Replies

1. 
   MarkH128 | Jan 19, 2003 06:42pm | #1

   I'd scrape, prime and repaint. I don't think stripping would be worth the trouble. Power washers will probably cause more damage than good, also avoid wire brushes and putty knives for scraping. Use a carbide pull scraper, and be gentle as possible.

1. 
   andybuildz | Jan 19, 2003 06:52pm | #2

   you didnt say if was cedar shingles or clapboard. I'll assume clapboard.

   There is a tool that FHB advertises that scrapes the paint off pretty easily. Its in major tool catologues as well. I forget the name..maybe someone here will post a link.

    I have seen some pretty miraculous stipping jobs around here that seemed to work like a charm but they used hoses to apply it with trenches around the house to catch and lead the spent wash water with paint and stripper into a catch basin that is carried away. They used a non toxic stripper of which name I'm not sure of. I think it was that orange organic stripper.

    You might look into having a private company do it for you thats all set up....but if it is infact clapboard that tool looks awesome and quick and not terribly expensive for what it does.

      Be a stripper : )

                   Namaste

                              Andy"Attachment is the strongest block to realization"http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

1. 
   jduffney | Jan 20, 2003 06:01pm | #5

   Clapboard it is. Okay I admit to being a little lazy, and want to avoid spending hours removing the paint. That's why I'm hoping for an alternate solution, i.e. the organic orange stripper. There's not a lot of detail to the exterior. I really don't want to add to the paint layers if I can avoid it. Doing some touching up here and there to be a little of a perfectionist is okay.

   I guess that if I can remove most of the paint, a medium to dark stain might just make any remaining paint left in the grain look like highlights in the grain of the wood.

   Thanks for your reply. Joe

1. 
   andybuildz | Jan 20, 2003 06:53pm | #6

   JD

       Sorry, I forgot to welcome you here to Breaktime..I'm so rude sometimes...ask anyone here..lol.

     Anyway....I assume you read Fine Homebuilding being that youre here so look through it for that ad on the tool that is used for stipping (no, I dont mean a pole in the middle of a stage).

   If anyone here can find the link please post it for JD

   BE a stripper.yum

                     Namaste

                               Andy"Attachment is the strongest block to realization"http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

2. 
   rez | Jan 20, 2003 08:54pm | #7

   Not sure of the name of the tool AndyC recommended but I think Portercable makes one. It's a singular performance tool power paint remover and that is all it does. Kind of a router looking thing with a diamond or carbide disc that spins with a fineadjustment feature to raise and lower the height of the disc from the paint surface so supposedly you can shave separate layers of paint from the other existing layers but I never used one. Looks like the kind of tool that you would hope worked as well as advertised when it comes time to needing something like that.

   But I didn't want to shell out the bucks on an unproven to me piece of equipment only to find it later gathering dust next to my portercable bammer(but i digress). 

   So what I did was get a standard grinder with handle and added a rubber backed sanding disc. I went with a craftsman since the rubbersanding disc accessory was right there and wanted to be able to get a replacement grinder if it puked out like the first attempt with a cheapy grinder.

   I used coarse grade sanding discs and kept changing them as soon as needed. Actually ended up going pretty fast once I got a rhythm going with long even swipes and a gentle touch to lessen the amount of touch up to remove swirls. A bit longer than painting with a brush. Have to watch the depth of the removal closely and no more than necessary to remove the paint from the grain. Mine was white, surely leaded, on old growth redwood that had a nice color and grain to it and came out looking alright with a flat surface.

   What I have seen in other attempts at leaving clear coated exposed wood as the final, in this area I seem to have been a pioneer of sorts seeing many others have went natural since then, is the attempt to remove the paint from cedar siding. It gets done ok but what they are usually left with for their efforts is a broad expanse of clear cedar in 9inch or so clapboard exposure. No knots or open grain for visual impact and frankly looks pretty plain. That's why I asked what year the original house was because yours might be different if the clapboards are 5inch exposed. I suppose one could attempt a faux finish with graining techniques or burning with an iron etc. but...eh?

   Of course sanding or power paint planer tool would turn any roughcut cedar to flat and a questionable look if you wanted that rustic flavor. I'd want to experiment in a little unseen area of the siding to see what you have there. If painted in '85 then you're leadfree.

   Yours sounds kinda like a rather unique attempt and may call for a grouping of removal techniques if you want to go that route. You may have to let your desire for the cedar siding have it's way and get psyched up for doing it if you really want to pull it off and have it ending up like you want it to. :O)

   Good luck? Forget it, just do it.

   Half of good living is staying out of bad situations.

   The other...proper application of risk.

    

    

   Edited 1/20/2003 12:59:56 PM ET by rez

2. 
   rez | Jan 19, 2003 07:09pm | #3

   Hi JD, Welcome to Breaktime.

   Was curious as to the location and approximate date of the house and if the present paint you are discussing is the only paint layer on there.

   Half of good living is staying out of bad situations.

   The other...proper application of risk.

    

    

1. 
   jduffney | Jan 20, 2003 05:52pm | #4

   Remodeled in 1985. Located in upstate NY, just outside Albany.

   Yes, it appears that a single layer of paint covers the cedar.

   I always wanted a cedar sided house. Now I have one and the guy before me painted it.

   Any thoughts on how to remove the paint? (not icluding hours of scraping and sanding)

   As I said, in the back, southern exposure, much of the paint in the direct sun is "stripping" itself off to some extent.

   Thanks. Joe