How do you Remove Old Housepaint, but NOT the Original?

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Danimal

Danimal

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So yeah, is there any way to do this? I have a bike here with the old school house paint, paint-job. Is there any way to remove it without taking ALL the paint off? I think I have the original paint underneath and I want to try and save it. Surely this has been attempted...how did it work?

Dan
 
i haven't tried this, but i would suggest methyl hydrate for latex house paint
and for oil i would try easy off oven cleaner. be careful with the oven cleaner try a small spot let sit work fast...

good luck 8)
 
try the search function here im pretty sure theres a post on this here somewhere....
if not i know theres one on the cabe(actually there are 2 one for latex paint and one for spray paint military monark posted in it if that helps you find it)
good luck!
 
I've heard that oven cleaner can clean the factory paint off if left to sit too long. I don't know if that's true for sure, as I've never tried it. What I have had good luck with is formula 409 cleaner and a good dish washing sponge (one with the scrubber material on top). It takes forever, and doesn't work if the paint you're trying to remove was prepared by sanding, but if the paint is old enough and wasn't prepared well, with some serious effort it cleans the unwanted paint off without harming the factory paint at all.
 
I know strippers (or oven cleaner) will do the trick, but as said, they can take off all the paint. I can't see a person spraying that stuff and only taking off 1 layer of paint. But when the times comes, I will try!

Wouln't you think any old bike probably has oil/lead based paint? I mean latex paint has only recently been durrable enough for houses. And they didn't have spray cans back then.

Dan
 
Danimal said:
I know strippers (or oven cleaner) will do the trick, but as said, they can take off all the paint. I can't see a person spraying that stuff and only taking off 1 layer of paint. But when the times comes, I will try!

Wouln't you think any old bike probably has oil/lead based paint? I mean latex paint has only recently been durrable enough for houses. And they didn't have spray cans back then.

Dan
Click to expand...

I can't see as how a bike would be painted with latex paint- I think it has only been widely used on houses recently. My guess is that any paint on a bike is oil (or lead?) based. They have had limited rattle can/spray paint since the '50's, if I'm not mistaken... the key is preparation, I've found. If the paint wasn't prepared well, chances are it will come off with some effort. Spray and brush paints are much weaker than the harder factory finishes. I've cleaned rattle can paint off with the formula 409/sponge method rather easily because it was not prepared well. (The orig. paint had been sanded in patches- it could be seen right away where it had been sanded, the house paint did not come off).
 
most old bikes were painted with laquer paints. the reason your thinking lead is because lead (lead oxide i do believe) makes an awesome white. the bikes were probably brushed with similar laquer paints, or maybe oil based or enamel. latex paint is a very recent invention, and if anyone in the past 10 years did paint their mint condition elgin with latex paint, stab them with a paint brush. :roll:
 
I really love an origional paint bike more than anything...and have had very good luck with the following products and process using it mostly on bikes to remove oversprayed rattle can paint. But most house paints should be even softer and easier to get off. I use a product called Klean Strip that is easly found at the local Home Depot etc. First off this is a very strong paint striper and all proper safety precautions should be used, just DON'T follow the stripping instructions on the can! They will tell you to spray it on and wait 5-10 min. yes, this will also strip off the origional paint so don't do it. The key here is, that most kids back in the day that painted their bikes with a rattle can or house paint didn't do the proper prep if any before painting so their paint will usually come off the much harder origional paint underneath easy. First, start by totally taking the bike apart, the smaller the areas to be stripped the better. Have a hose with a good strong spray nossle and have the water on and ready to go. I do it out on a gravel driveway to not harm the grass. Wear rubber gloves, eye protection, etc. so you don't get the stripper on you or it will burn. Spray a small section, like the size of a fork, or chain guard only, with the Klean Strip then watch the paint closly. Remember, DON'T follow the instructions...It should only take about 30 - 60 sec. or less before you start to see the top paint wrenkle and start to lift. As soon as you see this, spray off the paint and stripper with the hose and a strong blast of water. Some of the more stubborn paint may require a second dose of Klean Strip, I will even have a plastic brush ready for the real stubborn areas. But the key here is to only let it strip off the top layer of paint and not let it soak into the origional paint. Once I have stripped the unwanted paint, and completly washed off any stripper I will usually use Meguiar's Cleaner Wax, and have also had good luck with Turtle Wax's polishing compound and PPG Final Buff to bring out the shine on the origional paint.
Before: a 1958 Schwinn Tornado with a very horible red, white, & blue rattle can camo paint job.
tornadobefore.jpg

After: the origional Schwinn red and white trim
IMG_0026.jpg
 

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