Thread: Sand blasting to remove paint from wood

I used to sandblast truck chassis etc prior to repaint and makeover, and know what grit blasting can do to 6mm + steel. I would be very cautious of using blasting to strip paint off timber unless you actually want the blasted appearance. Annual growth rings in timber have two elements, a soft layer and a harder layer. Blasting can deeply erode the softer layers and leave the harder layers standing proud. Can be a good creative effect if it's what you want, or an absolute curse if you wanted to finish with a smooth surface. My blasting steel experience was well over 40yrs ago, and with heavy duty industrial gear, and things have changed a lot, with the availability of lightweight DIY guns, different media, etc, so you may have a chance to lightly blast, but I suspect that you will erode the substrate to a degree still. Unless you have a decent comp, it may not be viable, the industrial system I was using had a 1/4in (6mm) nozzle, a 500 pound (220kg) hopper and a 50HP 2 stage compressor with a receiver of about 1000gal (4500lr) capacity. I suspect that most home use compressors would struggle to keep up with even a modest DIY gun. You could probably get a decent pot of paint stripper for about the same $ as a domestic gun and 10Kg of media.

If you want to paint them definitely do NOT sandblast. You'll chew through the soft grain and leave the hard grain.

I know of a company in Wollongong that do this a lot but it is of no help to you. They do it with Walnut shells from memory and the bloke was very proud of the fact that he does not affect the timber during the process.

Soda blasting is generally timber friendly and Dry Ice blasting is definately timber friendly.

There are companies in Brisbane that do both and some hire the gear.

Have them dipped in a acid bath

Many thanks for the comments - aware that "deep" blasting and or " coarse" grit would erode the base panel - now of walnuts and soda as media but have just read about the dry ice - would be a tad better when cleaning up as any solid grit must be a total pain, and I read a comment that soda while better to clean up than a grit does the lawn / ground cover no favours which is understandable.

Hunting the yellow pages for sandblasting operators but so far only come up with heavyweight / heavy industrial mobs -

A side project under thought is to do a couple of superhero acrylic panels with LED lighting for the grand kids for Christmas and one of the dinky toy air brush blasting kit seems the way for that but way short of doing a bed head & foot.

Thanks again

UPO - Richard

Good Morning Richard

For a relatively small job, why not use chemical paint stripper?



Fair Winds

Graeme

Hi Graeme, having used various chem strippers on small areas, I have not entertained doing that for a larger area. Usually always ended up with a poor result and an oversize mess for the size of the job. Having not used for many years, may revisit but not enthusiastic

Thanks UPO - Richard

Hi Richard

Not my experience. I have always had excellent results for fiddly to quite large areas - skirtings, doors, door frames, dresser, etc.

With gel-type strippers just brush them on thickly, wait the allotted time for them to work, test a corner and if ready just scrape off. Any stubborn patches, dents, etc just reapply, wait, and remove with steel wool. Easy.

With the age of your beds it is almost certain that they will contain lead based paints so I would be extremely wary of any process that creates dust.

For a few more dollars you can also get a "peel away" paint stripper.



Cheers

Graeme

Hi Graeme, it was the gel type I have had little to no success with - will look at the peel away stripper - that is a new one to me - easy to see that I don't go for paint stripping very often......

Thanks for the heads up

UPO - Richard

Hi Richard

As I said above, I have never had real problems with stripping. Sometimes I have tried to rush the job - doesn't work - you have to wait until the chemicals do their job. If the surface starts to dry before the paint has fully softened, brush on some more stripper. It should lift easily. For thick build ups, often it takes two applications to get right back to the bare timber. Occasionally three applications needed.

What I really like is that you do not need to sand, and it can leave the old surface patination intact. You cannot replicate that! An oil or laqueur coat and you have something special.

I think it is worth persevering with.


Cheers

Graeme