Tools and methods we use, don't use, and why.
We
do practically
all paint removal
by hand scraping
or hand sanding,
when we do
need to use
other methods
we want you
to understand
what we will
and will not
use on your
home. Please
ask and find
out how careful
the other contractors
plan on being
when removing
the paint from
your historical
home!
- Orbital
sander: We
do use these!
Designed
as a finishing
or smoothing
tool--not for
the removal
of multiple
layers of paint--the
orbital sander
is thus recommended
when limited
paint removal
is required
prior to repainting.
- Belt
sander: We
Do Not Use!
A
second type
of power tool,
the belt sander,
can also be
used for removing
limited layers
of paint, but
in this case,
the abrasive
surface is
a continuous
belt of sandpaper
that travels
at high speeds
and consequently
offers much
less control
than the orbital
sander. Because
of the potential
for more damage
to the paint
or the wood,
use of the
belt sander (also
with a medium
grit sandpaper)
should be limited
to flat surfaces
and only
skilled operators
should be permitted
to operate.
- Rotary
Drill Attachments:
We Do Not
Use!
Rotary
drill attachments
such as the
rotary sanding
disc and the
rotary wire
stripper should
be avoided .
The disc sander,
usually a disc
of sandpaper
about 5 inches
in diameter
secured to
a rubber based
attachment,
which is in
turn connected
to an electric
drill or other
motorized housing,
can easily
leave visible
circular depressions
in the wood
which are difficult
to hide, even
with repainting.
The rotary
wire stripper
made with clusters
of metals wires
similarly attached
to an electric
drill-type
unit, can actually
shred a wooden
surface.
- Water blasting: We Do Not Use!
Water blasting above 600 p.s.i. to remove paint is not recommended because
it can force water into the woodwork rather than cleaning loose paint and grime
from the surface; at worst, high pressure water blasting causes the water to
penetrate through siding and into the exterior sheathing and damages interior
finishes.
- Sandblasting: We Do Not Use!
Sandblasting painted exterior woodwork will indeed
remove paint, but at the same time can scar wooden elements beyond recognition.
As with rotary wire strippers, sandblasting erodes the soft porous fibers (spring
wood) faster than the hard, dense fibers (summer wood), leaving a pitted surface
with ridges and valleys. Sandblasting will also erode projecting areas of carvings
and moldings before it removes paint from concave areas. Hence, this abrasive
method is potentially the most damaging of all possibilities, even if a contractor
promises that blast pressure can be controlled so that the paint is removed without
harming the historic exterior woodwork. Undoubtedly the most vehemently "not
recommended.”
Where
exterior surface
conditions
have been identified
that warrant
total paint
removal such as peeling, cracking, or alligatoring, thermal devices have proven
to be quite successful for use on the many different wooden elements of historic
buildings.
- Electric heat gun: We do use these!
It has an electrical resistance coil that typically heats between 500
and 750 degrees Fahrenheit. There are some heat guns that operate at higher temperatures
but they should not be purchased for removing old paint because of the danger
of lead paint vapors. A fan forces a stream of hot air against the painted woodwork,
causing a blister to form. Although a heat gun seldom scorches wood, it can cause
fires (like the blow torch). A fire may smolder for hours before flames break
through to the surface. Therefore, this thermal device is best suited
for use on solid decorative elements, such as molding, balusters, fretwork, or "gingerbread." We
only use these units on a very small percentage of our homes!
- Ask
the
other
contractors
how
much
they
will
depend
on
their
heat
guns
for
paint
removal.
- Infrared
Paint
Removal:
We do
use these!
The
latest
technology
in paint
removal
has become
well-known
and accepted
within
the industry
in various
countries
around
the world.
The unit
is silent,
and gentle
on the
environment.
It is less
damaging
to the
wood surface
and it
make cleanup
much easier.
- The Silent Paint Remover
http://www.silentpaintremover.com/index.htm
- This
is
the
unit
that
we
use
on
90%
of
the
home,
no
worries
about
fire
hazards!
- Electric
heat plate:
We Do Not
Use!
The electric
heat plate operates
between 500 and
800 degrees Fahrenheit.
With practice,
the operator can
successfully move
the heat plate
evenly across a
flat surface such
as wooden siding
or a window sill
or door in a continuous
motion, thus lessening
the risk of scorching
the wood in an
attempt to reheat
the edge of the
paint sufficiently
for effective removal.
Since the electric
heat plate's coil
is "red hot," extreme
caution should
be taken to avoid
igniting clothing
or burning the
skin. A heat plate
could overload
a circuit, or even
worse, cause an
electrical fire;
therefore, it is
recommended that
this implement
be used with a
single circuit
and that a fire
extinguisher always
be kept close at
hand.
Chemical
Strippers
We only use one kind of stripper on your home, and its environmentally friendly, cleans up with water, won’t hurt your plants, won’t hurt your skin, won’t hurt anything. Its slow, steady, goopy...kind of a pain to use which is why nobody else in the area uses it, but we do because its so safe it won’t hurt anybody's priceless wood. It just takes a few extra days to eat thru a hundred years of paint. It is expensive, costs $75.00 a gallon, but we would not use anything else on our 1850’s farm house, and we won’t on your home either!
We recommend the following Paint Stripper: Multi-Strip Professional Paint Remover It is biodegradable, non-flammable, and contains no methylene chloride or caustic.Washing The Exterior
Power Washing: We never allow one on the property!
Power washers are dangerous and difficult to use. You can write you name in the side of a house using a power washer at half power. The average person hired at most paint companies have no more than the most basic instruction on how to use a power washer. When you wash a house, it needs to be scrubbed 100%. Using a power washer,
it is impossible to guarantee 100% coverage. The washing is spotty, at best.
Your home is covered with a chalky film which is caused by deteriorating paint, grease, grime and decaying particles falling from the atmosphere.
When we hand wash a house, we guarantee it is clean! A clean house will give us the best adhesion we can get. The best adhesion will give us the best longest lasting paint job. The best longest lasting paint job will save you money! Saving you money will make you love us! You Love us, Elgin will love us! Elgin loves us….We stay in business...YAH!!!!
Check
the work
of the
OTHER painter:
When
he is done
washing your
home, after
it is totally
dry, walk around
to four different
areas and wipe
your dry hand
over your siding….your
clean hand
should come
away completely
clean...not
even a touch
of powdery
chalk should
be seen. The
best is to
reach out of
a second story
window and
do this. Anywhere
there is chalk,
is where the
new paint is
going to peel
in a year or
two…..long
after the “cheaper” painter
is out of the
picture.
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