A heat
gun can be used to strip paint but it is important to know when and how to use
it.
Heat gun safety
A heat
gun produces hot air that can reach temperatures of up to 1200 degrees
Fahrenheit. This can easily burn the wood or loose items such as curtains and
other flammable items in a few seconds. Never aim a heat gun at anything that
you are not trying to strip paint from.
A heat
gun should not be used around flammable chemicals such as paint thinner,
mineral spirits or acetone. You should always use a mask and heat resistance
gloves. Also make sure that there is enough ventilation. Always run the gun on
the cool setting to cool it down before turning it completely off to save wear
and tear on the gun.
When to use a heat gun
A heat
gun is effective for stripping paint from large flat surfaces and hard to reach
places. It is also a good tool to use if you have a lot of paint to strip such
as a room full of painted woodwork, mouldings and doors.
To use a
heat gun use the following procedure:
- · Keep a distance of about 4 inches from the wood
- · Move the gun around constantly. Never keep it stationary in one spot
- · Move the gun with one hand and follow with a paint scraper and scrape away the loosened paint.
- · Keep a container handy to discard the loose paint.
·
Always
put a drop cloth or some other covering on the floor to catch loosened paint.
Remember that the hot paint can inflict burn wounds
so be sure not to touch it with bare hands.
Finishing
the job
When
working around windows be very careful as the heat gun can crack and break
glass. You will want to hold it further away from the paint or put it on a
lower setting. If you are dealing with grooves or ridges, you may need a tool
such as an awl to pick away pieces of paint from tiny areas. You may also find
you will need to do a 'wash' over the stripped area with mineral spirits to
totally clean it after it has cooled down. Do not use heat on wet mineral
spirits as it will ignite.
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