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Are you hoping to restore the natural appearance of a garage door? You might instead wish to apply a few coats of stain once the overlying paint has been removed.

This is why knowing how to properly strip paint from the surface is always important. Let us take a look at some professional recommendations so that you can save time, effort and money along the way.

Initial Preparation For Removing Paint From A Garage Door

It is first important to wash away any loose dirt or debris that may be present with a hose or a power washer on low settings. Not only will you be dealing with a relatively clean surface, but the mechanical action of the water can help to further loosen any paint that may already be chipping. Allow at least 24 hours for the garage doors to dry before continuing.

Dealing with Loose Paint

Loose paint can normally be removed with the use of a putty knife or similar scraping tool.

Although the metal paint stripping process is rather straightforward, you will need to be more careful when dealing with wood (you might otherwise mistakenly cause a gouge).

Be sure to remove any stubborn paint from corners and crevasses, as this is where it can persist for years at a time.

Addressing More Challenging Spots

There may be some extremely stubborn locations. In this case, additional mechanical options such as the use of a rotary sander may provide adequate results.

You could also consider the use of a paint stripper (depending upon the formulation).

This will normally address the majority of paint that remains. Once all of the paint has been removed, wash the door down to address any dust or debris that may still remain.

Please contact Premium Door Stripping for additional advice or to enquire about our services.

Paint can be a tough substance to remove from brickwork. There are a number of ways that you may have seen people try to clean paint off their brick, but I am going to walk through the process that has been proven most effective for me over the years. It is important not only to be careful when removing paint, but also with how it will affect your brick in the future if you do not take care of it properly!

Know Which Type of Paint You are Dealing With

The first step is to identify what kind of paint you are dealing with. It may be worth taking a test spot and seeing if the paint comes off easily before trying to remove it from all over your brickwork, just in case! Brickwork paint is made to be very durable and stubborn, so we need to take the necessary time and care to remove it.

It is also worth checking if any finishing products have been applied to the brickwork. If so, do not attempt to remove it as these products will have been used for a reason and could damage your brick!

Mechanical Methods

One of the advantages of stripping paint from brick is that the underlying material is quite hard. Therefore, the use of a pressure washer is recommended.

These jets of water will help to loosen any paint on the surface and if you are lucky, no further chemical treatments will be required. Be sure to use a tip equipped with an angle at least 45 degrees, as extremely narrow jets may damage the underlying brick.

This method can also be used if you wish to strip paint from radiators or similarly durable objects.

Using a Paint Stripper

If the paint proves to be quite stubborn, you could elect to utilise a chemical paint stripper. Make certain that the solution in question will not harm the underlying brick in order to preserve the brickwork. It is also wise to employ these tools during the process:

• A scrub brush
• A putty knife
• Latex gloves

Assuming that the paint has been stripped, wash the brickwork with detergent and warm water in order to remove any solvent that may still remain.

In Conclusion

Painting brick is a great way to give your home an updated look. But, what do you do when it’s time for the paint job to come off? There are many different ways that homeowners can remove paint from their brickwork and not all of them will work as well on some types of bricks like others.

We recommend using our professional stripping services which removes old paint without damaging new ones or any other surfaces in your house! Contact the experts at Premium Door Stripping today if you need more information about how we can help with removing old paints or want to book an appointment for one of our professionals.

Stripping paint off of materials such as wood and metal is an excellent way to restore countless objects to their former glory. From antique furniture to radiators and picture frames, this process is just as much of an art form as a science.

The materials used as just as important if you hope to avoid any damage while expediting the process. This brings us to an important question. How does turpentine measure up to solvent if you happen to be addressing a stripping project in the near future?

Let’s compare each of these approaches in order to appreciate the big picture.

When Should Turpentine be Used?

Turpentine is not considered to be a traditional solvent due to the fact that it is not derived from petroleum distillates. While this is somewhat beneficial in terms of toxicity, turpentine is only the best option if you happen to be removing paint that has recently hardened.

