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. Most paint stripping attempts end up in failure if you only rely on a paint stripper and it is your first time working with wood. Here are some of the reasons why paint strip problems fail most of the times.
Most Furniture Pieces Have Multiple Paint Layers
Paint stripping compounds are designed to work best on single paint layer furniture. This is rarely the case especially with antique or aged pieces. Each stripping attempted will exposed an underlying smudged coat of paint that is uglier than the previous. This easily throws DIYers off their footing since they don’t know how to deal with the problem other than keep applying more stripper.
Paints are Never the Same
A while back, over 90 percent of the paint in the market was similar. Things are different right now. There is a wide range of paints and varnishes each designed to resist weathering and abrasion. This makes them quite resistant to traditional paint strippers.
- Outdoor paints designed to resist UV rays and acidic rain rarely react with paint strippers
- Double coat epoxy paints have cement elements that are harder to dissolve
- Other paints have plasticisers that are harder to remove
New Regulations Limit How Powerful Paint Strippers Can Be
Strong paint stripping compounds are more often than not toxic. With new EU regulations cracking down on corrosive products, it is harder to get a stripper that easily gets rid of paint without adversely harming the environment. Since the regulations apply to public and professional grade products, paint strippers are bound to fail since law will always limit their power.
It Takes Patience and Skill to Strip Paint
The last bit as to why these products is because most people using them are looking for a quick and easy fix. The fact is it takes time to strip paint. You also need to practice with a couple of surfaces before you get really good at it.
If it is your first time trying to strip paint, you are better off hiring professional carpenters to help you out. This is crucial if you are working on valuable pieces that will damaged if you don’t do a good job. Paying isn’t a bad way to get the perfect look you are looking for.