When it’s time to repaint the exterior of your home, you might be faced with the prospect of stripping the existing paint. While many people choose to simply paint over the previous layers, that eventually backfires with more cracking and peeling than you would have if you had simply taken the time to strip the old paint instead.
But where do you start, and what do you use? There are tricks that can help you with stripping paint, but there are hazards to consider as well.
If you live in an older home, one that was built before the late 70s, the paint existing paint might contain lead. While the paint is actually on your house, it probably won’t lead to any problems for you — but once you begin scraping the paint away, tiny lead particles can be released into the air. If you breathe those particles in, serious health problems can result.
There are local rules and regulations regarding the removal of lead paint. You will also need protective gear, or you might want to hire a professional to handle it. If you aren’t sure whether your paint contains lead, contact your local health department to learn about testing the paint.
If the paint on your house does not contain lead, there are several methods you can use to strip it away. Grinding the paint to a powder and scraping away stubborn spots uses the most elbow grease, but it avoids the use of chemicals, which can be harmful to the environment and to you. If you have a very large home, however, this can become a very tedious task.
If you do use chemicals, make certain they are approved for use on the type of paint you want to strip. Take all safety precautions, and use as little of the chemical as possible to achieve the results you need.
Heat stripping is a very convenient way to remove paint — if you are working with another person as a team, one can move the heat gun while the other scrapes. The paint will roll off like putty, and the job can be done rather quickly. However, there is a small risk of fire when using a heat stripper, and that makes it a dubious option for older homes, which might have more dried, ancient wood that would quickly ignite.
The final possible method for removing that old paint is the phone call to a professional. You might be able to get a professional job done for the same cost as doing it yourself, especially when you consider the money invested in time and tools.
Whichever method you choose, remember to be good to the ground underneath the area you are stripping. Lay down a large tarp — even a thin layer of plastic sheeting will work — and at the end of the day, roll it up and dispose of it properly, or shake out the stripped paint into a suitable container for disposal.
