Almost all craftsmen will agree that it is much easier to build something new than to repair an old one, since you have to get rid of old finish which takes too much time and effort. So, in order to prepare the surface for painting work, you may need a nozzle for removing paint from the walls, which can be powered by a grinder, drill, puncher, or just by hand.
Below we will talk in more detail about such devices that you can buy in a store or make yourself, and also, as additional material, let's see the thematic video in this article.
How to get rid of the paint layer
Note. To figure out what kind of nozzle you need to clean the surface, you will have to find out what paint it is painted with.
What can be the coloring
- Very often, in old houses such as "Stalinka" or "Khrushchev", the walls were painted with synthetic paints like nitro enamels, which were applied directly to cement-sand, cement-lime, and even. If you have come across just such a finishing option, then you can be said to be very lucky - the film in this case will be removed relatively easily, in layers, since synthetics cannot penetrate deeply into the plaster. Of course, if the painting was done on a primer, then the process will become much more complicated, since adhesion there is several orders of magnitude stronger.
- Oil coatings, unlike nitro enamels, are removed much worse, since they are more elastic and cannot lag behind in layers, and often simply rubbed over the surface when trying to scrape them. The same can be said about polymers, which are quite elastic, especially since they were applied over primers, which greatly complicates dismantling.
Variety of nozzles
For such processing, you can use a small hatchet, a hard metal spatula, or a set of nozzles, as in the photo above, but such sets are extremely rare in stores, therefore, it is much easier to purchase them via the Internet.
It is also convenient to use the old Soviet ones for such purposes - there is a fairly thick blade, it does not bend and, with good sharpening, turns into an excellent scraper. But such a tool can also be made from a modern metal spatula, only for this you will have to shorten the blade (so it will turn out to be more rigid), leaving only 2-3 cm in length.
But a scraper, even if it is a factory nozzle, is not always suitable for cleaning, and there is practical evidence for this. The author of this article had to deal with a situation where the bathroom was painted with oil paint.
So, the coating had to be removed with a hatchet, centimeter by centimeter (the paint was smeared from the scraper), which had to be spent two days with the work of two people!
Some use the nozzle on the perforator to remove paint, but this method is too ineffective and main reason here is the impact force, due to which the plaster is more destroyed than its coating. And this cannot be avoided, even if you sharpen a chisel or spatula very sharply - they will cut even deeper into the surface of the wall, and not pry off a thin layer of coating.
The only option when this method brings tangible benefits is when the wall is painted with nitro enamel - there, small-sized layers simply fly off from the force of impact, and after that the surface will only need to be treated with a spatula in some places.
Whatever they say and invent, the most reliable and proven on this moment remains manual way paint removal - here you will not miss a single millimeter of coating, moreover, you will do it with high quality. The main problem of do-it-yourself surface cleaning is a very low productivity and a huge laboriousness of the process, since the layer is not always easily removed, one can even say that easy dismantling is an exception to the rule.
Very often you have to scrape or knock down the surface literally one centimeter at a time, as the old paint holds very well.
Often nozzles are used on a drill for removing paint, although they are exactly the same, only with a different method of attachment, they are also put on an angle grinder (grinder).
Such a device is made in the form of a rotating brush with metal bristles, and while the wire is new (not bent), the processing is quite effective, but not for any paint - it happens (especially with oil coatings) that the metal bristles are not able to peel off the paint, but only smoothes it over the surface.
For such complex coatings, it is better to choose brushes with a shorter pile, then the grout turns out to be more rigid, although even such actions do not always provide one hundred percent cleaning.
At the moment, many consider the best nozzle for automatic cleaning to be a chain on a rod that is inserted into a drill instead of a drill (the price of such a nozzle is perhaps the lowest). During operation, the drill is held along the plane of the wall and the chains are methodically and at high speed hitting the surface, breaking the paint on it.
Advice. After processing the surface with any nozzle in an automatic way, it is best to go through the scraper again, especially if the installation instructions for the cladding require a clean rough base.
Conclusion
In addition to nozzles, paint is also removed from the surface chemically, using different types washes. But these methods are toxic and hazardous to health.
