Effective methods for how and how to remove old paint from a wooden floor
During the renovation, the question is often whether it is necessary to change the floor covering.
To make a decision, it is necessary to critically examine the floor, decide which is more optimal - to use a new coating or restore the old one.
How to remove the old paint from a wooden floor at home, read below.
Content
How to remove relatively fresh?
If the floors are painted relatively recently - 1-2 years and 1 or 2 layers of paint have been applied to the wood, then it can be softened by moistening abundantly with hot water and leaving for 2-3 hours, remove wet dye by mechanical method.
If this method does not help, then the floor should be thoroughly wiped and moistened with mineral kerosene or any other solvent.
After softening the paint, remove it using one of the tools:
- brushes with metal bristles,
- scraper,
- spatula.
When using chemicals for cleaning the floor, it is necessary to ensure the ventilation of the room in order to avoid poisoning with poisonous vapors.
During mechanical cleaning of wood, a large amount of fine dust, consisting of paint particles, sawdust, gets into the air. therefore it is worth taking care of:
- protective clothing,
- hat,
- respirator,
- gloves.
Home cleansing methods
There are several common ways to remove paint from wood surfaces:
| Way | Process | Tools | pros | Minuses |
| Mechanical | The main area is cleaned with a power tool. To do this, the abrasive part of the tool is pressed against the surface to be cleaned and moves along it as the paint is removed. In hard-to-reach places or with a small area of the surface to be cleaned, use a hand tool. | Manual: chisel, scrapers, brushes with metal bristles, hand scraper, planer, sandpaper. Electrical: electric planer, flat and angle grinder, drill with special attachments, milling cutters, surface grinders, scraper machines. | Sufficiently fast and high-quality cleaning of any type of paint, regardless of the number of layers. | A large amount of dust, when the fastener heads protrude from the board, damage and damage to the tool is possible. |
| Chemical | The wash is prepared in the manner indicated in the instructions for it.Using a wide brush or roller, the liquid or gel-like mass is applied to the floor, the aerosol is sprayed, for the time specified by the manufacturer. Then the softened paint is removed mechanically. The process is repeated if necessary. | Rinser, container for dilution and work, brush or roller, manual and power tools for mechanical cleaning. | Ease of work. Handles relatively new paint coats well. | Does not always deal effectively with a large number of coats of old paint. Chemicals have a persistent specific odor, and their fumes are toxic. May cause chemical burns if in contact with skin. |
| Thermal | The painted wooden surface is treated with a heating device. The paint softens, bubbles and leaves the surface. At this moment, it must be removed with a spatula, scraper or pluck. | Heating device: industrial building hair dryer, various burners, blowtorch. | Simplicity of work. The cleaned surface is immediately ready for a new coat of paint without any preliminary work. | High fire hazard. Potential release of toxic fumes. The method is suitable for open, well-ventilated areas. |
How do I remove different types of coverage?
Various paints have their own physical and chemical properties, adhesion features, therefore, for the most effective removal of it from a wooden surface, it is advisable to know its appearance:
-
Oil. Has the strongest adhesion to wood. Due to its qualities, it lasts longer on boards and is most often applied in several layers.To remove it, most often it is necessary to carry out complex work using thermal and mechanical methods.
- Acrylic paint. Recent layers can be easily removed after soaking from ordinary hot water, mineral kerosene or alcohol solution.
The old layer is removed thermally or mechanically.
- Water-based dyes. Easily removed from wooden surfaces mechanically, after preliminary wetting with water.
The most common mistakes
When carrying out cleaning work, in order to avoid negative results, some nuances should be taken into account:
- Chemicals dissolving the paint can cause staining of the wood fibers, therefore, it is initially necessary to clean a small area of the floor.
- Some types of paints, when heat treated, form a strong bond with wood. To avoid this, it is also recommended to try the method on a small surface area.
- The thermal cleaning method requires a certain skill and speed in performing the work. Heated paint must be cleaned off as soon as possible, since, when it cools, it turns into a hard baked mass, which will be quite problematic to remove. It is more convenient to hold the hair dryer in the left hand, and the scraper in the right.
Making your work easier: helpful tips
To carry out repair work as efficiently as possible, you need to use the following tips:
-
Old paint can be removed from the floor with a sandblast (high pressure washer). Using a powerful jet of water with sand, it will clean the surface even in the most difficult to reach places.However, this device is expensive and it is unprofitable to buy it for one repair.
- Environmentally friendly chemical method. A wash consisting of 3 parts quicklime and 1 part soda ash.
Dilute with water until a homogeneous thick slurry is obtained, apply to the surface, leave overnight. Remove swollen paint with a spatula in the morning.
- To increase the effectiveness of the chemical method, after applying the product, it is recommended to create a "greenhouse effect". For this, the treated surface is covered with plastic wrap.
- If there is a need to use the thermal method, but the necessary equipment is not available, then you can use a simple iron. The surface is heated through a layer of aluminum foil. The heated paint is cleaned off with a spatula.
- To reduce the amount of dust when using the mechanical method, the use of a grinder with a built-in vacuum cleaner, or a perforator equipped with a paint chain, will help. The chain peels off the paint layer in large pieces and the dust does not get into the air.
In addition, this method is the most environmentally friendly - a minimum amount of dust is formed, there are no toxic fumes.... However, it should be borne in mind that significant physical effort will be required.
Related Videos
Cleaning a wooden floor from a thick layer of paint, video instruction:
Conclusion
Like any finishing material, the flooring needs periodic renewal.... If re-painting is planned, then after removing the old paint and varnish layer, it is necessary to sand the wood.
Often it is problematic to clean the floor with a high quality using one method, so you should combine them, taking into account the characteristics of a particular floor covering.
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