Stair spindles - how can I strip these?
Amanda Sharp
easily - I have a set that requires stripping, luckily they are only finely
coated with ancient varnish etc. It would need to be fairly pet friendly, as
we have a cat..... Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks very much,
Amanda
Andy Hall
"Amanda Sharp" <ver...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:aSn57.67386$B56.13...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...
I'd probably use a chemical stripper like Nitromors which would allow you to
do the job reasonably quickly or perhaps in sections.
You certainly want to keep the cat well out of the way because it burns and
you certainly don't want the cat to get it on its fur and attempt to lick it
off. I think you'll find the cat will be put off by the smell anyway.
Gloves are really needed as well as good ventilation and a lot of newspaper
for the floors and kitchen paper or perhaps rag to collect scrapings as you
go.. The stripper will generally remove most paints in a few minutes (it
bubbles and lifts) although stubborn bits may need a scrape and a recoat
with fresh stripper. Once you have completed the whole thing or a section
you can wash off with water or white spirit. There are several types of
Nitromors. For this application, I'd use the water washable gel-based
version because it is easier to apply.
Washing down neutralises the effect of the chemical.
Some types are flammable so dispose of all paper, rags etc. outside the
house when you have finished.
You could use a heatgun and scraper instead but it would be a tedious and
laborious job to get at the detail in the spindles and clean those out.
The chemical methods are perfectly safe as long as you follow the
instructions properly and carefully; avoid eyes and clothes and so on.
.andy
neil alastair
of industrail strength rubber gloves tat go half way up you arm wear
lots of head/face/eye protection an abrasive sponge pad, like you use
for washing up (You'll need about a dozen for the whole stair case)
and buy some caustic soda from any household store it must only be
about £1 for a tub. Follow the instuctions on mixing the soda with
water and srub away on the banister. By the way we didn't have carpet
down. Afterwards you get a nice wood smell to your wood and the
caustic washes away with copious amounts of water.
Let me know how you got on.
KJR
> balustrade easily
Andy Hall replied:
> I'd probably use a chemical stripper ...
> You could use a heatgun and scraper instead ...
You may find it much easier to dismantle the balustrade and send all the bits
off to be dipped. This is _much_ quicker. The major risk is that you will
destroy some of the bits when dismantling and not be able to match them!
--
Ken Redman
please reply to: ken_r...@hotmail.com
Skoog
"KJR" <du...@dummy.com> wrote in message news:3B56A399...@dummy.com...
How straight forward is it to dismantle the balustrade?
davidw
or remove them a few at a time to strip yourself...might be easier
than stripping in situ)
(** Covering the gaps for safety while this is done **)
David
KJR
Depends: really old ones fit together like a watch and are usually glued
firmly. More modern ones (Victorian) are usually less well made.
The balustrade is normally made up of a balustrade rail, spindles, spacers and
facing panels or a single bottom rail. The spindles are recessed into the
balustrade rail and into any solid bottom rail and the whole is held in place by
the rails being recessed into the newell posts. The posts may be retained by
glue and/or a wooden peg/metal screw. The peg (or the plug over the screw) can
be drilled out, after which the newell post should come away. If glued, use a
heat gun or a chemical striper to weaken the glue.
Repeat at the other end then progressively remove the spindles. These are often
only a push-fit or may be glued and pinned/screwed.
David Phillips
I am about 1/2-way through stripping the whole of my hallway and
late-Victorian wooden staircase of many strata of crappy paint jobs, and I
don't think there is an "easy" way. I pondered dismantling the balustrade
and having the components dipped but opted to leave it in situ and use heat
gun followed by that "Paint-Away" gel product on the spindles, sander on the
actual stair faces. It was (still is) a long-winded, messy and deadly dull
job, and of course the areas behind the spindles are less accessible and
therefore have been more difficult to strip of paint. However I wasn't sure
that the balustrade would come apart easily or successfully, nor that I
would be able to reassemble it. So I guess it's the classic case of "swings
and roundabouts", although if I was to restart this job tomorrow I mightr
reconsider!
I have to add, however, that compared to how the stairs looked before I
started, it has all been worthwhile.
cheers Dave P
"KJR" <du...@dummy.com> wrote in message news:3B56CFBF...@dummy.com...
gh434-...@cotse.com
just to clean them. I vowed then "Never again!" and that I'd get new
ones if I ever needed to do this again (from BM or woodturner, who
can get more designs, normally cheaper, than DIYs).
To clean mine, which had white paint, coats and coats, over old
graining, I used a parrafin blowtorch (lovely - don't use gas,
though, too hot/scorches easily), and some shave-hooks on the
removed spindles. You could use a heat gun. Take great care not
to damage the turned mouldings.
To re-finish was a problem - because they'd been painted before,
there was no way that stain would penetrate evenly, so I used
coloured poly-eur-ethane varnish. This chips if you hit it, so
take care. Another reason for buying new (or having your wood-
turner make identical replacements) - so you can stain/varnish,
or just way.
Li460point3.
Amanda Sharp
weekends!!
<gh434-...@cotse.com> wrote in message
news:2c2c5519ee70fda0...@freemail.cotse.com...
Stuart Noble
Andy Hall wrote in message <3b5612ce$1...@nt1.hall.gl>...
