Vinyl paint removal. Ideas??

[bobdobqb]

Just got a 1973 Boler that is in pretty good shape but it definitely needs some interior work. It looks like the PO slapped some kind of vinyl paint over the ensolite. Mildew got in behind and it's peeling off. It's slow going on the paint removal. I'm currently using a heat gun to warm things up so it peels a little easier but in some spots it's pretty tough going. I've also tried a bit of goo gone to soften things up. The jury's still out on whether or not that's helping..

Any better ideas out there? Because I'm definitely open to better ideas

[Kai in Seattle]

Oh, lordy what a task. I'd be sure to check for some kind of leakage in the roof.

If the heat gun is working for you, great. If the goo gone doesn't really make a difference, then let it go. At least these eggs are small.

What do they say when facing a task you'd rather not be doing? "Close your eyes and think of England?" Or as I like to do, consider the Shawshank Redemption--30 years cutting a hole one rock flake at a time.


BEST to you! One day you'll look back and be so relieved!


kathleen

[bobdobqb]

No leakage thank goodness! Just the Vancouver Island damp.

I've been doing a bit of experimenting and found that if I use just a dab of Circa 1850 paint remover it seems to loosen it a bit and then it peels easier. So there's that!

Also I find it rather therapeutic to just sit in the egg and peel paint actually. Love the Shawshank reference!!

It's progressing though so big thumbs up!! Just looking forward to having it done and get on to the next steps. Spring is not that far away!

[Kai in Seattle]

Big thumbs up indeed!


Finding the right material to help get it off is super!


You're right, spring isn't that far away.


BEST

Kathleen

"K"

[bobdobqb]

So after many many hours I can now say that the paint is completely stripped from the interior. It's now on to the mildew/grunge cleanup. I thought I'd pass along what I have learned for future folks with masochistic tendencies who want to do this.

It's a good thing I'm retired because it took a LOT of hours to get it stripped down. I used a combination of heat judiciously applied by a heat gun and chemical stripper. The heat worked on a lot of it but I was very careful not to overheat the ensolite and even then managed to have a couple of small areas lift (but in all fairness it is 45 year old glue holding it on to the shell).

The chemical stripper was applied in small patches and not left on for long and this seemed to do the trick. I don't think the paint was holding on very well which was a good thing.

So that's it. Lot of time, heat and stripper.

YMMV

Thought I'd include a pic. It honestly does look a lot better!! And now to start the real reno work