For removing paint from walls or metal surfaces, as well as removing rust, you have to make a lot of effort and spend a lot of time. Therefore, sometimes it is impossible to do without the use of power tools. As a device to facilitate the process, you can use an angle grinder (grinder) with special cleaning nozzles.
Old paint most often has to be removed either from walls or from metal surfaces. In each case, different types of nozzles for grinders are used.
From metal surfaces
For peeling work on metal, whether it is removing a layer of old paint or removing rust, craftsmen use corsets. They look like a brush of metal twisted or not twisted wire inserted into a metal cup, or a disk of the same wire.
From the craftsmen who used the brushes for peeling metal work, one can hear complaints that small pieces of wire fly off the nozzle and dig into clothes.
Depending on the quality of peeling work you want to carry out, the thickness and stiffness of the brushes are selected. The fact that the metal wire used in brushes leaves scratches on the treated surface should be taken into account. Therefore, to remove paint, for example, from a car body, it is better not to use them. They can only be useful for removing rust and paintwork from hard-to-reach places.
For metal-friendly roughing it is better to use special wheels made of silicone carbide fibers (XCS) - they are usually black. Also for these purposes, more wear-resistant Clean and Strip discs are used. They are blue color, have a similar structure, but consist of nylon threads.
This cleaning wheel is available in 2 versions: for a drill and for a grinder. Distinctive feature it from other types of metal paint strippers in that it does not clog and scratch the metal. They also successfully remove welding spatter, rust, various sealants and anti-corrosion coatings.
Clean and Strip discs have good wear resistance and can be used until completely erased.
Often used to remove paint from metal petal nozzles for Bulgarian. They are a disc with glued on its plane sandpaper in the form of petals.
For rough surface treatment, nozzles with a large grain size are used. For finishing work, it is necessary to select a roughing wheel with fine sandpaper. Although this sanding disc wears out quickly and becomes clogged with residues stripped paint, it can be easily restored. You can understand how this is done from this video.
From the walls
First of all, to remove the paint from the wall, the craftsmen try to use brushes with thick twisted wire (were discussed above). This method is quite effective, but when peeling a lot of dust is generated. Therefore, it is necessary to use protective equipment (goggles, respirator). It is also recommended to use a vacuum cleaner with a special nozzle that completely hides the brush.
In addition to removing paint from the walls, using angle grinders, you can remove a layer of old plaster, primer or putty
For removing paint from concrete walls also apply bowl attachments. The grinder must be held at such an angle that the paint layer is removed, but the tool does not sink into the wall.
In addition to peeling work, this nozzle is also used for leveling surfaces, removing various sags on the wall, for removing plaster, putty, etc.
Sharpening discs
This category of disks is intended for rough metal work. The grinding wheel can be used for cleaning welds, chamfering cut metal parts, as well as for sharpening tools (drills, chisels, etc.) if there is no grinder nearby.
It is worth knowing that when installing such a disk, the speed on the grinder must be set to the minimum or not exceeding the value indicated on the abrasive wheel.
As a rule, grinding discs are more often used on small angle grinders, since they are more convenient to use for cleaning metal.
A grinding wheel can be distinguished from a cutting wheel by its thickness (at least 5 mm) and by the presence of a recess in the center for more convenient use of the disk plane for tool sharpening.
Anyone who has done renovation work knows that one of the most time-consuming and time-consuming processes is removing the remnants of old coatings. And if everything is simple with wallpaper, then the question is how to remove old paint from the walls, causes much more difficulty. The choice of one or another option for removing the paint layer directly depends on the properties of the composition and the degree of strength of the coating.
Basic Paint Removal Methods
On the net you can find a lot of tips on how you can deal with old paint easily and quickly with your own hands. In practice, it turns out that not all recommendations are justified, so we will consider only proven options that are used by both home craftsmen and professional builders and have proven themselves from the best side.
Removal with a spatula or paint scraper
This method is used relatively rarely due to the fact that it is possible to remove the paint with a scraper only in cases where the layer is held very weakly and is removed from the surface in whole layers.