It may take many more applications to deal with paint that has been applied in layers or has existed for decades at a time.

A Look at Solvents

Solvents (such as naphtha) are much more powerful solutions in terms of a paint stripper for wood and other substances. However, these are flammable solutions and care needs to be taken during the process.

Furthermore, solvents may damage the underlying material if allowed to remain on the surface for extended periods of time.

Glues and other substances could likewise be adversely affected, so be sure to employ caution.

Each of these chemicals offers its own set of advantages. However, there can still be times when you are uncertain of which one represents the best option.

This is why it is always prudent to contact Premium Door Stripping so that you can make the most informed decision.

Modern doors are designed to withstand the elements, to conserve energy and to provide a unique aesthetic appeal to your property. However, their periphery can often allow cold air to enter and warm air to escape.

This is why a principle known as weather sealing (sometimes referred to as weatherstripping) is crucial.

What is the proper way to install these seals so that you can remain warm and comfortable during the colder months of the year?

Removing the Old Material

If the door has not been modified in the past, the chances are high that existing weatherstripping is present. This should be removed with the help of a handheld razor blade.

Any tacks (known as brad nails) must also be pulled out with a pair of pliers. Once the old stripping has been removed, wipe the area with a damp cloth to clean off any residue.

Installing the New Weatherstripping

Beginning at the base of the door frame, begin pressing in the weatherstripping. When you arrive at the top corner, cut off any excess and continue the process around the horizontal section and down the other side.

It is important to note that the majority of weatherstripping designs are meant to fit snugly in the cracks, so be sure to push the strips in until they are flush with the surface.

You may also wish to install a door shoe (a protective piece of stripping that prevents cold air from entering along the base). In this case, you may have to remove the door so that the apparatus can be correctly fitted.

However, this will depend upon the amount of clearance between the door and the floor.

To obtain even more advice or if you wish to restore an old door to its former glory, please contact Premium Door Stripping in order to speak with a technician.

Caustic soda and lye are common names for sodium hydroxide. The term caustic soda comes from the chemical name and because it is a corrosive substance. Pure caustic soda, or lye, is a white and waxy solid. It will quickly absorb any water to form aqueous solutions. The commercial form of this substance is different from the pure gorm in that it is usually already mixed with water to form sodium hydroxide monohydrate.

How to get Lye / Caustic Soda

Previously, obtaining lye was relatively easy. There was a product which no longer exists called Red Devil Lye that was widely available. Since lye is used to control the pH when producing methamphetamine production, it is much more closely monitored than it used to be. However, it is still possible to obtain the chemical. When doing so, buyers should ensure that why they are buying is pure sodium hydroxide/lye/caustic soda. This is important when using caustic soda for paint stripping as an impure product may not have the desired effect.

Bear in mind that purchasers of lye or caustic soda may have to sign a declaration that states the substance will not be used for illegal activities. However, this is not always the case since paying by credit card allows the authorities to find you if they suspect you are not using your caustic soda for paint stripping and are in fact, starting a local drug trade.

Useful Tips

Buying caustic soda or lye is relatively difficult so it is better to buy in bulk. To make the cost more bearable, consider finding others who also need to purchase it and then split the cost. It is not terribly expensive but it unlikely that you will need several kilograms of it. Remember that caustic soda reacts very quickly with water so keep the container sealed and stored in a dry space. Also, make sure it is stored out of reach of children or animals since lye or caustic soda can cause severe chemical burns. Use gloves when handling lye and make sure that any work you perform with it is carried out in a well-ventilated environment.

Possible Substitutes

Sometimes, you can substitute potassium hydroxide for caustic soda. You can even make some yourself by soaking a large amount of ash in a small volume of water. After about a week, the water will have extracted the lye from the ashes. The liquid can be drained and boiled to increase potassium hydroxide concentration.

Many home restoration or remodelling projects involve repainting or retouching surfaces. Getting old paint from surfaces is harder than you think even if you are using a ‘premium’ paint stripper. Continue reading “Why Paint Strippers Often Fail”