>I'd probably use a chemical stripper like Nitromors which would allow you
to
>do the job reasonably quickly or perhaps in sections.
>Gloves are really needed
Nitromors eats plastic and rubber, and soaks through fabric. Doesn't leave a
lot glove-wise.
Dipping will give a much better result but, depending on the construction of
the stairs, it can be difficult getting them out.
This could be a case for the "Peel Away" eco stripper that you leave on for
a couple of days. No doubt Max will oblige with the details.
Andy Hall
"Stuart Noble" <stu...@waxworks.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:9j8kf5$uml$1...@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk...
I know what you're saying, Stuart.
I did find some that were OK with caustic compounds once, but typically I've
used the disposable polythene ones that seem OK for a while at least, and
it's really to protect against the odd drip rather than a full onslaught of
the chemical.
My thinking was to use this because Amanda has a cat, and I was thinking
that it's far better to use something that should be quick to work and then
cleaning up, even if it involves working in short sessions. Even an
eco-friendly stripper is going to have some unpleasant chemicals that I
wouldn't want to leave in place with cats floating about. Typically they
don't go near this type of thing but I one never knows - they like rubbing
against things....
.andy
much_to_do
rubber gloves plus copius amounts of water to wash it down with. I didn't
have carpets down by the way. Always wear eye protection.
Max Bone
>This could be a case for the "Peel Away" eco stripper that you leave on for
>a couple of days. No doubt Max will oblige with the details.
I was going to stay silent... but your right, this is the ideal use for
something like Peel Away 1.
http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/viewprod/p/PALPA1/
Spread it on the spindles around 3mm thick, wrap the blanket around the
spindle, leave for 24-48 hours. Peel away the paper together with the
paint, and use a little wire wool and white spirit to remove any of the
emulsified paint which is left.
Leave to dry, and allow any white crystals to form, then brush off and
neutralise the surface with the Peel Away neutraliser. It's certainly
the easiest way to strip paint in-situ from intricate, carved or moulded
surfaces, although staircases can still be very tedious... however the
results are very good indeed.
Regards
--
Max Bone Decorating Direct Ltd
http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/
hundreds of products - secure online ordering - delivered to your door
Totalise News
thick gloss and some varnish on them. Does the Peel away stripper only work
on thinly coated wood? Or will it be OK on our bannister too?
Partick
"Max Bone" <m...@decoratingdirect.co.uk> wrote in message
news:GG$TrFALY...@decoratingdirect.demon.co.uk...
Andy Hall
"Max Bone" <m...@decoratingdirect.co.uk> wrote in message
news:GG$TrFALY...@decoratingdirect.demon.co.uk...
> >This could be a case for the "Peel Away" eco stripper that you leave on
for
> >a couple of days. No doubt Max will oblige with the details.
>
> I was going to stay silent... but your right, this is the ideal use for
> something like Peel Away 1.
>
> http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/viewprod/p/PALPA1/
>
> Spread it on the spindles around 3mm thick, wrap the blanket around the
> spindle, leave for 24-48 hours. Peel away the paper together with the
> paint, and use a little wire wool and white spirit to remove any of the
> emulsified paint which is left.
>
> Leave to dry, and allow any white crystals to form, then brush off and
> neutralise the surface with the Peel Away neutraliser. It's certainly
> the easiest way to strip paint in-situ from intricate, carved or moulded
> surfaces, although staircases can still be very tedious... however the
> results are very good indeed.
>
Is it non-toxic to animals though, Max?
This was one of the original criteria.....
.andy
Stuart Noble
Andy Hall wrote in message <3b57e95d$1...@nt1.hall.gl>...
>I did find some that were OK with caustic compounds once, but typically
I've
>used the disposable polythene ones that seem OK for a while at least, and
>it's really to protect against the odd drip rather than a full onslaught of
>the chemical.
of a solvent stripper will go straight through.
Max Bone
>Is it non-toxic to animals though, Max?
>
>This was one of the original criteria.....
It's water-borne so far safer to use than any of the caustic/solvent-
borne strippers mentioned. Gives off no nasty fumes or smell... and the
areas to which it has been applied should be covered by the protective
sheeting whilst it's working... I can't think of anything safer to
use... although it's far better to keep the cat out of the way if you
have any doubts.
Max Bone
>We want to stip our bannister too. However, there are a couple of coats of
>thick gloss and some varnish on them. Does the Peel away stripper only work
>on thinly coated wood? Or will it be OK on our bannister too?
Peel Away 1 is designed to work on multiple coats of paint, the system
will emulsify a greater number of coats if you increase the thickness
applied and increase the length of time left to work... i.e. reducing
the thickness applied, and/or length of time left will reduce the number
of coats it emulsifies. A couple of coats of gloss is a relatively easy
system for Peel Away 1 to emulsify...
Amanda Sharp
"neil alastair" <neilal...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:6d9495d9.01071...@posting.google.com...
Thanks once again for all the tips, I will certainly let you all know how I
get on. At the moment though I am finishing off stripping back my slate fire
surround (the cat had to be locked in the bedroom for that one!) before my
floors are sanded. Oh well, at least you can never be bored with an old
house!
Amanda