The technology is very simple: a scraper is taken, and with its help, section by section is systematically removed old layer. The work takes a lot of time, but the result will be excellent. But this is all relevant lung condition separation of the composition from the base.
Most often, the process is much more complex and will require much more effort and the use of more radical methods of work.
Warm water method
This option is suitable for all water-based and water-dispersion formulations. Work is carried out in two ways, depending on the type of paint used.
If the solution is not waterproof, then the work is carried out as follows:
- All furniture is taken out of the room or moved to the middle so that it does not interfere with work, and water and debris do not get on it.
- Next, the surface is thoroughly wetted, it is best to do this with a sprayer, the surface is left for 15-20 minutes, after which the treatment can be repeated again.
- Then it is taken - and the removal of the soaked layer begins. If hard-to-remove areas remain on it, they must be moistened again and removed with a spatula after 15-20 minutes.
Much harder to remove waterproof coating, soak it with water is unlikely to succeed without prior preparation.
The work is structured as follows:
- The surface is treated first wire brush, this is done so that the coating is covered deep scratches the more carefully you do this step, the easier it will be further work.
- Next, the treatment is carried out with warm water, moisture penetrates through the scratches into the base of the paint layer and loosens it, after 20 minutes it is necessary to moisten again.
- As a rule, after that the old coating is removed easily and quickly. If necessary, some areas are additionally moistened.
- It is worth noting that it is not worth waiting for a long time - the moisture will begin to evaporate, and the surface will harden again.
Removing paint with solvent
This method is suitable for coatings based on synthetic solvents. At the same time, remember that this method is justified only if there are 1-2 layers on the surface, the composition is unlikely to take perennial layers, and you will have to repeat the treatment many times.
Removing old paint from walls with a solvent is very simple: the composition is applied to a piece of rag, and a small area of \u200b\u200bthe surface is treated with it. After a few minutes, using the same rag, the remnants of the old coating are removed, the time interval is selected experimentally.
The main thing with this method is to choose the right one on the wall. Using the wrong brand of mortar can significantly impair wall cleaning.
Advice! When using a solvent, it is necessary to thoroughly ventilate the room and use a respirator, the fumes are quite toxic and can cause irritation of the upper respiratory tract and headaches.
Using the mechanical method
This option will help to remove even the most durable coatings that cannot be removed by other means. It is also preferable to use this method if many layers of paint are applied to the wall.
The work is carried out as follows:
- First you need a tool to remove paint from the walls. The most commonly used grinder, but a powerful electric drill is also suitable (too weak models will be overloaded).
- To work, you need a special wire nozzle. The choice of a particular option depends on the type of base, the characteristics of the applied paint layer and the power tool you have.
- Also don't forget to get goggles and a respirator. During operation, a lot of dust is generated, and it is not recommended to work without protective equipment.
- Due to the fact that the work is dirty, all furniture should be removed or covered with a special film.
- Then you can get to work, you can start it from any convenient location. Do not press too hard on the tool, so as not to damage the base.
- After completion of work, surface putty is usually required, since numerous scratches form on it in any case.
Using paint removers
If you need to remove the coating on the base organic solvents, then the most smart choice – special remedy to remove paint from walls.
The use of such compounds can greatly simplify the work, while it is worth remembering the following features:
- Due to the presence in the composition of compounds that are quite harmful to human health, the room in which the work will be carried out should be thoroughly ventilated. It is also necessary to have protective equipment: gloves, goggles and a simple respirator.
- Remember that even the most the best composition will not remove several layers in one application, the treatment should be repeated until each layer is removed.
- Before starting work, the instructions on the packaging are required for the most careful study. All safety requirements must be observed.
- After application, the composition is left for a certain time (it may differ for different compositions). Further, the remnants of the old coating are removed with a rag, if necessary, the processing is repeated.
- It should be remembered that after applying this type of product, it is necessary to degrease the surface before painting in order to get rid of any wash residue.
Advice! Remember that any product of this group must have a quality certificate. Cheap options most often do not remove paint well, so you should not save on this component.
