I am in the midst of a commercial project in which we need to remove at least 2-3 layers of paint from a wall built out of cement bricks. This is a former exterior wall that is now inside an addition. The client would like to strip the brick, apply some kind of sealer to it, and leave it exposed.
The wall was built in 1924 (if that provides any helpful info about its construction).
We experimented with a wire brush, and found that the cement bricks are very soft and easy to damage. I am scared to sandblast, because I don’t want to damage the bricks or the mortar. I have read that soda blasting (with baking soda) is much more gentle, but is it gentle enough and/or still effective?
I have spoken with the paint supply distributor that I use, and they suggested “dad’s” commercial grade paint stripper. My concern with the paint stripper option is that there is no ventilation in the area currently, and it would be very labor intensive to strip too. I also have had radically different experiences with paint strippers before. There are so many out there I don’t know which ones to trust. I don’t have time to experiment with 10 different brands either.
Has anyone had experience similar to this that can offer a few ideas?
Replies
Steam cleaning? Steam may loosen the paint. Don't know myself, but you may want to look into it. Then there is the torch, which pretty much always works. We soda blast cured epoxy off parts at work. I think soda would create a wicked mess in an uncontrolled environment.
Unless all the old paint is newer than 1978 or thereabouts it likely contains lead. If so, then chemical stripping is probably the only safe method to remove it.
Yup. Alkaline stripper. It is environmentally safe and almost odor-free. The resultant goo contains only "neutralized" lead and requires no special disposal in most places. We do this a few times a year. Works very well. It is messy, expensive (labor intensive) and requires experience. If the brick is textured, may require a secondary stripping. Talk to a local contractor in your area who does historical restorations.
DG/Builder