Should your home appear somewhat worn or if you’re aiming for a contemporary update, the optimal strategy involves removing the existing paint. This action will create a clean slate, ready for a fresh coat of paint in any color of your choosing.
If you have never done this before, fear not! Here are some helpful tips provided by professional painters for scraping away that old paint from your house.
Step 1: Soften the Old Paint
Before you can start scraping off the old paint from a surface, you first need to soften it so you don’t damage the surface. You can do this by using a heat gun or hair dryer set to low and moving it back and forth across the old paint for about ten minutes. But be sure you’re wearing protective equipment to protect your eyes! You should also consider wearing gloves and a mask, even though you are only trying to soften the paint since fumes can still be emitted during this step.
If this doesn’t work, you may heat up white vinegar and apply it to the surface using a rag. White vinegar contains acetic acid, which will help to dissolve and remove the old paint.
Step 2: Pick out a Good Scraping Tool
The next step in the process is picking out a good scraping tool. This step is crucial since using the wrong tool could damage your surface. For example, using a flathead screwdriver to scrape paint is not recommended since it can easily gouge or scratch wood surfaces.
The best tools for scraping off old paint are putty knives with plastic blades and metal ones made of aluminum. These tend to last longer than their wooden counterparts while being more effective in removing the old paint from your house’s siding, doors, windowsills, molding trimming, porch railings, and ceiling casements.
However, if you need to scrape off old paint from your walls, you can also consider using a wire brush, paint scraper, and sandpaper. This will work best if your walls are made out of plaster or drywall.
Step 3: Gently Scrape Off the Old Paint
Now that you know what scraping tool to buy, we can now proceed with actually scraping off the old paint. First, you need to take your scraper and gently press it against the surface. If there is no resistance or if it moves easily across the surface without leaving behind any marks then that means that you are good to go!
But don’t start removing large chunks of paint in one fell swoop since this will make a mess and damage your walls in the process. Instead, very carefully scrape away at certain areas while making sure not to use too much pressure on others so as not to cause them harm. You can also remove some paint from screw holes by using an awl (a small metal tool with a blunt end).
Pro Tip: If you’ve got hanging shelves or picture frames, be sure you remove them before scraping paint off since having them in the way can cause trouble throughout the scraping process.
Step 4: Clean the Surface Before Painting
Once you’ve finally finished removing the old paint from your house, you need to clean off all of the residue left behind. This can be done by using a damp rag and methyl hydrate (found in nail polish remover) which will dissolve away any leftover material that was not removed with the help of your scraper or sandpaper.
You should then wash down your surface one more time before painting it with water mixed with TSP solvent (a mixture made up of trisodium phosphate).
When your surface is clean and no signs of old paint remain, you can finally proceed with painting the area.
In a Nutshell
You might find the steps in this blog post useful if you’re trying to scrape old paint off a house. It can be difficult and time-consuming, but we hope these tips will make it easier for you. If there’s something that doesn’t feel right or that isn’t clear, please let us know by leaving a comment below – our team is happy to help!
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