Paint stripping is an activity plenty of people dread on undertaking due to the tedious work it involves. The process requires more than time and effort to complete. It requires the right tools. Without the appropriate paint stripping tools for the trade, the job becomes difficult to do. It is important to realise that paint stripping involves more than one tool and the miracle paint stripper manufacturers sell may not help at all. For the best results, we would urge you to consider professional paint stripping services which we specialise in here at Premium Doors.
Here are some paint stripping tools that our experts would recommend using;
Putty knife
A putty knife is a useful tool when it comes to scraping off paint from furniture. The knife is lighter than other devices and does an adequate job old finish on furniture that has been softened. When using this tool ensure the blade does not cause any scars to the wood. When using the blade make sure you coat the putty knife lightly with cooking spray that is nonstick to help it move quite quickly.
Ensure you also remove any burrs on the edges of the putty knife with sandpaper.
Paint shaver
The paint shaver is the fastest and most effective method to use when removing paint. The paint shaver does not leave patches of paint since it works through all the paint ensuring you have a wall, chair, or any item free of paint. Despite its astonishing performance, the paint shaver comes with great responsibilities.
To use this paint removal tool you need to practice using it a lot on scrap pieces. The practice helps you adjust the tool accordingly to get the appropriate depth of cut before you begin working with the device. On a scale of 1 to 10, the paint shaver’s effectiveness ranges at 9. Majority of paint shavers come with vacuums that suck up the stripped paint that you can dispose of later.
Proscraper
If you are looking for paint removal tool that is cost effective and works great, then the Proscraper is that tool. The Proscraper is a hardened scraper made out of plastic, which has a hollow body that connects to your vacuum. The scraper comes with a replaceable blade. The benefit of working with this Proscraper lies in its ability to collect the paint scraps.
It is important to realise that the performance of the tool you choose to remove paint with largely depends on the condition and the type of paint you remove. Also, you would need to ensure protective clothing is worn when removing paint. Why not consider professional paint stripping instead to avoid hassle and stress? Call Premium Doors on 07481 171 243 or email premiumdoorstripping@gmail.com.
Paint strippers are made with chemicals that help to loosen paint to allow easy removal from surfaces. Most of the chemicals used in these removers are harmful when not used properly and could irritate the skin, cause drowsiness, lead to loss of coordination, cause reproductive problems, damage the liver or brain, or cause headaches. That’s why doing the work comes with a high risk as you are exposed to dangerous chemicals.
Hazards related to paint stripping
Respiratory system damage
Solvents are able to irritate sensitive membranes in your nose and throat, and the effect of such irritation could come in varying degrees. Stripping solvents that are concentrated are supposed to be handled by professionals who understand how to use them and follow the right protection measures. Some chemicals used in stripping solvents can damage lung tissue.
Skin diseases
Another problem you might experience while using stripping solvents is skin diseases. The chemicals basically dissolve the natural protection of the skin and expose it to many diseases. The skin should not come in direct contact with the solvents because this can damage the protective oil layers that shield you from contacting skin diseases. Professionals understand all the risks associated with paint stripping and will carry protective gear and be careful through the entire process.
Fire hazards
Fire is another problem you will have to watch out when using paint stripping solvents. Many of the solvents can be classified under extremely flammable liquids and will catch fire easily when exposed to heat. Even a spark could cause fire during the cold weather, so while using the solvents, you need to use professional procedures that ensure you don’t expose yourself to the danger of fire. There are solvents that are less flammable that you can use, but many people cannot distinguish between the different categories.
Damage to the nervous system
Long exposure to solvents could lead to intoxication or narcosis, and this could result from the depression of your central nervous system. Chronic exposure to the solvents might cause permanent brain damage, which could lead to loss of memory, seizures, lower intellectual abilities, and behavioural changes.
If you have to use these paint removal solvents, make sure to seek the assistance of a professional who understands the risks. It would make more sense to hire the professional to take care of everything as this assures you nothing will go wrong and you are protected against exposure to harmful chemicals. To find out how Premium Door Stripping can help you with your paint stripping project, please call 07481 171 243 or email premiumdoorstripping@gmail.com for a quick response.
What are the benefits of professional paint stripping services rather than stripping the paint yourself?
