# House Paint Removal Help



## SirMike1983 (Aug 18, 2009)

I've got a bike that someone applied house paint to at some point. It appears to be oil based, but paint thinner doesn't seem to get to it. Is there something that can be used to strip the house paint but leave the underlying original paint?


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## militarymonark (Aug 18, 2009)




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## SirMike1983 (Aug 18, 2009)

Looks great-- available at hardware store or Home Depot?


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## militarymonark (Aug 19, 2009)

yes!! home depot or lowes


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## SirMike1983 (Aug 19, 2009)

Got a big tin of it. I wish they sold it in smaller sizes-- HD only had the big one.


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## militarymonark (Aug 20, 2009)

it takes some work to get the old paint off but the results are usually awesome post up some pictures of what you have under the paint


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## SirMike1983 (Aug 20, 2009)

militarymonark said:


> it takes some work to get the old paint off but the results are usually awesome post up some pictures of what you have under the paint




What method do you suggest for stripping the paint? Rub with a rag, or let sit and then rub off etc?


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## militarymonark (Aug 20, 2009)

soak a rag and rub your fingers off.


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## SirMike1983 (Aug 20, 2009)

It worked to a degree, but seemed to do well when I would alternate between acetone nail polish remover and Xylene. Unfortunately it took a fair bit of the original paint off as well as it seems the house paint fused in with the original paint in some areas. I just could not seem to separate the two. I had the paint matched at the hardware store via computer, so I can fill in the holes with new enamel. I wish I had your luck with that black bike, what was the red stuff, spray paint?


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## pedal alley (Sep 30, 2009)

SirMike1983 said:


> It worked to a degree, but seemed to do well when I would alternate between acetone nail polish remover and Xylene. Unfortunately it took a fair bit of the original paint off as well as it seems the house paint fused in with the original paint in some areas. I just could not seem to separate the two. I had the paint matched at the hardware store via computer, so I can fill in the holes with new enamel. I wish I had your luck with that black bike, what was the red stuff, spray paint?




bet that was a fume .
did you know your name, afterwords ?
wheres the pics. of the results ?


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## cyclingday (Oct 1, 2009)

I am working on a project now that is covered in overpaint, and I couldn't decide what to use, so I bought a can of Goof Off and a can of Xylene. The Goof Off worked better for me. It still had a tendency to lift some of the original paint in the tough areas. I was able to return the Xylene for a full refund. So, it paid to try them both. I'm sure the type of over paint has a lot to do with the level of success.


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## all riders (Dec 22, 2009)

*acetone and xylene*

my two cents: I find that acetone on a rag works ,but acetone on 000 steelwool works better. it is actually easier to not go too deep with the wool.
  ON the list of chemicals that you don't want to handle (0-10) xylene is an 8 and acetone is a 2


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## militarymonark (Dec 22, 2009)

IM not sure what that was but it looked like a pretty good job so it could have been sprayed on either way it was lead paint from the 40's or 50's


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