strip.

Note: If you accidentally scorch the surface, don’t be overly concerned, as this can normally be removed in the sanding process that you will be doing after stripping.

A point to take into consideration is that hot air guns just like gel paint strippers are not designed to remove water-based undercoats, stains, and even some varnishes from underneath your paintwork. Unfortunately paint stripping is a two part process, first part being the removal of top coats, second, being the removal of stains and grime after the top coats have been removed.

So therefore, we suggest that you use your hot air gun and or paint stripper to remove as much paint as you can (remove the stain and grime) that is normally left underneath the paint), we suggest that you use a good Stain And Grime Remover chemical that is designed to perform this task. This is a handy process irrespective of whether you are repainting or requiring a clear finish on your timberwork, as the alternative (sanding) will be a long slow and costly exercise.