The proper way to strip paint from doors

There comes a time in every home-owners life when the task of stripping paint from interior doors raises its head. Whether you want to get rid of the old paint colour or are going for the natural look; you are going to have to face it.

Stripping doors if approached in the correct manner is actually one of my favourite DIY tasks, it can be a bit fiddly but the results are always great. What’s more; once you have finished your first attempt all future attempts will be done a lot more confidently.

As mentioned above, there is a right way to strip doors and a very wrong way. You will of course eventually end up with similar results, however planning and structure will cut the time it takes in half and hopefully result in you enjoying the work.

Like all DIY projects it is important to have the right set of tools on hand from the get-go, the following are required for this project:

• Stripping knife
• Mask
• Rubber gloves
• Sandpaper and sanding block or mechanical sander
• electric hot air gun
• Wire wool
• Dust sheets
• chemical stripper
• Safety goggles

1.       Proper preparation

As mentioned above; preparation is the key to successfully stripping doors as it is for all other DIY projects. Whilst on the above list it is extremely important to lay a large dust sheet down (if you value your interior) as things will quickly take a turn for the messy.

Make sure you have a fire extinguisher or bucket of water to hand; you are going to be using extremely hot equipment.

Finally check to see if the paint you are stripping contains lead (most paint made prior to 1978) does. If you think it might; do not attempt to sand or heat it as the chemicals that will be released are highly toxic. Chemical removal is the only SEMI-safe technique.

NB: We always recommend removing the door and taking it outside to strip.

2.       Sanding

If the paint or finish on your door isn’t too thick then sanding might be your best approach. Hand sanding is great for smaller areas or those more intricate sections, although be sure to have a sanding block or your hands will be hurting in the morning.

For larger flatter areas use an electric sander. We typically don’t recommend relying on sanding for the entire door as it is a slow process and result in lower quality finish. Sanding is great however for creating the distressed look; remember to mix up the paper grades to get different finishes.

3.       Heat gun

Heat guns and lamps with the right scraping tools are extremely effective at removing paint from doors and any other object. Heat guns are typically inexpensive to rent or buy and should last a very long time.

We usually suggest trying to find one with a temperature around 1000 degrees, any less and it takes longer to get the paint to temperature any hotter and the paint will vaporise too quickly. Our opinion is that paint guns lose their effectiveness as paint layers get thinner, best results are always in areas where paint is at its thickest.

We normally suggest holding the paint gun roughly five inches from the surface you are looking to strip. There is a perfect temperature at which the paint starts to rise and bubble when you should attempt to slide under or scrape over, removing the paint. Practice is will quickly result in you knowing when this temperature is reached.

The final smaller bits of paint which are left should be removed with a chemical agent.

Remember to under-heat the paint at first as you can easily end up scorching the wood in just a few seconds. Don’t force the paint off; an aggressive approach will result in you probably scoring or scratching the wood.

NB: If you are using a heat gun or chemical stripper inside we always recommend setting up a fan to blow fumes away from you.

4.       Stripping with chemicals

Where sanding and the use of a heat gun are great for larger areas, chemical stripping agents are great for more intricately deigned doors or those with a lot of smaller sections. Chemical stripping is also great if you are worried about damaging or scratching a door through the other two techniques.

Firstly be sure you know how ‘safe’ the stripping agent you are using is and take appropriate precautions. Safer stripping agents work a lot slower (usually 24hrs) than their more toxic cousins which can strip paint in minutes.

Make sure the work area is covered in a thick sheet, you have old working clothes on and the area is as well ventilated as possible (if inside). Apply the recommended amount of the agent using an old paint brush, making sure not to splash. Wait for the paint to finish bubbling (or text if latex paint) before you start to scrape; in harder to reach areas consider using wire wool or a toothbrush.

Once you have finished and are happy with the results apply a mineral cleansing liquid, which will remove any chemical residue. Finally we always suggest running a fine grade sandpaper over the door to have it 100% ready for finishing.

These tips on the proper way to strip doors were brought to you by Yale Composite Doors. Each of our period style front doors is police approved, U-value compliant and installed within a week of ordering by our professional team.

Today’s guest post was provided by Nick Williams.