There are different methods and substances which work best for different surfaces, and a professional paint stripper will know these, and will use the best technique or material for the job. Some doors are special, and need special care when stripping and repainting. Hardwood doors may be done using a caustic stripper, while solvent stripper may be used on other types of doors. A professional paint stripper will be able to advise and ensure that you get the right solution for your doors.
Premium Doors tend to follow a process of dipping the doors in a tank of caustic and pressure washing them, optionally neutralising them, drying and then sanding them, before offering an oiling or waxing service and any repairs to complete the process. This can be done in a day, with collection and delivery, making restoring your doors rapid and stress-free.
Safety
Safety is an important consideration. Using chemicals for paint stripping can be hazardous to you if you do the job yourself, and chemicals can stain carpets, floors, furniture or anything surrounding the paint stripping area, but done professionally, there isn’t that risk. With lead-based paint, there is extra safety risk. A professional such as those at Premium Door Stripping will do the job quickly and cleanly, and take away any worries about safety as they are experts on the subject.
If the job is done for you by professional paint stripping services, it saves your time for other projects and eliminates mess. It can prevent stress, inconvenience and prolonged disruptions to your routine that blocked doorways, mess and chemicals can cause, and it means that the job is done fast, with minimal disruption to your other work.
The quality of the finished product.
Having the paint stripped professionally leaves a smooth clean finish, with none of those horrible patches or chisel marks that a DIY job may produce, especially on surfaces with layers of paint. This means that the surface or door is ready to repaint, and once repainted or coated, will not show any reminders of the previous paint or coating, nor any paint stripper or chisel marks. It is ideal for high quality doors.
In summary.
The advantage of using professional paint stripping services for your doors is the expertise, planning, safety and speed in doing the work and a perfect finish, plus expert advice on after-care.
Why You Should Leave Paint Stripping To Professionals…
You might be a person who loves change and innovation every single day. This is mostly seen in your desire to change paintings of doors, handles or anything painted, every now and then. It is therefore obvious that you have constantly been met with the task of removing paint. If this is you, here are some of the reasons why you should not remove paint on your own but call the experts to do it;
Health Issues
One method of removing paint is by use of chemicals. Many of these chemicals pose health hazards if not used with care. Some of the hazards include;
Skin Diseases
Respiratory Infections Due To Inhalation of Toxic Fumes
Damage to the Brain and Nervous System
Damage to Internal Body Parts
Therefore, keep in mind thaat such tasks should be left to the experts who know how to handle the chemicals properly.
Lack of Proper Equipment
Paint stripping is a serious task that requires proper attires and equipment when handling the material to be stripped. Here are some of the tools required and their specifications;
Eye Protection – Only googles approved by the necessary bodies should be worn.
Hand Protection-here you are only supposed to Neoprene latex gloves since they do not dissolve in most solvents used.
Getting the right tool can be quite difficult therefore it is advisable that you involve the services of experts who have the required and approved gears.
Fake Stripping Chemicals
There are numerous products on the market relating to paint removal. What you do not know is many of these products are fake. This then makes it difficult for you to chose the right stripping products. This is where professionals come in. Experts in this field have the experience and knowledge in choosing the right chemical.
Technicality Of Some Instructions
Since you have not indulged in the world of removing paints deep enough some instructions may be too technical for you to understand. Furthermore, some instructions require two or more people to work hand in hand for complete success. That is why you should call experts and let them handle the job.
What To Do?
As earlier explained, there are health hazards involved when using stripping chemicals. Sometimes people lack the necessary education on the chemicals and equipment to use and therefore fail to do the task. Therefore, it is evident that expert help is necessary. In simple terms, when you need paint removal services just get in touch with our team of experts near you.
So you’re looking around your home, and you notice that the paint on your door needs refreshing, or that the paint on your wooden bookshelf is peeling, and you realise that both items could do with a fresh lick of paint, but where do you start?
The first most hassle free option is to bring in a professional, but if you are on a tight budget, or just fancy having a go yourself, this guide will provide you with three easy steps for successful paint stripping!
Step One – Sourcing Materials And Wearing Protective Clothing
Preparation is key to successful paint stripping. Before you start make sure you have the right materials available. The materials you will need are: some steel wool, a metal bowl, some lint free material, a paintbrush, a plastic scraper, some mineral spirits, and some paint stripper.
