Hello,

I am redecorating my house and want to remove some nasty black paint from wooden beams. I have been doing some research and I think my options are:
1) Paint stripper
2) Heat gun
3) Sand it all off
4) Paint them

Has anyone had much success in doing something like this? I don’t know how thick the paint is as yet. Ideally I want to remove is all the paint and stain the beams not black!

Any advice or recommendations would be very much appreciated as I am very very bad at DIY.

Rhid

Nitromors and wire wool, carefull though, it’ll burn through your skin so be seriously carefull if working over head height about it getting into your eyes etc. My paretns have used it on antique funrniture so should be fine, just give it a good wax afterwards.

5) Get company in to bead blast them…

my friends are looking at doing this, and are currently trying a low hazard nitromors type stuff (actually there sample kit has both a low hazard and a high hazard type stuff to try), that you put paper over the top and then peel the paper and paint off together when there set.
Not sure how there getting on.. wife bought it, husband has to do it..

Nitromors and lots of patience.

z1ppy – Member

5) Get company in to bead blast them…

+1

Better to pay someone else to do such a boring job imho

I will look into the Nitomors. The beams aren’t in the ceiling so there isn’t any overhead working. I can only assume that thre are several layers of the paint, does nitromors effectively remove multiple layers?

I would love to pay someone to sandblast it but this redecorating lark has cost too much alread!

Nitromors will remove just about anything, better at non waterbased paints but it’ll strip those too.

If it’s oil based paint then a heat gun and a scraper will get it off – but working above your head for long periods of time is very tiring – plus you get to inhale lead fumes….

I’d get some one to blast them.

A gas blow lamp and a shave hook will get the bulk of the paint off. Use Nitromors and steel wool to remove the last of the paint residue. Heating the detail work first is best as the paint on flat stuff comes off easily.

The paint may contain lead which is a significant health hazard and the dust can spread far and wide. Best check it out.

Heat guns are fine used carefully, but you have to be careful not to singe the wood underneath on a higher heat. I’d be inclined to use nitromors + wirewool (or green washing up scrubbies/scotbrite pads) ‘cos although it’s messy you’re not likely to screw up the woo underneath.

Depending on the wood underneath/finish you want, metal scrapers may or may not be a good idea. On anything (eg furniture) where you want to damage it the least, old credit cards are ideal ‘cos they’re firm enough to remove the nitromors, but typically soft enough to not score the wood.

I know it’s not relevant in this case, but anyone thinking of getting things dipped – seemed to be the trend for doors some years ago – don’t ! – there’s huge scope for absolutely ruining them. Pretty sure that’s what happened to the doors in our place at some point, and I’ve seen some absolutely knackered ones at some architectural salvage places.

Just use some of WorldClassAccident’s Sloe Gin. 😯 Guaranteed to remove anything.

Whatever you do do NOT inhale the fumes.