How to remove paint from metal at home

Even the most expensive and high-quality paint intended for metal objects is not eternal. Over time, under the influence of external factors, it becomes unusable, it can begin to peel off and “peel off”, rust spots appear through the coating layer, and the metal product itself already looks unpresentable. In this case, you can perform another painting, but the old layer must be removed. Also, situations often occur when the coloring composition accidentally gets on the product, dries up and spoils its appearance. Therefore, in this article, our experts decided to review several effective methods that allow you to remove paint from metal at home.

Preparatory stage and security measures

In order for the procedure to be carried out correctly and the property or health of the employee was not damaged in the process, you need to prepare. These measures include:

1. Purchase of all necessary equipment, tools, chemicals — depending on the chosen method of metal cleaning. Everything that you may need should already be at your fingertips at the time of the start of work, since if you constantly buy the necessary things, you will endlessly remove the coating, especially if the amount of work is large.

2. Protection of surrounding objects (if they cannot be moved) and surfaces from dust and dirt, which will inevitably appear when you remove paint from metal. For protection, you can use a plastic film.

3. Prepare personal protective equipment for those who will remove the coating and help in this matter. The minimum required set for each worker includes plastic goggles, a respirator and thick but comfortable gloves that will not hinder movement.

4. Prepare the metal itself for processing. It is necessary, if possible, to remove all dirt, dust, paint residues that peel off without much effort. If you plan to treat with household chemicals, it is recommended to clean the surface with a stiff brush. This will help the solvent to penetrate the layers of paint faster, and the process will speed up.

If you intend to remove paint from small items that can be transported on your own, it is better to take them out into the yard and carry out processing already there.

After completing all the preparatory stages, you can get to work. The procedure is carried out in three ways — mechanical, thermal and chemical. In some cases, you need to use several methods in parallel or sequentially in order to achieve the desired result.

Mechanical methods

The mechanical method is literally “tearing off” the paint from the metal using physical force and certain tools. The most primitive tool that can be used is a spatula, but it will only be effective if the surface is even, has no hard-to-reach places, and the paint layer is pre-softened with a chemical agent. You can also use sandpaper. But it is more rational to use a special electric tool with nozzles with abrasive coatings. It can be a drill, grinder or grinder.

If you have a drill, you can buy these types of brushes for processing a metal surface:

1. Radial — designed to remove paint in places that are difficult to access.

2. Cylindrical. Such a narrow brush will allow you to treat surfaces in a limited space.

3. The disk is indispensable for processing vertically located surfaces. The design of the product assumes that a wire is located around the entire circumference of the base, with which the part is ground.

4. Cup is effective for processing horizontal parts and removing a thick layer of paint from metal. Its base is made in the form of a cup with a recess in which the wire is attached.

When choosing a suitable brush, do not forget about the diameter of the working surface of the product and the material of the working elements — it should be wire, not nylon.

If you plan to use a grinder or a grinder, you can buy one or several wheel options:

1. Petal — used to remove a thick layer of paint and partially metal.

2. From CD material — suitable for removing a small layer, leaving a minimum amount of scratches on the metal.

3. Cibo wheels — small abrasive grain, plus a thin nylon thread help to work delicately, without touching the metal, but only removing the top layer of paint.

And do not forget that the mechanical processing of metal from paint is accompanied by the formation of a large number of small particles, which, if they enter the mucous membranes, in the respiratory tract, can be harmful, therefore both glasses and a respirator must fit snugly against the skin.

Tools will help to remove the coloring composition, but if you need to work out the corners and very small details, you will have to use the same spatula and / or sandpaper.

Heat Treatment Methods

Removing paint from metal using a heat treatment method is perhaps the easiest method to solve the problem, but only if you have a powerful building hair dryer. You can also use appliances such as a blowtorch or iron. Under the influence of heat, the coating will begin to melt, after which it will not be difficult to remove it with a spatula. The thermal method is not suitable for cleaning cast iron, brass and aluminum products, as well as thin sheet elements, as they can be deformed due to high temperatures.

