There are several ways to remove old paint from a car: manual machining, sandblasting, using an angle grinder, or heat treatment. These works will be effective, but labor-intensive and require certain financial investments. The use of a special liquid for removing paint from a car will allow you to easily solve this problem without the use of abrasives, and therefore without damaging the surface. Therefore, chemical treatment is most popular among car owners.
We offer an overview of the means for dissolving the paintwork of a car, which the auto chemical goods market offers today.
Selecting a washing method
If you want to change the paint on any metal object, you need to be patient. The first step is to remove the paint layer.
- Manufacturers are striving to improve their paint and varnish products.
- When repainting metal, this can become a serious problem: it is impossible to manually remove the old layer of paint due to its resistance to external factors.
- Therefore, you need to prepare before starting work: stock up on the appropriate equipment, find time, space, etc.
To remove the paint layer, there are 3 methods. Each of them is used in different conditions and depends on how many layers of paint are applied, how much money is allocated for this process, the type of paint, the availability of the required tools, etc.
Before you start washing off the paint, you should familiarize yourself with the following methods and choose the most optimal one.
Mechanical method
This method is the most difficult. It takes a lot of physical strength to remove paint mechanically. But this method does not require as much money as the other 2 methods require. In this way, paint was removed from metal in those days when special compounds had not yet been invented.
Necessary items: sandpaper and any power tool. You can also use a sharp knife.
The process of removing the previous paint layer involves manually picking it out. Then the remaining debris should be washed off with water.
What are the disadvantages of the mechanical method?
- This is extremely hard physical work. The larger the surface to be treated, the more time and effort you will have to spend.
- There is a risk of damaging the surface.
- After finishing work, everything around will be covered in dust, which can negatively affect your health.
- The method does not work for many types of paint.
Despite the severity, people still wash off paint in this way, regardless of the size of the surface being treated.
Can I cook it myself?
If work is being carried out on a large site and there is a shortage of product, it is possible to prepare the mixture at home. It will not be difficult to purchase all the necessary components at your nearest hardware store. Namely:
- turpentine;
- ammonia;
- quicklime;
- potash;
- chalk.
There are several cooking methods.
- Ammonia and turpentine are mixed in a ratio of 2 to 1. The mixture is effective 20 minutes after application. The only drawback is the strong chemical smell.
- The composition includes caustic soda and limestone dough. Affects the paint after 40 - 45 minutes.
How to remove plaque from brass
To renew the appearance of small brass items, you need to use a detergent. To do this, place the item in a pan with water and detergent and leave to boil for several hours. Then pull out the product and use a nylon brush to remove the paint. After this, to protect it from rust, you need to wipe the product with a rag with wax.
Next, the metal is primed and becomes available for applying a new paint layer.
Vershina B 52
The domestic composition is excellent for water-dispersed and cellulose ether coatings. In addition, it can be used to remove car putty. The main advantage here is the low price. The composition is sold in cans, so you will also have to buy a brush.
The structure of Verkhina B 52 is gel-like; the product must be applied in a thick, even layer. It is advisable to cover surfaces that do not need to be treated to avoid unintentional contact of liquid with foreign elements, since the product can leave stains on the paintwork in just a few seconds. This also indicates the very good effectiveness of the composition.
Thermal method
Required items: blowtorch, gas burner. This method will be effective if you need to remove several layers of old paint at once. However, the method is fire hazardous and is rarely used.
First, the surface to be treated must be washed. After this, heat it until the paint begins to bubble. In this state it is easier to remove it with a knife.
Precautionary measures must be observed: when working with the burner, you must ensure that there are no flammable objects nearby. Also, do not allow hot paint to come into contact with your skin. This will cause burns.
Disadvantages of the thermal method:
- This process cannot be carried out indoors, since toxic substances are released when the paint is heated.
- The operation cannot be carried out if the surface being treated is brass or cast iron.
- Also, some types of metals may lose their original shape when heated.
Chemical method
The best way to remove old paint from metal is to use a special liquid that is sold in stores. There is no need to use anything else, which saves a lot of money. There are many similar liquids. All of them are designed for different working conditions.
How do these chemical compounds work? Getting inside the unnecessary paint, they soften it, which makes it extremely easy to remove the layer.
Paint removers contain paraffin and wax.
- They help reduce the amount of harmful substances that are formed during work, which increases work safety. However, there are also products where more advanced components are used instead of paraffin and wax.
- Before working with a chemical, the surface must be washed with water or soapy water. If you need to wash off oil paint, then instead of water you need to use acetone.
The most popular detergents are produced abroad. However, no one prohibits the use of domestic products. The choice of product most often depends on its price. If you don’t know what kind of paint you will have to work with, then you should buy universal products.
Eltrans N
Literally, the product is translated as a remover for old paint. According to the manufacturers, the substance can cope with vinyl, alkyd, oil and polyurethane paintwork, which makes the product a very versatile option for everyone.
Eltrans N contains propane-butane, which acts as a displacer.
You can process both metal and wooden surfaces. Before use, it is advisable to shake the container with liquid a little. The substance must be applied directly to the vehicle body. The effect will be noticeable within 1 hour.
The composition does not come with a sprayer, so you will have to use a brush to evenly distribute the liquid over the body. Another advantage is the fairly low price of the product.
True, the substance is completely transparent, so it is difficult to control the amount of liquid applied. Perhaps this is the main drawback of Eltrans N.
Examples of chemical compositions
Chemical compositions are produced not only in liquid form, but also in the form of gels, powders, and aerosols. Varieties of compositions will be useful when removing paint in different conditions. For example, using powder is convenient to work with vertical surfaces, because in this case the liquid would flow down.
Precautions must be observed: because We are working with chemicals, we need to prepare. You should buy a respirator, goggles, gloves. Also, do not forget about regular ventilation of the room.
This method of removing paint is also the simplest. Just apply the composition and wait. Then the paint is easily separated from the surface.
The method has a drawback - you have to work with toxic substances, which is dangerous to health. It is also impossible to wash off a thick layer of paint at once. You will have to repeat the operation several times.
By applying the above 3 paint link methods, you can easily remove the unnecessary paint layer.
Permatex
In addition to paint, it helps to deal with old stickers. Can be used not only on metal, but also on plastic, since the composition is completely neutral towards plastic. The main disadvantage here is the fairly high cost. In addition, stubborn paint may not be removed the first time.
True, if you need to do everything as quickly as possible, it is difficult to find a more suitable option, since the liquid will begin to act within 10 minutes. In addition, the composition comes with a convenient spray bottle.
