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The process of old paint removal in house and buildings is not an easy job to do. It could be more complicated and time-consuming than just painting. Since the removal of old paint takes a lot of time and effort, the use of chemical paint strippers become necessary to make the job easier. Paint strippers are considered the most effective chemical solution in preserving any surface.
In order to restore the original condition of historic buildings, the services of paint removal companies or contractors are hired. In this way, the sensitivity of lead paint removal will be in the hands of experts who will make sure that the original form of the historic edifice will be preserved well.
Why Old Paint Must Be Scraped The ultimate reason for scraping is to make the painting job perfect by producing a high quality painted surface with excellent smoothness and brilliance.
Scraping results in longer duration of the new paint and avoids peeling off if the old paint is not scraped.
In historic properties, removal of paint through heavy scraping is not encouraged unless it is extremely necessary. In effect, only light scraping, hand sanding and cleaning are applied as part of regular maintenance.
In the case of wood, new paint sticks strongly to existing paint than a bare wood, on the practical point of view. If the old paint still adheres tightly to the wood in a uniform manner and the surface has been carefully prepared for repainting, then, there is no need for stripping the old paint. But if deep cracks are already visible in the surface and a wide blistering and peeling of old paint appears, then, a complete removal of the old paint must be done before repainting.
Precautions for Paint Removal
The process of paint removal in buildings, especially historical ones, have incurred a great damage and high cost in the past and continues to happen even now. Because of this painstaking process, many regrettable experiences have occurred which led to major reconstruction, contract cancellation and in some cases, filing of a lawsuit.
The cause of costly damage was attributed to the use of blow torches, scars caused by sandblasting or the use of rough mechanical devices.
Some layers of historic paints were accidentally removed due to the use of rotary sanders and rotary wire strippers.
Some property owners were injured by inhaling the toxic lead vapors or particles from the paint which was being removed.
The paint removal system involves higher cost due to longer timeframe and labor.
Removing paint from large areas of the building needs professional expertise. If no experts are hired to do the job, the removal process can become unmanageable and may produce low quality results.
Therefore, a careful study on the time and labor costs must be done depending on the scope of work before the final procedure on paint removal is applied. It is highly recommended to hire the services of qualified professionals to do the job due to expensive materials and special equipment needed which they can provide. In this way, the project will entail lower cost, shorter time, less damage or none at all.
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