Protective clothing is also recommended. This is because some of the chemicals used in paint stripping can be corrosive. It is therefore recommended that gloves, overalls and goggles are worn before you start the process.
Step Two – Applying The Paint Stripper
Shake the paint stripper before use. Next, decant the paint stripper into a metal container. Using the paintbrush, slowly apply the paint stripper from the metal container onto the wooden surface. Start in a small inconspicuous area, before gradually applying the paint stripper across all the wooden surface. Once the surface has been covered, leave the paint stripper to settle for approximately 20 minutes.
Step Three – Scraping The Paint Off
After 20 minutes you will see that the paint on the wooden surface has started to bubble. This is when it is time to scrape the paint from the wooden material. Using the tip of a plastic scraper carefully scrape off the paint. It is important care is taken to avoid damaging the wood underneath.
Depending on how well the paint scrapes off, will determine whether another coat of paint stripper will be required. If another coat of paint stripper is required, repeat step two.
Once the majority of paint has been removed, use some steel wool coated in mineral spirits to gently scrub the remaining remnants of the paint off the wooden surface. Once all the paint has been removed, wipe the wood with a clean soft cloth, which has been been dipped in mineral spirits. This provides a clean finish to the wood, and ensures the wood becomes a perfect base for repainting.
Paint striping involves the process of paint removal from a surface. The removal can be done through various methods which include scraping, electrical removal and chemical removal. Nevertheless, the chemical removal is the most preferred method for its ease of use and effectiveness.
The Dos of Paint Removal
Always buy and use the right stripper that will fit in your job. For every material, there is a suitable stripper that can be used on it. There is also a big distinction between strippers when it comes to pains, stains and other kinds of finishes. Always wear glasses to prevent the paint particles from entering into the eyes. These particles can be harmful and painful if they get into the eyes. Do wear gloves when removing paints. That’s necessary for your health. Some of the paints are harmful in case they get in contact with the stains and removing chemicals. When paint stripping, do it evenly by applying the stripper from the upper part to the downwards. The strippers will smoothly flow and distribute in a better way. If the items to be stripped are movable, do it from the outside as most of the strippers operate well under sun’s heated temperatures. Always remove the paint in without rushing. It is good to read and follow the steps that may come with your purchased stripper. For instance, you are supposed to wait for the chemical remover to soak before you start stripping. It ensures it effectively softens the surface to be removed.
The Don’ts of Paint Removal
Do not hurriedly handle paint stripping; you may find that some parts are not attended while others have an excess of it. That would be wastage. It’s necessary to have a professional do it for you. Do not use stains meant to remove some other finishes to remove pains. Such a practice will lead to poor effectiveness or and wastage since there are strippers made for paint removal specifically. Do not cause damage while stripping the paints.
You have to be careful when removing the colours. For instance, if you are sanding, you have to do it in a manner that doesn’t affect the flatness and originality of the surface. Don’t remove paints with hands or nails. At times, the dry paints may even be hard enough to cause damages. For instance, sharp portions of the removed paints may even cut into your skin. These paints can be dangerous to health, especially if they contain lead chemicals. Do not use materials that may affect the contents being under paint removal. Use of plastic cannot bring much damage. Do not use the strippers indoors. Some are powerful and may cause health hazards to you. It’s better to hire professionals to do it for you; they usually have protective mechanisms such as clothing and helmets.
Best Paint Removal Alternative
Paint stripping involves a simplified process of paint removal. However, the process requires a lot of care to avoid wastage, damage and health hazards. It’s recommendable to hire Premium Door Stripping‘s services to prevent potential problems and worries while you just await the best results.
Whichever method of paint stripping may have been used to strip your wooden surface it is extremely important to prepare the surface carefully before the application of paint or varnish. It is tempting to rush ahead at this point but a few simple steps now will almost certainly guarantee a superior and longer lasting finish. Continue reading “The Next Steps After Paint Stripping”
There are a few obvious and fundamental differences between paint and varnish that need consideration when deciding on the required finish particularly for wood. Wood is a natural product and as such has unique features. The first and most basic decision is whether you want to highlight or hide the detail in the grain of the timber.
Choosing The Desired Effect
If choosing to display the beauty of the grain, varnish should be used. Typically it is clear and offers UV protection for the timber. Before varnishing a stain can be applied to the timber to enhance or change it’s colour.