In our time, you can find two types of formulations: liquid and gel-like. The second option is preferable due to the fact that it does not drain from the walls, and the evaporation of the active solvent from the composition takes much longer, which makes it possible to better cope with the destruction of the old layer. And if you close the surface with polyethylene, then the penetrating power will be even higher.
Thermal stripping method
It is impossible to consider a review on the topic of how to remove paint from walls, to consider it complete without considering the option using a building hair dryer.
Everything is quite simple here:
- To work, you need a building hair dryer and a spatula.
- A small section of the wall is heated, as a result of which the coating layer begins to move away and is easily removed. If the base is concrete, then you need a powerful hair dryer, since the heat on such a base diverges very quickly.
- When carrying out work, a respirator is needed, since caustic substances can evaporate from the layer when heated.
Advice! Sometimes the use of combined methods is most justified, old layers of paint can be very difficult to remove, in this case you can treat the wall with a wash, and then heat it up with a hair dryer.
Conclusion
We considered several options that have been repeatedly tested by developers. The choice of a particular option depends on the coating on your walls and the degree of its strength ().
The video in this article will help you better understand the features of some of the methods discussed.
Paint scraper for removing paint - one of the most ancient tools for dealing with old layers paintwork materials. And despite the presence of many modern ways cleaning the surface of paint, having a scraper in the workshop does not hurt!
Construction scraper - an affordable way to clean the surface!
Modern paints and varnishes are able to stay on the surface for years without fading or peeling. However, to achieve such a result, it is necessary to comply with all technological process! Removing old layers of paint and varnish from the surface is one of its main conditions. Many amateur or non-professional builders believe that it is enough to remove peeling paint, but in fact you need to remove the entire layer to the base.
A spatula scraper can do the job, but you will have to make a titanic effort and devote a lot of time to remove the paint. Okay, if the amount of work is really small, but when it comes to a wall painted according to all the rules, after an hour of work you will simply lose heart, and you will be ready to neglect all the requirements, just to finish the job as soon as possible. So what about buying special equipment? In the case of home repairs that you decide to do on your own, it will be unwise, but there is always a way out! In addition to a scraper, you can get other tools for removing paint. For simplicity, we divide them into three groups: thermal, mechanical and chemical.
Not with a single scraper - we melt the paint!
A hair dryer will help you remove old layers of paint. Only not the one with which we dry our hair, but the building one. Outwardly, by the way, it practically does not differ in any way from its "cosmetic brother", however, the outlet temperature gives out much higher, to the point that the heated material can ignite! Speaking of the thermal method, it’s just about heating the paint with a hairdryer - when high temperature even the oldest three-layer coating will become softer and can be easily removed with a scraper. Some hair dryers even come with a spatula attachment that attaches to the nozzle to heat up in one go and remove paint instantly.
How convenient this can be depends largely on the paint itself - if it is highly flammable, then you run the risk of constantly fighting fire outbreaks. It is easier to work with a conventional thermal gun in this regard, since there is much more control. The paint must be removed as soon as it has become softer - overheating and charring can only complicate your work. There are compounds that cannot be heat treated - no matter how you heat them, they will not become softer, and you can damage the material under the paint.
Therefore, if it is possible to test such an aggregate on a specific surface, be sure to do it. Most top scores this method gives when removing old layers from wooden products, since metal ones remove heat, and the paint warms up worse. It is best to use a wooden scraper for wood products, since you can seriously scratch the product with a metal one.. The width of such a tool should be identical to the width of the heated spot. Also remember to scrape along the grain of the wood.
The mechanical method - the scraper never dreamed of!
A lot of dust, noise and an excellent cleaning result - this is a short description of the mechanical methods for removing old layers of paint. And for this, it is not necessary to purchase expensive tools - you can easily get by with what you already have. For example, buy special emery-petal attachments for a grinder or a chain attachment for a drill. The operator must keep electric drill parallel to the wall so that the spinning chain knocks off the paint. This method is becoming increasingly popular, since when removing paint, much less dust occurs than when processing with a grinder or grinder. In addition, such a nozzle can be made independently.
It should be noted that during operation, the links wear out and fly off quite quickly, so for several walls you need to stock up on two or three such nozzles at once.
