How to remove paint from surfaces of various building materials. Removing water-based, acrylic paints and varnishes, oil and alkyd enamels

During remodeling or renovation projects, removing old paint from walls and other surfaces is a common challenge. Regardless of the type of paint you’re working with—water-based, acrylic, oil-based, or alkyd—each one needs a different method to guarantee a smooth and clean surface for the fresh finish. Selecting the appropriate technique requires an understanding of the characteristics of both the paint and the substrate.

Different paint removal methods work differently on different surfaces, such as metal, concrete, and wood. Using the incorrect technique can cause damage to the material, making your work more difficult and requiring more time and money. For this reason, it’s crucial to understand how to safeguard and maintain the underlying surface in addition to paint removal.

We’ll look at doable techniques in this guide that are specific to different kinds of paint and different materials. We’ll go over efficient methods that will enable you to complete the task correctly, regardless of whether you need to remove water-based paint from a concrete wall or tackle tenacious old layers of oil paint on a wooden door. By the end, you’ll be confident enough to use the appropriate equipment and techniques to take on any paint removal task.

How to remove old paint and varnish coating

It is important to note that any painted surface can be mechanically cleaned with a wire brush, sandblaster, electric grinder, or grinder wheels. There is also the thermal method, which involves using an electric construction hair dryer, a gas burner, or a blowtorch to burn off the old coating.

Even though these techniques are very effective, there are situations in which it is not feasible to use them because mechanical cleaning generates a lot of dust and using a thermal method runs the risk of melting or burning the surface.

In order to prevent these unpleasant occurrences, I will explain in this article how to use common household chemicals and water to remove old paint and varnish coatings from a variety of surfaces.

Expert paint removers are displayed in the table.

Washing off water-based paint

One of the most affordable paints and varnishes for decorative wall and ceiling finishing in residential and utility rooms is water-based paint, so apartment owners frequently ask: Is it possible to remove water-based paint from a wooden, brick, or plastered surface?

Even though it is made of water, the paint film does not dissolve in water after it has completely dried, so one of the following methods should be used to remove it:

1. First of all, use a metal spatula to remove swollen and flaking areas of the old coating, and then, using a fur paint roller or a household spray bottle, generously moisten the surface with warm water with the addition of an alcohol solution of medical iodine (one bottle per bucket of water), and leave for 15-30 minutes to soak the paint;

Soaking the surface of the ceiling with a spray bottle.

1. If water does not wet the paint film well and rolls off its surface, this indicates that moisture-resistant water-based paint was used. In order to soften it, you need to pre-treat the painted surface with a hard metal brush so as to leave a lot of small, shallow scratches on it, and then wet it generously with warm water and a solution of laundry soap, and also leave for 20-30 minutes to swell;
2. After the paint has soaked, it must be wetted again with water and removed mechanically, using a special scraper, metal spatula or a hard brush with metal bristles for this.

The image displays the ceiling’s water-based paint that has been softened.

Counseling! I can suggest applying a thick layer of wallpaper glue or starch paste to the surface, carefully smoothing it, and then applying multiple layers of old newspapers to remove a thick layer of old paint from a sizable area. Using a metal spatula and a thick layer of paint, newspapers can be removed with ease once the glue dries and softens the old coating.

Removing acrylic-based paint

Acrylic paints are widely used in construction and daily life, both for outdoor work and interior decoration, because they are extremely wear-resistant, completely unafraid of water, and have high adhesion to many building materials.

Solvents for acrylic paint softening.

They are also diluted with water when in liquid form, but because acrylic resins have a binder base, once they have dried completely, they are no longer soluble in water, so it is best to remove them mechanically.

If this isn’t feasible for some reason, try one of the following approaches:

1. If no more than one day has passed since the paint was applied, you can try to wash it off with hot water with the addition of laundry soap, household detergent, vodka or ethyl alcohol, using a plastic brush with short, hard bristles;
2. For those who want to know how to remove old paint from metal, glass or plastic, I can recommend non-volatile organic solvents, best of all kerosene, gasoline or white spirit, a little worse – acetone or nail polish remover. To do this, you need to generously moisten the surface to be treated with one of the specified liquids, and leave for 10-20 minutes, after which wipe off the softened paint with a spatula or a hard sponge soaked in the same solvent.

After being softer with an organic solvent, acrylic paint.

