# Forum Home Renovation Painting  weatherboard paint prep

## phogan

Hi, i am in the throws of preparing to paint my weatherboard house.  It is in pretty good condition but definitely needs a lift.  What i need help with is how to remove the paint that is currently on it (haven't tested for lead as yet), and what is best to use to remove.  I have been told a heat gun would be quickest but not real sure on that!!  Any help greatly appreciated.
Cheers............Pauline  :Smilie:   
PS:  I am hoping to get started and done before winter hits!!!

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## keepontruckin

If the weatherboards aren't too bad use a orbital sander to scuff the suface. If the paint is flaking off everywhere, use a belt sander. If there are bubbles in the paintwork, then I would recommend removing the paint with a heat gun.

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## brettsyoung

We're planning the same in the next year or two.  Our local house painter said we should use a heat gun for the bad stuff.  There are several posts on this site that go into a bit of detail on this job, especially with regards to using heat guns on cladding.  Our weatherboard is round form with 50 years of paint layers and sanding it off would take an eternity. 
cheers
Brett

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## Strom

Heat gun on timber Weatherboard is playing Russian Roulette !!!
This topic has been debated many times..  I-Strip offers a unique and affordable paint removal system for lead based paints. 
Or alternatively if you intend doing large areas..  Peelaway Australia 
I have no affiliation with either product !!! 
Goodluck...

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## phogan

thanks so much to all of the above for advice.  I did hear that heat guns not a good idea!!!  Will let you all know how my mission turns out and what path i took to get there. 
Cheers and happy Aussie Day!! :2thumbsup:

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## Gracehoper

FYI
I spoke to a guy who used to restore for the National Trust and he recommended a heat gun for thick paint layers. Elsewhere on the web I read that if removing lead paint then heat guns must have temperature control to keep the softened paint below the vapourising point of the lead oxide. However, it's much slower removing paint at lower temperature. 
Maybe that lower temperature would make it less likely to burn the timber as well? But slower. 
Cheers,
Nick

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## Strom

> FYI
> I spoke to a guy who used to restore for the National Trust and he recommended a heat gun for thick paint layers. Elsewhere on the web I read that if removing lead paint then heat guns must have temperature control to keep the softened paint below the vapourising point of the lead oxide. However, it's much slower removing paint at lower temperature. 
> Maybe that lower temperature would make it less likely to burn the timber as well? But slower. 
> Cheers,
> Nick

  Like I said Heat gun and Timber Weatherboard you are playing Russian Roulette..
Add to this Lead based paint and you now have two bullets in the chamber..  :Yikes2:  :Yikes2:  
As advised above there are much safer alternatives..

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## jago

> Like I said Heat gun and Timber Weatherboard you are playing Russian Roulette..
> Add to this Lead based paint and you now have two bullets in the chamber..  
> As advised above there are much safer alternatives..

  Strom where's you sense of fun theres nothing more fun than a bloody big blow torch nay flame thrower and painted timber ...I've set a few timbers alight interesting smells aswell, must have been the lead. :Eek:

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## Strom

> Strom where's you sense of fun theres nothing more fun than a bloody big blow torch nay flame thrower and painted timber ...I've set a few timbers alight interesting smells aswell, must have been the lead.

  
Lol..
Jago your a clown...  :Biggrin:  :Rolleyes:

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## barney118

I used a heat gun slow and tedious. My paint was flakey and the heat helped it peel off. A quick sand too. If the paint is like a PVC it can be hard to burn off but its not much better clogging up sanding sheets. You are outside so any fumes with a mask should be ok.

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## Oldneweng

I have thought about how to prepare old rounded type weatherboards for repainting. What is needed in my opinion is a nylon type powered brush which will confirm to curves but not be too abrasive. My current method up til now has been replacing weatherboards with blue board for rendering when complete. Expensive compared to painting but from my understanding it should be a once only job. Also I can insulate walls as I go. 
Dean

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## Oldneweng

Love that I-Strip. Based on web page pictures it even grows trees, lawn and rose bushes for you. 
Dean

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## maxminder

Unless the weatherboards are in diabolical condition, whatever happened to just washing down the weatherboards with paint-prep, scraping any loose and or flaking areas , putty any nails holes etc, light sand and paint?

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## Oldneweng

> Unless the weatherboards are in diabolical condition, whatever happened to just washing down the weatherboards with paint-prep, scraping any loose and or flaking areas , putty any nails holes etc, light sand and paint?

  Are you talking about the boards themselves in diabolical condition or the paint? I have never had anything to do with painting weatherboards myself so my experience was with just trying various methods of cleaning them up. The paint is very old. We have been here 10 years and paint was old when we moved in. I guess you could say that the paint was in diabolical condition in places. If you scrape it it just keeps peeling off so I guess it has lost it adhesion. 
I live in the country in a bushfire prone area and thought that blueboard would be better protection from fire. Also I am trying to make the property as low maintenance as I can. 
Dean

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## BeckinBrisbane

I'm in the process of repainting my house. The paint doesn't look to bad on my house. It isn't flaking off to bare boards, yet I didn't want to paint straight over it as it want a very neat finish. I've decided to remove the old paint, and I'm sure it has lead in it.  
I've tried just patch sanding it with a sander polisher with i think a 24 grit pad but I've decided to take it back to bare timber. It works best with either a heat gun or a gas torch.  
I found the gas torch a bit unsafe and hard to control the amount of heat on the timber etc. The heat gun works a great yet it does take some time. The results after painting are perfect.  
Mind you after I strip the paint of with the heat gun, I use a Ryobi, I sand it with the course grit, then again with a finer grit. You can see I've done the top of my house all ready: back to bare timber, sanded and painted.    
Below is the scrapper I find the best. Gets under the weatherboard as well. 
You can see in the photos above on the right of the window I've tried to sand off the old paint, and below it I became serious with the heat gun. It takes forever to sand and the dust is a pain. I'd rather not subject my neighbours to it. At least using the heat gun you can catch all the paint scrapings on drop sheets and dispose off.  
Just make sure you were the full dust and fume protection stuff.

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