It is quite difficult to process the joints of the walls with the floor using mechanical methods, especially if the floor has already been repaired, so wall cleaning should be planned earlier. In such cases, you will need a scraper. Do not forget about safety measures - pieces of paint will not harm your hands, but fragments can injure your eyes. When removing layers with a grinder, remember the dangers of dust, especially if the repair takes place in a house where the walls have not been cleaned of old paints for 40 years. The fact is that the building standards of that time were not too limited by the content of lead, the doses of which in paintwork materials were overestimated several times. Inhaling this dust, you risk getting serious poisoning! Moreover, all households will breathe the settled microparticles.
Therefore, if you decide to overhaul, it is better to send all the household to relatives, at least until you finish the most dusty work. And to protect yourself, moisten the surface before processing so that moisture inhibits the formation of dust. After completing the work, clean the room, and not just with a wet cloth, but with a phosphate-containing cleaning agent, such as dishwashing liquid. One part to three parts water will be enough to neutralize the lead. True, after that you will also have to wash off traces of detergent.
Chemistry against chemistry - applied, waited, cleaned!
In fact, each paint composition is created from different chemicals. As they say, a wedge is knocked out with a wedge - they use to remove layers of old paint chemicals, which are applied over it and soften the layers without damaging the surface under the paint! Outwardly, the action of washes resembles the effect of a hairdryer - the oil paint begins to bubble and peel off, and at the same time you do not risk overheating the surface. In order for the drug to begin to act, it is enough to apply it with a brush or brush to the right places and wait for the time specified by the instructions.
Exfoliated paint is removed with an ordinary scraper, however, the product does not always penetrate so deep as to “raise” all layers, so sometimes you have to clean the surface in stages. It should also be remembered that on hot surfaces, the washes will evaporate quickly, as a result of which their action will be "lubricated". In addition, although such compositions are designed for a large number of paintwork materials, not all paintwork materials from the past begin to react with washes. On the net, you can find many recipes for homemade washes, which, in addition to various fillers, contain caustic soda.
It is worth noting that this is a strong alkali, which, if it comes into contact with the skin, can cause severe burns, so if you set out to prepare the wash yourself, be very careful. One of the most simple recipes consists in mixing five kilograms of sifted chalk and the same amount of lime dough, which are diluted to a putty density with a 20% solution of caustic soda. This paste is applied with a spatula to the surface and, depending on the thickness of the layer, wait half an hour or an hour until it becomes soft enough to be removed with a spatula.
However, based on the experience of the inhabitants, this method does not work as well as we would like - too thick layers of old paint caustic soda does not take. And if you keep the paste longer, then it can simply dry out. Therefore, the scope of such a wash is rather limited. In addition, after removing the paint layer, the surface must be thoroughly washed with water and a solution acetic acid to neutralize alkali - there are too many unnecessary gestures, compared with mechanical or thermal methods.
When conducting repair work often a situation arises when the preparation of walls for subsequent decoration is associated with the removal of the old coating - paint.
At first glance, a simple procedure often turns into a living hell. Be that as it may, this problem will still have to be solved, so it will be useful to familiarize yourself with possible ways her decisions.
To delete or not to delete?
In the recent past, the method of ennobling the walls of the bathroom, kitchen and even hallways by painting them with oil paints was quite popular, so when making repairs, many are faced with the question of whether it is necessary to remove the old coating and, if so, how to do it.
The answer to this question depends on your future plans.
If you plan to paint the walls new paint, it is not necessary to delete the old one. Modern water-based, acrylic and silicone paints adhere perfectly to almost any substrate. The only condition for a high-quality new coating is the reliable adhesion of the old paint to the wall. It should not bubble and peel off, otherwise the repair will end sadly.
If the planned work is related to leveling the walls with putty compounds, it is imperative to remove the old enamel, since most leveling building mixtures stick to it very poorly.
Main works
Different types of paints are removed different ways- some are removed easily, with others you will have to sweat seriously.
Consider the most commonly used methods, their advantages and disadvantages.
The types of paints that you have to deal with vary greatly in composition, so you have to apply various ways to remove them. Water-based paints are relatively easy to remove, but it will be more difficult with oil paints, so we will consider this particular case in detail.
