Lessons From Refinishing an Old Window
Several weeks ago I was pretty psyched about finding a couple great old doors and a fantastic old double hung window for a tiny fraction of what they would have cost new.
The honeymoon is long since over. I’ve spent weeks with chemicals and heat guns stripping the several layers or latex and oil and whatever paint from all the fine grooves–and both the doors and the windows are really nothing but fine grooves.
Here are some of the lessons:
- Call around to paint supply stores (not Home Depot, but places that only supply paint) to find a lead paint test kit. Here in Vancouver the General Paint store on Venebles is just about the only place you’ll find these kits.
- A heat gun is better than chemicals on long flat runs of wood, and if timed just right can get multiple layers up just as quickly and easily as a single layer of paint.
- You have to be very careful not to burn the wood with a heat gun. You won’t start a fire, but it will blacken the wood, which is almost as bad as a fire if you’re planning to stain rather than repaint.
- Chemicals are better for stripping the paint from the details — and the harsher the chemical the better. With multiple layers of paint the amount of time water-based strippers take would have stretched this ostensibly simple project out by months (seriously).
- Here is most of the stuff you will need:
- At least 2 saw-horses or stands. If you have more, then you can strip more objects at the same time.
- Any old half-inch paint brush
- Largest tin of PolyStrippa you can get. Poly seems to be slightly better than Circa 1850.
- A 1″ or 2″ putty knife
- A heavy paint stripping knife
- A small and large plastic paint stripping knife
- Some 220 grit sand paper
- A couple different sized wood blocks to wrap the sandpaper around. Make sure you have at least one thin wood strip, which will help you sand those fine crevices.
- Some steel wool.
- A pair of leather work gloves to help avoid getting slivers as you sand.
- Lots of rags or newspapers to wipe tools and the last bits of paint. Careful with the newspaper as the ink might run.
- A metal container about the size of a pop can for the chemical stripper. I ended up lining a small plant pot with tin foil.
- A heat gun with an extension cord.
- Add to your total cost many meals because you simply won’t have time to make anything yourself.
- Add to your total cost a ruined pair of pants and shirts, because you’ll drip the chemicals and softened paint all over yourself.
- Be careful with the heat gun on the glass — the heat might crack it.
- It will take you about 5 times longer than you first expect.
- And lastly: Do not, unless you really, really need a period original window, undertake this task. Just get a brand new window made. The price, whatever it is, will be worth it.
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:01 pm
You have leather cream paint …for my leather futon , please?
Thank you,
Clint
January 9th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
A potentially very dangerous point the aspiring DIY’er needs to take into account:
Plumbic Gas.
This is the result of heating the old paint hot enough to cause it to lift and curl, which allows you to scrape it off. When you heat the old paint this hot, over 700 degrees Farenheit, some of the existing lead in the old paint can vapourize and be inhaled by the person doing the stripping, or anyone nearby.
Lead as a paint additive, was banned from residential use in the 70’s, so you are pretty much guaranteed to find lead in trim on older homes. Lead although toxic did make an excellent pigment as it had excellent opacity, which resulted in great hiding ability of the paint. This was especially true of the reds and yellows.
So, getting back to the Plumbic gas. Lead is extremely toxic. It is especially dangerous for babies, children, pregnant women, women of child bearing age (who want children) and of course women who are breatfeeding. This is because lead attacks the development of the central nervous system and has been shown to cause all sorts of issues in children.
If you are going to do any of stripping of old trim, make sure that you have a proper fitted respirator that has a filter specifically made for vapourized lead. You can get these filters at Summit Tools on First Avenue in Burnaby (just past Boundary). Also make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before eating anything. (Like your mother always said)
Eric Goodwill
January 9th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
That an excellent and scary point. I did use slice a crossection of paint down to the wood and apple some lead testing solutions. I turn out negative — which does make me wonder a bit about how accurate they might be.
Fortunately I learned very quickly that the heat gun was terribly effective with all the fine wood detail and endedup mostly using harsh chemicals.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Hello John,
I would have to say that it is almost 100% certain that there would be lead in the paint, considering
the age of the house.
Did you use the “pen” type, where you crush the middle of the pen to activate the chemical?
I use that and have always gotten a positive result on older homes (pre 1978). If it turns a pinky red colour then lead is present.
I have also used this to test ceramic bowls made in mexico. And yes, it came back positive, so
no salsa going in that bowl.
Eric Goodwill
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Eric is so right about the dangers of lead paint removal. Next time check into low infrared heat Speedheater which is definitely less messy, safer and gentler on wood, less fire risk, and healthier for you.
February 23rd, 2011 at 7:38 pm
I stumbled upon your website. This is a nice site so I end up spending more time than I really should have.
May 10th, 2011 at 12:37 am
One thing I have actually noticed is always that there are plenty of misconceptions regarding the banking companies intentions if talking about property foreclosures. One misconception in particular is the bank prefers to have your house. The lending company wants your money, not your property. They want the cash they loaned you together with interest. Steering clear of the bank will undoubtedly draw some sort of foreclosed realization. Thanks for your post.
July 11th, 2011 at 12:10 pm
I also choose to optimize my system by myself. This method seems far more dependable for me. Thanks for the write-up.
December 14th, 2011 at 7:00 am
Webmaster, I am the admin at SEOPlugins.org. We profile SEO Plugins for Wordpress blogs for on-site and off-site SEO. I’d like to invite you to check out our recent profile for a pretty amazing plugin which can double or triple traffic for a Worpdress blog. You can delete this comment, I didn’t want to comment on your blog, just wanted to drop you a personal message. Thanks, Rich
December 17th, 2011 at 5:49 pm
Do you have a spam issue on this site; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to know your situation; we have created some nice practices and we are looking to exchange strategies with others, please shoot me an e-mail if interested.
January 4th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
“Awesome blog, it’s just like a game for me! It’s so infomative and usefull, thanks a lot! If you post more of this great stuff, I’ll visit your blog again!”