Tutorials on how to strip paint!

When overhauling your decor, it’s not just the walls that need attention,your woodwork needs to be prepared and painted to complete the look. When wallpapering your walls, you wouldn’t dream of applying new wallpaper on top of your old covering, the same applies when painting woodwork like skirting boards, handrails,panelling or doors.

You will need :

- Dust or polythene sheet
- Goggles, gloves and protective overalls
- Chemical stripper or heat gun
- Scraper
- Curved scraper or steel wool
- Shavehook
- Old paintbrush
- White spirit or bucket of warm water

Strip your woodwork, just as you’d strip your walls, for a perfect result. Paint can be sanded away but the easiest and fastest method is to use a heat gun or chemical stripper. Before you begin however make sure youprotect yourself and your surroundings. Cover flooring and furnishings with a dust sheet or polythene, and put on old clothes or protective overalls, goggles and gloves to protect yourself from the harsh chemical stripper. 

Also, work in a well-ventilated area by opening all windows and switching off your central heating. If you’re choosing the traditional chemical stripper method, consider which type of chemical stripper suits you. These strippers come in liquid, spray, brushable or aerosol form, so it’s up to you which application method you prefer. The most common form is the liquid stripper, pour this into a small container before application and dab onto the woodwork with an old paintbrush. 

The trick when using a chemical stripper and applying the solution for maximum absorption is to go with the grain, especially when it comes to removing paint from more ornate wooden features. It may help to have a damp cloth to hand to wipe away any spillages; the chemical can damage other furnishings and upholstery. You then need to give the stripper time to react with the paint; the reaction time varies from product to product so please consult the manufacturer’s instructions. After leaving the solution for the allotted time, test whether the paint comes away with a shavehook. The paint should come loose using gentle scraping, if the paint doesn’t come awayeasily then leave the solution a little longer. 

Use a curved scraper or steel wool to remove paint from handrails, mouldings and staircase spindles. Please note that steel wool should not be used on oak woodwork, the metal creates black stains on oak so use a nylon pad instead. After you have removed all the paint from your woodwork, apply warm water or white spirit to the wood to neutralise. Leave to dry for 24 hours before you apply a fresh coat of paint. When removing paint or varnish from larger areas, like doors and panelling, it may help to use a heat gun. These are relatively cheap to buy (the average price is around $20) and are available from any good DIY store. Delicate areas however can be easily damaged by the prolonged heat from the heat gun. Hold the gun a couple of inches away from the wood and scrap as you go from side to side. For a flawless result, use a shavehook to get into the nooks and crannies where paint loves to congregate.

Are you up against Lead-based paint?

 Lead-based paint isn’t used today but was particularly popular before the 1960’s, so if you have an older home, chances are you’re going to come across a lead-based alternative. Lead-based paint has to be treated a little differently – buy a home testing kit and see whether your wood work is covered using lead-based paint. If it is then use the chemical stripping method to remove, not a heat gun.

There is another method which i recommended to strip the paint easily with a heat gun you can check the video below to see how it works  :

Click on the picture to see the details !