Difficulty of removal oil enamel depends on the number of its layers and the quality of the base on which it rests - the thicker the layer of such paint, the easier it is removed and vice versa.
It is easiest to remove paint from old sandy plaster, much harder from unplastered concrete slab- it is absorbed into the pores and tightly sticks. It will be especially difficult to clean the ceiling in the bathroom.
Preparing tools and resources
To clean the walls from paint, you may need:
Removal methods and their application
There are not so many ways to clean walls from old paint, you will have to choose from three options:
- chemical;
- thermal;
- mechanical - manual or mechanized.
Let's consider them in more detail.
Chemical method
Its essence is as follows - a specially made solution is applied to the painted surface and after a while the paint partially softens and peels off the surface with bubbles, after which it is removed with special scrapers, a hard metal brush or with a spatula.
This method is quite simple and convenient, but has several disadvantages:
When using this method, be sure to take care of safety - you need to ensure good ventilation of the room, in particular the bathroom, work with rubber gloves, goggles and use a respirator. Children, pregnant women and people prone to allergic reactions must leave the premises for the duration of the work.
The chemical method also includes the method of removing paint using liquid glass. The surface is smeared with this agent and, when dried, gives a strong film that peels off along with the old coating.
You can use a solution of potassium carbonate and quicklime. The mixture is made in proportions - 0.4 kg of calcium per 1.2 kg of lime mixed with tap water. The paint covered with such a solution is easily removed with a spatula after 10-12 hours.
Important! All of these methods are associated with the use of potent toxic substances, so the first thing to do is to take care of safety.
Thermal method
It consists in heating the paint to the temperature of its destruction, at which its layer swells and is easily removed with a spatula. This method has been used for quite some time. Used to be heated blowtorches, now they use building hair dryers, which is much safer and more convenient.
We remove the paint as follows - we heat a small area until a layer of paint swells on its surface and immediately, before it cools down, remove it with a spatula.
There are tips for heating the paint with an iron through a foil pad. In our opinion, the procedure is rather doubtful, since the iron does not provide sufficient temperature, but in rare cases, for example, to remove a thin layer of fresh alkyd enamel, you can try.
Of the advantages, one can single out the possibility of using this method in places where it is impossible to carry out mechanical cleaning– next to glass and other fragile structures.
This method is quite effective, but has certain limitations. You can not heat the wall at the place where the electrical wire is laid, next to switches and sockets, as well as near fusible decorative elements.
The main disadvantage of thermal cleaning of walls can be considered the release of caustic and toxic smoke when the paint is heated, so ventilation of the room must be ensured before work is carried out, in addition, if the paint overheats, it can catch fire, so you should be very careful.
mechanical way
The methods described earlier are toxic and dangerous, therefore, in an apartment, especially in closed bathrooms where it is impossible to arrange sufficient ventilation, it is worth using the old, proven method - mechanical.
There are as many ways to remove paint mechanically as people have used it, but they can be classified into manual and using power tools.
Acrylic paint removal features
Acrylic, like any water-based paints, are quite easy to mechanically remove with a conventional metal brush or an emery wheel on a grinder.
There are also alternative way- the use of special compositions - washes. Such compositions are sold in any hardware store and when following the recommendations, the instructions for use give very good results– the washed surface is clean, without chips and does not require additional preparation in case of applying a new layer of paint.
Such compounds belong to modern chemistry of the ecological direction and are absolutely harmless.
Advice! If you are planning an old acrylic paint cover with the same new paint, cleaning is not needed - paint over the old layer.
The Worst Ways to Remove Paint
In our opinion, chemical and thermal cleaning methods are absolutely not suitable for the bathroom, since it is impossible to provide acceptable ventilation in limited sizes, so there is a high probability of poisoning harmful secretions associated with such methods of work.
Among other things, thermal paint removal is associated with fire risks.
In the conditions of the apartment, and especially in the toilet rooms and bathroom the best option will use a perforator with a serrated crown - maximum efficiency and minimal dust.
We hope that our article helped you answer the question - how to remove old paint from the walls?
