Best paint remover for 16th century timber

[wilko923]

Hi all,

Very new to this site, but it definitely seems like there are a lot of knowledgeable people on here, so I thought I would give it a go.

I've recently bought a 16th Century Geade 2 listed property that has a lot wooden timbers running throughout. My first time buying a property of this style, so am very new to all of this. Unfortunately, all the timbers have been painted, see attached photos, which is very annoying.

From what I've read, there are numerous ways of removing the paint to restore them to their original state. I was just wondering if people would be able to give me their best suggestions on how to achieve this.

I am sure this has probably been posted in another thread within the forum, so my apologies if people are repeating themselves.

Thank you in advance for all the help and suggestions!

 

[Cubist]

My best advice, as a G2,16C timber frame owner, is... Don't Try - UNLESS it's a gloss paint in which case YOU MUST if at all possible. Gloss paints, as I'm sure you've already learnt are anathema to timber frames because they trap moisture and induce rot. Much of that moisture ultimately finds it way toward and within the various types of joint used to bind the timbers together where the rot can then play havoc with the structural integrity of the building. Emulsion paints on the other hand are less problematic as they are to some extent permeable to moisture and, provided there is good air movement throughout then they can shed some, or perhaps even a lot of, the moisture from any source back into the atmosphere. Limewashes and distempers are much better and offer little resistance to the timbers need to breathe. Hopefully, the timbers in the above photos are of the limewashes or distempers. Come what may they will prove very difficult to strip successfully. You can test for distemper with a damp cloth and for a limewash with a little white vinegar or lemon juice.

ALL available methods to remove any of the above paints will result in some degree of damage to the timbers and in the worst cases up to the level of catastrophic. The most difficult methods rely on chemical strippers, some of the multi-stage variety, to first soften the paint and break its bond to the underlying wood but these also require the use of hand tools such as scrapers and picks to allow excavation of paint trapped in the grain structure and below the general level of the timbers surface. This can be a very long, dirty and sometimes hazardous task as the chemical strippers are often toxic and can cause burns - there is also the possibility that the old paints may be lead based. In short the whole area has to be cordoned off from small people and animals for the duration. Media blasting is one of the most effective approaches in terms of time and the thoroughness of the final paint removal. However, this is the most aggressive method and a highly skilled and knowledgeable operator is essential to avoid lasting damage to both the timbers and any surrounding materials such as plaster. Whatever approach you finally adopt there is a strong probability that the softer surface tissues of the woods surface will be stripped away to leaving behind something that looks like it washed up on a beach.

By the way, how long since you moved in?

 

[wilko923]

My best advice, as a G2,16C timber frame owner, is... Don't Try - UNLESS it's a gloss paint in which case YOU MUST if at all possible. Gloss paints, as I'm sure you've already learnt are anathema to timber frames because they trap moisture and induce rot. Much of that moisture ultimately finds it way toward and within the various types of joint used to bind the timbers together where the rot can then play havoc with the structural integrity of the building. Emulsion paints on the other hand are less problematic as they are to some extent permeable to moisture and, provided there is good air movement throughout then they can shed some, or perhaps even a lot of, the moisture from any source back into the atmosphere. Limewashes and distempers are much better and offer little resistance to the timbers need to breathe. Hopefully, the timbers in the above photos are of the limewashes or distempers. Come what may they will prove very difficult to strip successfully. You can test for distemper with a damp cloth and for a limewash with a little white vinegar or lemon juice.

ALL available methods to remove any of the above paints will result in some degree of damage to the timbers and in the worst cases up to the level of catastrophic. The most difficult methods rely on chemical strippers, some of the multi-stage variety, to first soften the paint and break its bond to the underlying wood but these also require the use of hand tools such as scrapers and picks to allow excavation of paint trapped in the grain structure and below the general level of the timbers surface. This can be a very long, dirty and sometimes hazardous task as the chemical strippers are often toxic and can cause burns - there is also the possibility that the old paints may be lead based. In short the whole area has to be cordoned off from small people and animals for the duration. Media blasting is one of the most effective approaches in terms of time and the thoroughness of the final paint removal. However, this is the most aggressive method and a highly skilled and knowledgeable operator is essential to avoid lasting damage to both the timbers and any surrounding materials such as plaster. Whatever approach you finally adopt there is a strong probability that the softer surface tissues of the woods surface will be stripped away to leaving behind something that looks like it washed up on a beach.

By the way, how long since you moved in?

Hi Cubist,

Thank you for getting back to me and with all the information as well. I must admit, a lot of it went over my head, but I will do some research on what you have mentioned. I am pretty sure the paint is an emulsion based paint from the look of it and how the wood is after taking a little bit of it off over the last few days.

Would you recommend anything like Kling Strip or a similar sort of poultice for paint removing? I have heard mixed reviews. Obviously, we don't want to cause any damage to the beams whatsoever, especially on the catastrophic level. We just want to be rid of the paint that is on there and have them back to their lovely original state.

We have been in the property 4 days!

 

[Cubist]

Presumably the paint you've already removed was from that lateral beam shown in the photos? What did you use for that work? From those results you will understand that the paint is embedded in the crevices of the grain structure and perhaps also that the residue there is thicker and perhaps more firmly attached. Agitation with a stiff, short bristled brush will be needed to effectively scrub the remaining paint out though you may need to resort to a sharp pick like or hooked tool to lift the store stubborn paint elements out of the deeper grain crevices. Given that its an emulsion paint I would be tempted to try using a little water, brushed on and left to stand for a few moments first or you could add a little dish soap to the water first to see if either of these foes the job in a small and unobtrusive area. If that does not work then sadly the next approach would rely on a chemical stripper. I have no first hand knowledge of the King Strip product but, if I recall correctly, others here do and can offer some advice.

Only four days! Wow. Ordinarily I would have suggested you leave well enough alone for 6-12 months before taking on a job like that and to give yourselves time to better understand the needs and priorities for the house. Hopefully you don't have any plans for Christmas that may involve even more work around your new home. Stripping that paint will keep you busy long after that is all over. Good luck and come back to us if you need more help - there are a few timber frame nuts here.

 

[Mulder]

We have used Kling Strip and also had some beams 'blasted'.

The Kling Strip product worked very well on one beam (Oak, I think) and not so good on another (pine). On the good one, the paint just attached to the 'clay' and scraped off perfectly. The bad one became very sticky and took a lot of follow up washing to remove it all.
Give it a go. I've also got some sample pots of Peel Away I am going to try on my floorboards along with a wire brush and scraper.

As Cubist suggests though, the finished look may not be quite what you were expecting.
I'd also caution against being too hasty. We stripped the wallpaper in one room on day 2 and discovered a whole host of blown plastering and timbers that needed sorting + much bigger jobs. 5 years later, the walls are still bare! We'll get round to it soon.
Live in the place first, enjoy it's quirks and focus on the real jobs first.