how to remove gloss paint from lime plaster?

[em]

We have haired lime plaster panels over brick infills in a timber frame - the plaster needs repair but has been painted repeatedly over the years and top coat looks horridly like gloss paint. Plasterer has said we need to remove the paint so it can be repaired.

Any ideas how? Is something full of chemicals from B&Q going to be the answer or is this likely to damage the plaster we are trying to save?

Once again - many many thanks!

 

[charlie-ia]

lots of people on here talk about a firm called strippers of sudbury. i got a test pot of pan stripper called klingstrip, which is now smeared on our kitchen wall, so i cant tell yet wether its good or not.

i have also seen on here a recipe for home made paint stripper, which i intend to try next week. hopefully it will turn out much cheaper. we have a lot of gloss, in nasty colours.
anyone else tried the home made stuff?

 

[em]

Yep we have half the house covered in a rather fetching shade of dirty mustard yellow gloss - think someone either REALLY liked the colour or they got a job lot cheap!

Do you have the 'recipe' please? - Im just over 7mths pregnant and aren't really supposed to go near the chemical stuff...but no-one else is going to do it and I'm still holding on to the dream of having a bedroom and a nursery by the time the baby arrives :lol:

 

[charlie-ia]

ah, sorry, now ive found it it says its for emulsion. im going to try it anyway, the gloss is in a bad way, and may just need a little encouragement.

Since then I have found a way of getting rid of it using a cheap home-made paint stripper that seems to work well on emulsion.
The new improved recipe is:
Put 7 litres of cold water in a bucket.
Add 170 gms caustic soda and mix thoroughly to dissolve.
Sprinkle in a sachet of solvite heavy duty pink wallpaper paste and mix as per packet.
Use a wallpaper paste brush to apply.
It sticks to the ceiling/wall and the pink colour shows you which bits have been covered.
Leave for about 5 hours then use a stripping knife to remove.
Wash off the residue.

Be very careful using it and wear goggles, rubber gloves, overalls etc. I suspect it would take the hide off a cow, so don't get it on your skin.

its under the heading "cheap stripper". (now im embarrased, you lot should be ashamed of yourselves!) :lol:

 

[jon_bail]

I have just been trying out a couple of options for stripping paint from lime plaster. Started by using a steam wallpaper stripper after scoring paint (without damaging plaster). This worked to some extent but was difficult to get a good finish unless the base paint was distemper or something similar.

I tried the same with a hot air stripper and result were good with many layers of paint being removed in a single strip. It is a slow tedious job but results have been good and it is a better alternative than using lining paper. I have usually wetted the surface once an area has been stripped this cools the surface and rehydrates the lime - I have no idea whether or not this is needed but it feels right.

I am fortunate that the plaster in my 1850s house is in good condition so once I am back to original plaster I fugure that another 150 years of paintwork will be worth it.

 

[DaveBrigg]

I've used a very sharp scraper - the sort sold to remove paint from glass. It's tedious work though, any care is needed to avoid leaving marks on the plaster. Think I'll try Jon's idea of a heat gun next.