1. Wood and mineral building materials (brick, concrete, plaster) have a porous surface that will actively absorb organic solvents, so in this case I recommend using the German wash "DOCKER S4", the price of which is 1850 rubles for 5 kg, or its domestic analogue, solvent P-5A costing from 45 to 60 rubles / kg;
2. To soften latex acrylic paint, dichloroethane or medical chloroform can be used as a solvent, but I must remind you that these liquids are very toxic, so all work should be carried out exclusively in the fresh air, using personal protective equipment (respirator, gloves, safety glasses).

Expert cleaning "DOCKER S4"

Kindly take note! Before removing acrylic paint from plastic, I suggest you to test how safe the solvent will be for this kind of plastic on a small section on the product’s back. This is because some polymeric materials can soften when exposed to organic solvents.

• How to dissolve acrylic paint

Washer for oil and alkyd enamels

Alkyd varnishes and oil enamels are frequently used to protect and decorate metal and wooden products, both inside and outside of buildings, because they are extremely resistant to atmospheric factors and do not permit moisture to pass through.

Superior and reasonably priced wash from the German brand "Abbeizer".

The primary characteristic that sets these paints apart is their oil or alkyd base, which makes them completely insoluble in water and allows them to deeply penetrate the material’s surface as they dry.

My recommendations for chemicals based on alkalis or organic solvents will be limited if you do not know how to remove oil paint:

1. To soften oil or alkyd enamel, it is best to use special industrial washes. For example, German washes "Dufa Abbeizer" costing 370 rubles/1 liter, or "DOCKER S5" at a price of 2185 rubles/5 kg are well suited for processing concrete, brick or plastered surfaces. I also recommend using these compounds for processing metal;
2. To clean wooden surfaces, you can use the German gel wash "DOCKER WOOD" costing 2570 rubles for 5 kg, or its domestic analogues "Usadba" and gel B-52, which are two to three times cheaper;

The wall surface following the washing process.

1. In order for organic solvents not to evaporate so quickly from the treated surface, after applying a liquid or gel wash, I recommend covering this area with polyethylene or wrapping it in thin cling film;
2. Relatively safe, but at the same time quite effective and inexpensive alkaline wash without organic solvents can be prepared with your own hands by mixing equal volume parts of caustic soda and sodium liquid glass until a homogeneous mushy mass is obtained;
3. The method of application of each of the above industrially manufactured compounds is indicated on the factory packaging, and as for the use of a homemade remover, it must be evenly applied in a thin layer to the surface being treated, and after some time (20-60 minutes), remove the softened paint with a scraper or metal spatula.

Taking off the softer paint film.

Kindly take note! It might take more than one treatment with a chemical remover to remove a multi-layer dried paint film. In this instance, I suggest breaking up the work into manageable steps: use a metal spatula to first soften and remove one layer of paint, and then repeat all steps as needed to achieve the desired outcome.

Understanding the type of paint and the surface it is applied to is crucial when removing paint from various building materials. Regardless of the type of enamel—water-based, acrylic, oil-based, or alkyd—each calls for a different strategy to guarantee removal that doesn’t harm the underlying material. This tutorial will take you through a variety of approaches, such as mechanical and chemical strippers, and assist you in selecting the best one for your particular project.

Paint removal from a variety of surfaces can appear like an overwhelming task, but it is completely manageable with the correct technique. Selecting the best removal technique depends on your knowledge of the properties of the paint and the surface it is applied on, whether you are working with water-based, acrylic, oil, or alkyd paints.

Paints that are water-based or acrylic can be successfully removed with techniques like sanding, scraping, or paint strippers. In general, these paint kinds are simpler to remove, particularly from non-porous materials like glass or metal. But, it’s crucial to move cautiously when working with wood or drywall to prevent harming the underlying material.

Because oil and alkyd enamels are more durable, removing them frequently calls for stronger chemical strippers or heat treatments. These paints, especially on porous surfaces like concrete or brick, can be very stubborn. In order to completely remove the paint without damaging the material underneath, mechanical techniques like power sanding or the use of a heat gun might be required.

Whatever kind of paint you use, safety should always come first. It’s crucial to use safety equipment, ventilate properly, and handle tools and chemicals with caution. You can choose the best technique to remove old paint and prepare your surface for a fresh new look by knowing the nature of the paint and the surface.

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