Exterior
Paint Removal
 Stripping
and or removing aged paint or stain is often a time
consuming project although chemical paint strippers
are the most effective solution when it comes to
restoring most any surface. Historic Societies and
Historic Districts throughout the nation continue
to have their properties serviced by paint removal
companies and or contractors for the purpose of
lead paint removal services and also to keep their
buildings well preserved and most importantly in
its original condition
Justification for
Paint Removal
At the outset, it must be emphasized that removing
paint from historic buildings--with the exception
of cleaning, light scraping, and hand sanding as
part of routine maintenance--should be avoided unless
absolutely essential.
Once conditions warranting removal have been identified
the general approach should be to remove paint to
the next sound layer using the gentlest means possible,
then to repaint.
Practically speaking as well, paint can adhere just
as effectively to existing paint as to bare wood,
providing the previous coats of paint are also adhering
uniformly and tightly to the wood and the surface
is properly prepared for repainting-- cleaned of
dirt and chalk and dulled by sanding. But, if painted
exterior wood surfaces display continuous patterns
of deep cracks or if they are extensively blistering
and peeling so that bare wood is visible, then the
old paint should be completely removed before repainting.
The only other justification for removing all previous
layers of paint is if doors, shutters, or windows
have literally been "painted shut," or
if new wood is being pieced-in adjacent to old painted
wood and a smooth transition is desired.
Paint Removal Precautions
Because paint removal is a difficult and painstaking
process, a number of costly, regrettable experiences
have occurred--and continue to occur--for both the
historic building and the building owner.
Historic buildings have been set on fire with blow
torches; wood irreversibly scarred by sandblasting
or by harsh mechanical devices such as rotary sanders
and rotary wire strippers; and layers of historic
paint inadvertently and unnecessarily removed. In
addition, property owners, using techniques that
substitute speed for safety, have been injured by
toxic lead  vapors
or dust from the paint they were trying to remove
or by misuse of the paint removers themselves. Owners
of historic properties considering paint removal
should also be aware of the amount of time and labor
involved. While removing damaged layers of paint
from a door or porch railing might be readily accomplished
within a reasonable period of time by one or two
people, removing paint from larger areas of a building
can, without professional assistance, easily become
unmanageable and produce less than satisfactory
results.
The amount of work involved in any paint removal
project must therefore be analyzed on a case-by-case
basis. Hiring qualified professionals will often
be a cost-effective decision due to the expense
of materials, the special equipment required, and
the amount of time involved. Further, paint removal
companies experienced in dealing with the inherent
health and safety dangers of paint removal should
have purchased such protective devices as are needed
to mitigate any dangers and should also be aware
of State or local environmental and/or health regulations
for hazardous waste disposal. All in all, paint
removal is a messy, expensive, and potentially dangerous
aspect of rehabilitating or restoring historic buildings
and should not be undertaken without careful thought
concerning first, its necessity, and second, which
of the available recommended methods is the safest
and most appropriate for the job at hand.
If existing exterior paint on wood siding, eaves,
window sills, sash, and shutters, doors, and decorative
features shows no evidence of paint deterioration
such as chalking, blistering, peeling, or cracking,
then there is no physical reason to repaint, much
less remove paint! Nor is color fading, of itself,
sufficient justification to repaint a historic building.
The decision to repaint may not be based altogether
on paint failure. Where there is a new owner, or
even where ownership has remained constant through
the years, taste in colors often changes. Therefore,
if repainting is primarily to alter a building's
primary and accent colors, a technical factor of
paint accumulation should be taken into consideration.
 When
paint builds up to a thickness of approximately
1/16" (approximately 16 to 30 layers), one
or more extra coats of paint may be enough to trigger
cracking and peeling in limited or even widespread
areas of the building's surface. This results because
excessively thick paint is less able to withstand
the shrinkage or pull of an additional coat as it
dries and is also less able to tolerate thermal
stresses.
Thick paint invariably fails at the weakest point
of adhesion, the oldest layers next to the wood.
Cracking and peeling follow. Therefore, if there
are no signs of paint failure, it may be somewhat
risky to add still another layer of unneeded paint
simply for color's sake (extreme changes in color
may also require more than one coat to provide proper
hiding power and full color). When paint appears
to be nearing the critical thickness, a change of
accent colors (that is, just to limited portions
of the trim) might be an acceptable compromise without
chancing cracking and peeling of paint on wooden
siding.
If the decision to repaint is nonetheless made,
the "new" color or colors should, at a
minimum, be appropriate to the style and setting
of the building. On the other hand, where the intent
is to restore or accurately reproduce the colors
originally used or those from a significant period
in the building's evolution, they should be based
on the results of a paint analysis.
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 Things
you’ll need for exterior paint removal
Power washer
Paint stripper
Neutralizer
Gloves
Goggles
Suit
Paint scrapers or putty knives
Sandpaper
Belt or palm sander
Quick Guide
How to Remove
Exterior Paint
• Be sure to use proper ventilation, and
protective clothing while working with paint removers.
• Apply paint stripper with a paint brush,
paint roll, or drywall knifes depending on the
product that suites your needs. Spread material
evenly and consistently make sure to read the
directions.
• Allow time for the paint remover to work,
without allowing the surface to dry. The time
it takes for paint to loosen up and begin to strip
the paint depends on how many layers are on the
surface. Follow the manufacturer's directions
for the best results.
• Scrape the surface area with a putty
knife when the paint loosens and becomes bubbly.
Use different sizes of putty knives and wire brushes
to make sure all paint and paint remover is off.
• Wash the entire area with proper solvent.
• Neutralize the surface with the appropriate
product.
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