Old, peeling paint should be removed before applying another finish.
Lap wood siding is a widely used building material that protects the underlying structure of your house from rain, snow and the sun's ultraviolet rays with a series of overlapping boards. Because of the ridges created by the overlapped pattern, removing deteriorated paint can present challenges. There are different methods for removing paint from lap board siding, some more effective than others. The best method will depend on your schedule, budget and the amount of time you want to invest in the project.
Sanding Away Paint
A powered disc sander is an effective means of removing old paint from siding. Relative to buying gallons of expensive and potentially caustic chemicals to remove paint, the power sander is a good investment. Used properly, it will remove paint quickly and leave a clean surface for future coatings. The drawbacks of the power sander include dust generation. This can be particularly problematic if you are removing an older, lead-based paint. You may be required to run a vacuum line with the sander. Also, if you're not careful with the sander, it can cause damage to the siding. Using a disc sander on lap siding can be tricky because of the overlapping pattern of the boards. You will have to work carefully to get all the paint off from underneath the overlap.
Burning Away Paint
A heat plate or a heat gun can be used to heat, melt and scrape away old paint from siding. Like the sander, the heat gun is a relatively inexpensive, one-time investment. Heat guns melt the paint off, so getting under the ridges in lap board siding is easier than it would be with a sander. The big danger with the heat plate or gun is fire. An ember can start to smolder and you might be on the other side of the house before it actually ignites. Also, lead from old paint can be released in the smoke and vapor created by heat guns and plates. There are infrared paint removers that work effectively to deteriorate and remove old coatings from wood. These tools run at a low temperature so there is no risk of fire. They remove all paint with a single pass, and they work fast. About a 20- to 30-second exposure is all it takes. The infrared paint remover is a great option for removing paint for lap siding if you have the money and you can get your hands on one. These machines are expensive, and they are not widely available everywhere.
Chemically Removing Paint
There are a variety of different chemicals on the market for removing old paint. Some of them work very quickly, and others are more slow-acting. Methylene chloride is a highly effective, fast-acting paint stripper that is a good option for removing paint from lap siding boards, because it can easily be applied to the underside of the ridge created by the overlapped siding pattern. It eats the old coatings off wood almost immediately upon application. It is highly caustic, though, and can burn skin and eyes. It is important to wear protective clothing, including long sleeves, rubber gloves, eye goggles and a respirator, when using it. There are newer, nontoxic paint removers on the market. These products are effective but much slower-acting than methylene chloride-based strippers. Typically, nontoxic strippers will require at least an hour to loosen old coatings. The best approach is often to leave them on the house overnight and then scrape the coatings away the next day. The nontoxic nature of these strippers is a genuine benefit, though; you don't even have to wear gloves with them. On the other hand, they can be expensive, typically around twice the cost of their methylene chloride-based counterparts.
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