Easy Removal of Exterior House Paint

Chemical Stripping

• Perhaps the simplest method for removing exterior house paint is to use a chemical stripper. You should read and follow the instructions for your specific brand, but generally you will either need to spray or roll the stripper on, and then let it sit for a few hours or overnight. The chemical stripper will react with the paint, allowing you to easily peel off paint layers with a scraper or pressure washer. According to HomeTips.com, some chemical strippers can be quite hazardous to your health, and you must wear hand, eye and respiratory protection when applying them. Neoprene or rubber gloves, shop glasses or goggles, and an organic vapor respirator should do the trick.

Nontoxic Stripping

• For those of you who are leery of using toxic, caustic chemicals to removing exterior house paint, ThisOldHouse.com recommends using water-based, nontoxic stripping solutions that are available at most hardware and home supply stores. You apply them in the same fashion as other strippers, but there is no need for you to wear protective gear, not even gloves. Unlike traditional chemical strippers, which dissolve the paint, nontoxic strippers separate paint from underlying materials. After letting the solution soak, you can easily peel off the paint with a putty knife.

Heat Stripping

• Heat stripping works by essentially boiling paint molecules until they can be easily peeled or scraped off. You create this heat by using a heat gun, which looks like a modified hair dryer. According to ThisOldHouse.com, you can use a heat gun in combination with chemical and nontoxic strippers, applying the heat to stubborn areas of paint that the solution did not react with well. However, you should always use the utmost care when performing heat stripping, as heat guns can generate a substantial amount heat; enough to start a fire. According to ThisOldHouse.com, it is not uncommon for tiny embers created by heat guns to go unseen, which can potentially produce disastrous consequences.