How to Strip Walls of Paint in 3 Easy Steps

1. 1

   Soap and hot water should be used to clean the wall. To begin preparing the wall for sanding, fill a bucket halfway with hot water and soap. Then, soak a cloth in water and clean the wall. This will remove any dirt or markings that have accumulated on the paint, making the rest of the job easier. [1]

2. 2

   Invest in a sanding block or sander. Unfortunately, rubbing sandpaper against the wall will not yield satisfactory results. Instead, you'll need to buy a sanding block or a sander. A sanding block is a small block of material that you can wrap sandpaper around to make sanding flat surfaces easier. A sander is a drill-like automated tool that you load with sandpaper and it sands the surface for you. [2]

   • Wrap the sandpaper around one side of the sanding block and grip it with your hand from the other side to use it.
   • Sanders vary in how they are loaded with sandpaper, but most have a slot into which you can insert the sandpaper before turning it on. If you've never used a sander before, a sanding block is a better bet.
   • Because you want to remove the unwanted paint, a coarser grit sandpaper is acceptable. If you want to remove globs of paint, use 80-grit sandpaper.
   • Sanding a wall exposes you to the risk of inhaling toxic dust, so put on a mask before you begin.

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3. 3

   Sand away any excess paint. Sand the paint with the coarse side of the sandpaper. Back and forth with the sanding block or sander in 1 square foot (0 Sections (9 square meters) When using a sanding block, apply a lot of force to the wall.

   • Sand the unwanted paint until the entire surface is dull. [3] Then, wipe the dust away.

4. 4

   If you want to completely remove the paint, strip it. If you prefer to remove the paint completely rather than painting over it, use a paint scraper to peel off any remaining unwanted paint.

   • Place the paint scraper's blade at the bottom of the unwanted paint, apply pressure, and slide the blade under the unwanted paint, peeling it off. [4]
   • Sanding will have weakened the paint, making it easier to remove.

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1. 1

   Purchase chemical-resistant gloves and ventilate the area. Chemical paint strippers are naturally caustic because they eat away at the chemical structure of paint. [5] Make sure you have chemical-resistant gloves on hand before beginning this process. Wear old clothing that you don't mind getting dirty as well.

   • Several windows should be opened. It's critical to keep the room well ventilated because paint strippers can produce toxic fumes if there isn't enough fresh air.

2. 2

   Remove all furniture and cover the floor with a rug. Chemical paint strippers don't care what they eat, so make sure the room is free of all valuables. While you are removing the paint, move all furniture to a different room. [6]

   • To keep your floor safe, you'll need to purchase a few materials from your local home improvement store. One large sheet of plastic and one large sheet of either kraft or rosin paper are required.
   • Place a sheet of plastic from the wall's base to the floor. Then, on top of that, layer a sheet of kraft or rosin paper. If any of the paint stripper ends up on the floor, this layer will protect it.

3. 3

   Apply a thick layer of paint stripper to the wall. Paint stripper is best applied with a wide paintbrush. If you don't have one, make sure you get one before you start. Dip the paintbrush into the paint stripper, then apply it to the entire wall. Apply a thin layer of coating. 1⁄8 inch (0 32 cm) thick to prevent it from drying too quickly The coating thickness does not need to be precise; you can mostly judge it by eye. [7]

   • If you're working on a vertical surface, use a paint stripper with a texture similar to a paste so it doesn't drip on you.

4. 4

   Wait for the stripper to work. Depending on the stripper, the chemical process could take minutes or hours. To make the best use of your time, read the product's instructions and wait as directed. [8]

5. 5

   When you see bubbles in the paint, scrape it off. After you've waited the specified amount of time, the paint on the wall should have begun to bubble. Once the paint has bubbled, use a paint scraper (if you don't have one, a putty knife or a spatula will suffice) to scrape it off. [9] [10] It should peel off in long strips. Attempt to remove as much paint from the wall as possible.

   • Place the blade of a paint scraper at the bottom of the paint you want to remove, apply pressure so the blade slides under the paint, and then peel the paint off as you slide the paint scraper upwards.
   • If there are any awkward spots, try scraping off the paint with toothpicks or toothbrushes you won't be using again.
   • If there is an underlying layer of paint that is still solid, you will need to remove that layer separately with another layer of chemical paint stripper.

6. 6

   When you're finished, use the paint stripper to neutralize the wall. If you intend to repaint the walls, the paint stripper you just used will cause your new paint layer to fail. The method used to neutralize a paint stripper varies depending on the product, but it is usually a water wash, mineral spirit, or a specialized product. [11]

   • A neutralizer, for example, may instruct you to mix 1 gallon (3 8 L) of neutralizer and 4 fluid ounces (120 mL) of water Then, using a cloth, wash the wall with this mixture.
   • Check your stripper instructions and use as directed.

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1. 1

   Purchase eye protection, a long-sleeved shirt, and thick gloves. Because you will be working with a high-heat appliance, wear protective eyeglasses, a thick long-sleeved shirt, and a thick pair of gloves to avoid burns. [12]

   • For this method, you'll also need a paint scraper.

2. 2

   If you only want to strip a specific area, make a heat shield. A heat gun is best for stripping entire walls, but if you only want to strip one spot, you'll need to use a heat shield. [13]

   • Cut a cardboard ring slightly larger than your target area with a pair of scissors. Wrap the cardboard ring in aluminum foil after that. Continue the procedure by placing the shield over the affected area.

3. 3

   Apply heat to the unwanted paint. In a wide sweeping motion, keep the nozzle of the heat gun about 2 inches (5 cm) away from the surface. 1 cm) away from the surface, apply heat to square sections of the wall steadily. You can use a tape measure to measure these sections.

   • Begin by heating a 3 foot (0 91 m) section of wall [14]
   • When the paint visibly begins to loosen its grip on the surface beneath it, you'll know you're ready for the next step.
   • If you're using a heat shield, concentrate the nozzle on a single area for a shorter period of time until you notice the paint loosening.

4. 4

   Scrape away any excess paint in the pre-heated section. Scrape away all the loose paint from the section you heated earlier with a paint scraper. Pierce the loose paint with the paint scraper's blade, then scrape upwards as if shoveling snow to remove the paint. [15]

5. 5

   Repeat the process all the way around the wall. Select a new 3 feet (0 91 m) section of wall, heat it up, and scrape the paint off Continue until you've removed the paint from the entire wall, section by section. [16]

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