Removing Old Wood Graining Paint

Wood graining paint may not actually be paint at all. Painters can use wood stain, tinted glaze, pigmented varnish, artist's acrylic paints or oil paints to create faux wood grain. When it comes time to remove old wood graining paint, select a paint stripper that can easily work on any of these coatings. For optimal results, you'll want a paint removing system that doesn't pose a health or safety risk, that doesn't require a lot of elbow-grease, and that does the job in a single application.

NMP-based paint stripper
Disposable paintbrush
Disposable plastic putty knife
Disposable plastic container
Denatured alcohol
Cotton rag

Instructions

- 1
  Apply a generous coating of a NMP-based paint stripper using a disposable paintbrush. NMP, also known as N-methyl pyrrolidone, is a slow acting chemical that is often supplied as a paste or gel in a blend of ingredients that may include soy-based or citrus-based solvents. Unlike some chemical strippers, NMP can be safely applied to a variety of substrates such as wood, steel, fiberglass and aluminum. Allow the NMP paste two to four hours to work.
- 2
  Scrape under the paste gently as a preliminary test, using a disposable plastic putty knife. If the NMP has finished softening the old paint, it should easily lift. Some NMP strippers have been formulated to change color when the stripping action has completed. Finish stripping the old paint and collect the paste in a plastic container for later disposal.
- 3
  Wipe off the stripped surface with a cotton rag that has been soaked in denatured alcohol to remove the embedded stripper paste. Otherwise, the NMP embedded can remain active as long as two weeks. Once the surface has dried, it is ready to be repainted.

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