There may be various areas of your home and garden that are made of wood. While these may look great when first purchased or installed, over time, they can look tired and dated. Rather than replacing them entirely, you could opt to give them a fresh lick of paint, and there’s no better time to do this than when you’re redecorating the rest of the room.
However, before you begin, it’s important to take the right approach and steps – for example, removing old paint from the door first is always recommended. This can give you a more natural base to work with, and prevent a bumpy, messy build-up from occurring. Read on to discover more about removing paint from wooden doors and frames.
Using paint stripper
One of the simplest ways you may be able to remove paint can be to use a stripping chemical. With chemicals, paint stripping from wood can be relatively easy. It’s important to follow the instructions listed on the packaging, as these chemicals may be harmful if not handled correctly.
You may find that previous owners or previous painting projects have left multiple layers of paint build up on your wooden doors or frames – which means having to work twice as hard to remove them. Thankfully, using a paint stripper can make the process a little quicker and easier and also help you to access small or hidden areas of the wood that you wouldn’t normally be able to reach by hand.
Sand carefully
Another method to consider can be to remove the old paint by sanding it down. You may want to consider starting with coarse sandpaper and then using a finer one for those finishing touches. However, there can be some drawbacks to this method. Should you sand too much, you may damage the natural surface of the wood you are working on. Likewise, the dust from sanding can also cause asthma, bronchitis, and even contact dermatitis. Due to this, it’s important to wear a professional mask and keep your skin covered when working. Vacuuming and wiping away any remaining dust thoroughly is also recommended!
Use heat with caution
A third way that people can remove paint from wood can be through the combined use of a heat gun and scraper. It may be rather satisfying to watch the paint start to bubble, and then scrape it off in strips, but this can also come with dangers.
The gun itself will get hot, at somewhere between 150 and 450 Fahrenheit, which could result in severe burns if it comes into contact with human skin. A gun set to too high a temperature could also damage the wood. Testing a small, inconspicuous area before you begin can help you to figure out if the gun is high enough to affect the paint but low enough to avoid burning the wood.
Disposing of paint strips and fragments carefully, and sanding down the wood, is also recommended – but if in doubt, call in a professional!
When you have removed the paint from the wood, you may then be in a position to treat and paint it as desired. By taking your time, and putting your health first, you may be able to transform your wooden furnishings.
