If you need to remove paint from the metal surface instantly with minimal efforts, you should use acidic concentrations. As soon as acidic solution reacts with the painted metal surface, it peels off the paint and evaporates. Since these concentrations are very acidic, they should be handled with utmost care. Some of the acidic solutions used to remove paint from the metal surface are concentric nitric, hydrochloric, and phosphoric acids.
How To Remove Paint From Metal
Bring new life to metal by stripping old, stuck-on paint using one of these easy-to-follow methods.
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Colleen McQuaid
Removing paint from metal isn’t difficult, but it can be tedious and potentially dangerous. Thankfully, there are many ways to strip paint from metal—including safe and eco-friendly ones—that will have your object looking as good as it did before someone decided to take a paintbrush to it. So, what’s the best paint remover for metal? A lot of it depends on the item. Consider the options below, before tackling your next project.
Methods for Removing Paint from Metal
Paint Scraper
This handheld tool, with a plastic or metal blade similar to a putty knife, can remove paint with just a little elbow grease. If you are working with a softer metal like brass, choose a plastic blade over a metal one to make sure you don’t damage or scratch the metal’s surface. Scrapers come in various sizes; choose one that’s comfortable to hold and well-suited for the job (a wide blade for flatter, wider surfaces and a narrower blade for smaller, harder-to-reach areas).
Ideal For: Flat surfaces and small jobs where the paint flakes and comes off easily, without the need for chemicals.
Heat Gun
Heat guns “melt” the paint, causing it to pull away from the metal surface. Start on the lowest setting and hold the heat gun a few inches away from the surface, moving it back and forth slightly. Warning: High heat can warp metal. Begin slowly and avoid overheating the area. Once the paint begins to bubble or pull up from the surface, scrape it off using a putty knife or paint scraper. If the paint doesn’t bubble, slowly increase temperature until it does. Make sure to use heat-resistant gloves and do not touch the metal piece until it has thoroughly cooled.
Ideal For: Targeting small areas and for projects where you plan to work in small sections.
Angle Grinder with Strip Disk
A quick and easy, albeit noisy and dusty method is to attach a strip disk to your angle grinder and let the handheld machine do the (dirty) work. Strip disks come in various abrasive materials, so look for one that is designed to remove paint from metal and won’t cause damage to the surface.
Ideal For: Stronger metal pieces like steel, beams, pipes, fences, metal furniture, and larger, flat surfaces.
Baking Soda (or Vinegar) & Heat
A natural way to remove paint from metal surfaces is to combine baking soda and water or white vinegar and water over a heat source. You can do this on your stovetop with a disposable pot or pan. For every quart of water, add 1/4 cup of baking soda or vinegar and bring the water to a boil. Add the item to the pan and let it boil for about 15 minutes or until the paint falls off. While wearing heat-protective gloves, use tongs to remove the metal pieces. Scrape off any remaining paint with a putty knife or hard-bristle brush.
Ideal For: Smaller metal pieces like hardware and hinges.
Paint Stripper
Paint strippers come in different forms, including a low-odor version made from soybeans, but the steps are the same. Pour the stripper into a container and, using a chip brush, apply a thick layer to the object, allowing the chemical to react with the paint and bubble (anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight). With a rag or scraper, wipe and remove the liquid, along with the unwanted paint, repeating as necessary. Work in a well-ventilated area and remove any potentially flammable items before using this method.
Ideal For: Outdoor projects, large pieces, spray paint on metal, and items with hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
Paint Removal Tips
- Avoid using coarse sandpaper or wire-bristled brushes on metal; otherwise you may damage or pit the surface.
- Old toothbrushes come in handy when attacking hard-to-reach corners or crevices.
- Follow the paint stripper’s instructions and adhere to the recommended time
offor leaving the chemical on the painted metal—layers of stuck-on paint are hard to penetrate and breaking through those bonds can take time. - After all the paint has been removed from the item, wipe down and clean the metal with mineral spirits and a clean rag.
- Dispose of the paint, any chemicals, and materials properly.
When removing paint from any surface, employ the following safety measures:
- Work in a well-ventilated area (outside, if possible) and remove all flammable objects when working with a chemical paint stripper or angle grinder.
- If you suspect that the paint on your metal piece contains lead (a likely possibility if the paint was applied before1980), test an area with a lead detecting swab. If the test comes back positive, protect yourself adequately and choose a removal method that allows you to wipe away the unwanted paint and discard it immediately, rather than creating dust and airborne particles by grinding or dry scraping. Or, safer yet, call in a professional to remove the paint.
Baking Soda
You would have used baking soda every day in the kitchen, but it would be a surprise factor for you that baking soda as a solution, is one of the effortless ways to remove paints from the metal surface. The process of removing paint with baking soda is simple, yet efficient. Initially, take the metal product (from which you should remove paint) & immerse that in a bowl filled with a mixture of hot water and baking soda. This mixture reacts with metal and lets the paint to loosen its bond with metals. Irrespective of the type of paint like enamel, acrylic or oil-based, the baking soda mixture consumes the same time in its paint removal process. Usually, after an hour’s immersion, you can see the paint stripping off from the metals.
Steamer
If you are accessible to a blower or a steamer, here comes the solution to remove paint from the metal surface. Take the painted metal surface and start to steam gently on the metal. Once the metal starts reacting to steam (heat), increase the temperature at a slower pace. As a result of temperature rise, the metal starts to loosen its bond with the paint. When you continue steaming the metal for 30 to 40 minutes, the paint on the metal begins to strip and end up curling on the metal surface. Then, you can use a paint scraper and wipe off paint from metal.
Chemical Solutions
Most of us are not fond of chemicals and their fragrances. But, as a solution to remove paints from the metal surface, chemicals are considered as one of the best options in recent times. All over the globe, Ammonia and Acetone are the two widely used chemicals to remove paint from the metal surface. When ammonia reacts with the metal, it stabilizes acrylic emulsions by raising the PH level. As a result of this, metal loosens its bond with the paint and allows the paint to peel off from metal. It is recommended to use gloves and masks before contacting the chemical solutions as they can be responsible for creating allergic sensation to some of the skin types.
