Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Best solvent/method for removing Latex paint from wood siding?

RogueRose - 14-1-2017 at 06:48

It's been some time since I worked with latex paint but I remember it cleaned up with water when wet, but never had to deal with it once it had dried. There is a small-ish house that may need a new paint job and it looks like it need stripped so I was wondering if there was a solvent best suited for this or if there are a number that will work. One site said ammonia, but that to never use it on wood and another site said denatured alcohol b/c it contains methanol (would pure methanol be better w/o ethanol? I'm guessing acetone and maybe DCM may work or even MEK but those are getting a little harsher than I would like (possible spillage and such, though IDK if that would happen..)

I thought the final removal step would be pressure washing if the solvents c/would evap first - other wise it's scraping which will make some people very unhappy :( (unless some geniuses know a better way !?:D;)

Tsjerk - 14-1-2017 at 06:51

Latex cleans off nicely with water when aloud to soak for some time.

WGTR - 14-1-2017 at 06:54

I'd advise not spraying the house down with a flammable solvent.

Metacelsus - 14-1-2017 at 10:22

A heat gun might work: http://www.homedepot.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOM/HomePage/Know_How...

Just be careful and don't scorch the stuff underneath.

violet sin - 14-1-2017 at 10:42

Removing paint just plain sucks... It is either time consuming, elbow cramping scrape/peel/pry route or chemical route or heat route. NONE of them work 100%, shoot none of them work 75%. You will most likely need all three to varrying degrees.

Every time I end up doing this, its go go go untill your sanity can take it no more. Switch it up a bit and keep going. You will find one way seems like a clear winner, untill you have been doing it that way for half an hour straight. Patients wears thin eventually with all of 'em.

Just my 2ยข. Been paid to do this a number of times being in the wall repair business.

Dr.Bob - 16-1-2017 at 08:38

Also you might just pressure wash the house with detergent and water and remove much of the paint, if it is older and already peeling. Doing it with chemical means would cost more than the house is worth, I have done work on old houses, and stripping paint is a nightmare and mess. For loose wood, best is to plane or joint surface to remove paint, or you can soak in paint thinner/stripper, but for siding, better to scrap it, sand it, wash it, or just paint over it than to strip it.