We are working on an exterior restoration project right now where the client wants to remove all the original paint from the siding and trim. So, that means chemical paint strippers because infrared is too slow and hand scraping is too exhausting for a whole building. Dumond was nice enough to send us one of […]
Being in the business of restoring old houses, I do a lot of paint stripping. And much of that paint is lead paint so I have to be extra careful to make sure we keep our dust under control. Here are the best paint stripping tools I have used over the years. Some work better […]
That’s an interesting question that I don’t think old home owners ask as often as they should. Is stripping paint necessary? It seems simple, right? But the answer is a bit more nuanced. Is it always necessary to strip paint before repainting. No. Will painting on bare wood always yield a better result? Yes. Now […]
No one likes to strip paint. Sure we love the end result, but it’s grueling, exhausting work that can be dangerous (lead paint anyone?) or messier than all get out (chemical strippers). As a restorer of historic windows I’m well acquainted with all the trials and tribulations of paint removal. I’ve tried all the tools […]
This is the last post in our 3 part series on how to strip paint. In the first one, I talked about working with chemical strippers and when and how to use them. Last week, we delved into the world of elbow grease and talked about how to scrape like a pro. This week, I […]
This may be the least exciting method of paint removal, but I have found it to be one of the best ways to remove decades of old paint quickly and cleanly. If you can learn how to strip paint without chemicals or heat, your prep/clean up time can be significantly reduced. In this post, I’ll show […]
I know a lot of you have questions about stripping paint from old woodwork. I know because it’s one of the topics I get emailed about the most. So, I won’t keep you in suspense any longer. There are three primary ways you can remove paint (scraping/sanding, chemicals, heat) and we’ll talk about all three […]
Integrated metal weatherstripping is the mac daddy of the weatherstripping world. It is extremely effective, very long lasting, and fairly difficult to work with. Installing new integrated weatherstripping on a window that did not previously have it is beyond the scope of this post, as it requires precise modification of the sash with routers and […]
As far back as most anyone can remember painters have always been known to wear white, but why do painters wear white? Where did it come from? Did a trendy painter one day start the pattern and the rest followed suit? Just like anything is history the answer is a bit of tradition and necessity. […]
Keeping Clean Paint Brushes It’s easier to clean paint brushes when you use them than it is to resurrect them from the dead. So, regularly cleaning your brushes is key to keeping them working properly. What does “regularly” mean? For me that depends on if I’m painting in hot weather or painting in cold weather. […]
Don’t you get annoyed when you see a section of chipped paint repainted but you can still see the damage? This simple method will ensure your paint chip repairs blend in seamlessly with the surrounding areas never to be seen again. The best news is it is simple and uses inexpensive products.
I know it’s cold outside and we all want to stay warm inside, so what can be done about the cold drafts? I’ve heard a lot of talk about how drafts are just a part of living in an old house. Well excuse me, but that is a lot of bull-you-know-what. Just because your house […]