The range of colours for stains however can be somewhat limited and tends to be based around different timber shades. It is also important to decide on the sheen level (shininess) of the varnish which can range from ‘flat’ matt to full gloss. This sheen level is often denoted as a percentage (i.e 25%, 50%, 75%, the higher the number, the more glossy).
Whilst varnish to some extent is absorbed by the timber, paint is a pure surface treatment. This means it will coat over the natural features of the timber hiding them under a smooth finish. The main advantage of paint is that it comes in a virtually limitless range of colours. This versatility is further extended if using multiple colours. Paint comes in a number of types each giving its own finish.
There are a variety of textured paints including eggshell and different levels of finish from matt through to high gloss. It is always advisable to use a primer as a base coat as this will help ensure an even finish and also gives a better representation of the top coat colour. It also helps to ‘fill’ the grain and once rubbed back with light sanding offers a pure smooth surface.
Application
Varnish and paint can be applied in several ways. Brushing is typically the most common means of application. This requires a little more attention when using varnish as the timber will absorb on contact so the process should be completed start to finish in one. In this respect, paint is slightly more forgiving.
A roller can be used in place of a brush and generally offers a more even finish. It can, however, depending on the viscosity of the paint or varnish leave a slightly textured finish.
Both paint and varnish can be sprayed, though this requires specialist equipment and a suitable environment. This is best left to dedicated professionals.
In all these cases and with both paint and varnish, it is normal to give a base coat which, when dry, has a light sanding (de-nibbing) before applying a top coat to achieve your chosen effect.
Fundamentally the choice is dependant on whether you want to work with the natural features of the timber or to disguise them. Paint has the versatility of colour whilst varnish enhances the timber allowing it to tell its story.
After a successful restoration process, a historic motorboat that was used in the 1930s is now valued at £2 million, just two years after it was acquired for £20,000. The boat is among those that sailed the America’s Cup in the 1930s. Built by Camper & Nicholsons (oldest leisure marine company) in 1930, Gelyce measures 50ft and is one of the best masterpieces done by Camper & Nicholsons.
The vessel was handed to Sir Thomas Lipton, a legendary yachtsman, as a tender for Shamrock V, a J Class racing yacht. Sir Thomas is renowned for the establishment of Lipton tea brand, and his yacht took part in the America’s Cup glory five times.
He was accompanied by King George V and King Edward VII in many of these trips. The vessel was used in many occasions including ferrying spectators about, but when war broke out, her tender was halted and she would be converted to a vessel and was used to help fend off aircraft flying low over the Solent during the Second World War.
As the war proceeded, the vessel remained under the ownership of Hugh Goodson, a yachtsman, who took part in a 1958 Americas Cup Challenge. After this, she changed ownership and was ferried to River Themes, where she was turned to a riverboat. All through the 60s and 70s, the motorboat was forgotten in a boatyard in Hurley and she started to rot away.
By the time she was recovered, she had disintegrated and could barely be recognized. There are photos of the motorboat before restoration that reveal it had holes and its paint was in bad state. In 2015, engineer Wint Taylor purchased the motorboat at a price of £20,000. He is a wooden boat restoration enthusiast and engineer, so he invested his passion and time in this project.
For the restoration work – which was done by Classic Restoration Services, based in Windsor, Berkshire – Mr Taylor spent an additional six figure amount. At completion, consensus enthusiasts argue that she would be valued at about £2 million, which is calculated based on previous sales.
Only nine motorboats similar to Gelyce were built by Camper & Nicholsons between 1912 and 1930, and a few of them were reserved for members of the Nicholson family. Its name, Gelyce, was created from an amalgam of the names of the wives of Nicholson’s brother (Gertie, Lucy and Constance).
After a complete restoration process, Gelyce is now finished to the highest standard possible. It was finished with three layers of mahogany and modern epoxy that are held together by 75,000 polymer staples. Both its superstructure and interior were retained and refurbished.
The deck and instrument panel, as well as cabin fittings, came gold plated to allow easy care, and its reason is to make it secure from erosion. The boat runs a Rolls Royce aluminium mid-1960’s engine that produces 175 horsepower, and this makes the boat capable of attaining speeds of up to 28 knots. Engine restoration work was done at Tim Walker Restorations by Brian Bax.