Consider the features of using tools of different types:

1. 
   Building hair dryer — Versatile and very handy. Thanks to the narrow nozzle, the hot air jet can be directed to the most inaccessible places. The device heats the air to the desired temperature quickly, the paint leaves quite easily, in large pieces.

2. 
   Blowtorch — the device during operation gives out an open flame in which the paint burns. Residues can be cleaned with a stiff brush. But you need to act carefully so as not to get burned and not violate the integrity of the structure being processed.

3. 
   Iron will help to remove paint from metal in the most time-consuming and inefficient way. The temperature of the sole may be barely enough for the coating to begin to melt. An iron is used only in extreme cases for processing small flat metal surfaces. Before starting the procedure, foil is placed under the sole of the device so as not to stain the instrument itself.

If, after thermal treatment, there are still small residues of paint on the metal surface that could not be removed even with a spatula, it is removed with a solvent.

We use household chemicals

If you do not have the right tools at hand, you can still solve the problem. It is enough to buy a professional solvent or the so-called “wash” to get rid of the paint on the metal. Here are a few representatives of this class of chemicals: KUDO aerosol (520 ml for 2,5 dollars), Veslee Remover aerosol (450 ml for 2 dollars), Syntirol (1 kg for 5 dollars).

The sequence of actions for removing the coating with chemicals:

1. The preparatory stage — we clean the surface as much as possible from dust and dirt.

2. We apply the drug. It is most convenient to use the product in the form of an aerosol, but it can also be applied with a paint brush.

3. We wait as long as indicated in the instructions. The exposure time may vary depending on the thickness of the paint layer. And also depending on the power of the drug. Accordingly, the exposure time can take from several minutes to several hours.

4. When the paint softens, begins to bubble and move away from the metal, remove it with a spatula and a stiff brush.

5. For a complete cleaning of the surface, we treat it with a solvent, for example, acetone, purified gasoline.

6. We wash with water.

All solvents have a very pungent odor, so it is recommended to work outdoors or indoors, where you can open doors and several windows, or simply have a ventilation system.

How paint is removed depending on its type

In principle, any paint can be removed by a mechanical, thermal or chemical treatment method or a combination thereof. But in some cases, certain methods of purification are preferable:

1. A thin layer of oil paint is removed with a solvent, a thick layer is removed mechanically, the coating is burned out in the most inaccessible places.

2. Acrylic paint after stripping with a stiff brush can be washed off with a solvent, for example, acetone.

3. It is better to burn powder paint, and if this is not possible, a wash should be used.

4. Spray paint is easily removed with a brush, sandpaper and thinner.

In order to avoid mistakes when performing cleaning work, it is important to know not only the type of paint, but also what kind of metal the product is made of. As already mentioned, the thermal impact on objects made of brass and cast iron leads to their deterioration.

How to remove paint from metal gates and fences

In order to remove the coating from vertical surfaces, you will need a grinder with appropriate nozzles, brushes with metal bristles to work out hard-to-reach places, and a solvent. It is better to use a chemical agent with a thick consistency, since liquid agents will flow down before the necessary reaction occurs, they may be ineffective.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Clean the fence and gate of all contaminants.

2. Treat surfaces with a grinder where possible.

3. Brush hard-to-reach places such as joints, welds, corners, loops, etc.

4. Remove paint residue with solvent.

Work is recommended to be carried out in good weather, since during strong winds, rain, it will not be possible to carry out the procedure qualitatively.

Advice! If you have removed the paint from a metal fence with thin rods and want to repaint it, but do not want to spend a lot of time processing the numerous details of the fence, put down the brush and arm yourself with a sponge. Put on rubber gloves, on top of ordinary fabric gloves, like workers, dip the sponge into a can of paint, wring it out lightly, and start staining. Using a simple sponge, you quickly and efficiently paint over all the smallest details, process all corners and nodes, hard-to-reach places.