Types of Tools for Stripping Paint

It’s time to re-paint your home and give it a brand new look! The first and most difficult task is to remove old paint from those surfaces that are in dire need of fresh paint. Stripping paint is a difficult task but it is necessary, because old, peeling, or flaking paint will botch up the task completely.

These are a few paint-stripping tools you can use:

Heat Guns

These can range in temperature from 200 °F to 1400 °F. Keep the temperature between 500 – 800 °F while removing paint with a heat gun. You need to maintain this temperature, because if it goes above 1000 °F, it can cause the paint to vaporize releasing toxic fumes like in the case of lead paint. If you are using it on a siding, the gun can set it on fire if it crosses 1000 °F. Heat guns are quite effective on smaller intricate wood work such as trim and molding. A blow torch is sometimes used instead because it has great speed and mobility, but the risk factor is huge if used on highly combustible surfaces.

Infrared Heaters

These work on the principle of infrared heat, seeping through the top coat into the sub-coats, thereby making it simpler for stripping paint. The temperature needs to be between 350 – 600 °F.  As mentioned before, lead paint can be fatal but infrared heaters remove the paint in chunks and hold it in the paint chip. This technique is slow but one of the safest for removing paints. Electric heat plates are occasionally used to strip paint from big areas. They operate between 500 – 800 °F.

Chemical Sprays

A few years back, methylene strippers were used to remove paint, but it is extremely caustic and causes burns if it touches skin. Nowadays you can find a lot of environmentally friendly, biodegradable, non-flammable, and odor free products on the market. These don’t contain harmful chemicals and is non-toxic.

Dry Ice Blasters

This method works best for thinner layers. It will not be too effective on thicker layers as the bond between the paint and the surface is stronger. How does it operate? It freezes the paint quickly, thus making it shrink and is subsequently released from the substrate. There are no chemicals involved and it can remove paint up to 300 sq ft per hour.

Need advice about paint stripping tools? At Southwest Professional Painting, we have qualified and experienced technicians who can answer your questions and guide you in the right direction for your project needs.  Call today 602-490-0979!