Oak beams after klingstrip

[danjennings]

Ok - Ive taken all the advice offered with regard removing paint from beams with klingstrip and after many hours of scraping, scrubbing and scraping again we are left with lovely looking clean non painted oak beams, mmm yummy. However they look a little dry and i was wondering what the advice might be with regard treatment hereafter? some kind of oil I'm guessing?

Thanks

 

[skier-hughes]

I've used linseed oil, good quality from holkhams, others suggest beeswax, do a search of beam treatment of the forum, it'll give you some ideas.

Graham

 

[Penners]

I'd go along with Graham's suggestions - linseed oil or wax. Personally, I prefer to leave oak beams "naked", but if I had to apply a finish I would favour wax. But it's a matter of taste.

Have you properly neutralised the Klingstrip? And do be sure that the beams are thoroughly dried out before you apply any finish to them

 

[danjennings]

Hi again penners - when oyu say propley neutralised the kilngstrip - how do you mean? its gone gard, been scrapped of and then scrubbed, but we ae left with tiny bits in small cracks in wood, i guess soem kind of small pick to pull them out - early days yet as still work in progress!

 

[Penners]

Dan - have a look at the Strippers product notes here: http://www.stripperspaintremovers.com/product_chart.htm#e

Click on Neutraliser N-20. You'll see that it prevents or cures efflorescence which can occur on porous surfaces after the Klingstrip has been removed and the surface washed.

It may be that your washing has been sufficiently effective to remove absolutely all traces of the Klingstrip, but it must be said that this is quite hard to do. So if you don't use the neutraliser you risk a white bloom appearing on the surface after an indeterminate period.

My daughter and her husband stripped literally hundreds of beams in their house, and having experienced this bloom appearing after they had waxed the first seemingly clean and dry beams, they used the neutraliser on all of the beams thereafter. They had no further efflorescence problems.

As for the little white flecks left in the grain of the wood, my son-in-law (something of a perfectionist) resorted to using a pin to get the last of this out! :shock:

 

[danjennings]

Thanks Penners - Im on it - ill add soem of the N20 to my next Klingstrip order.

 

[skier-hughes]

Strippers told me to use a little vinegar in water, same effect, much cheaper.
If you mean your klingstrip is applied and then left to go hard you are creating extra work for yourself. It only works while it is soft and is much easier to remove when soft.
Yuu might need to apply thicker and/or cover when it is left. I bought some of their plastic on a roll and it is very easy to put on and keeps the klingstrip moist when left overnight.

 

[Pford75]

I second the comment above. It's something of an art to removing the klingstrip at the right consistency....too dry and it powders off or breaks up...too wet and it sticks.....but if you can get it just right, it does peel off in large strips (very satisfying). As Graham says, the depth of application and the temperature in the room can all affect this...but does make life a lot easier.

 

[danjennings]

Oh dear i fear that we have been over keen with the application and now have half a room covered with klingstrip/cling film and very hard and dried klingstrip to remove, a lot of hard scrubbing and scraping coming up i think

 

[skier-hughes]

I did one beam a day.
Didn't take too long to cover the first beam in klingstrip, so day one was easy
Day two, cover 2nd beam in klingstrip and clean off 1st beam.
Etc.
If I was feeling pretty fit, or had no work to do then I sometimes did two beams, but that was enough for me in one day :wink:

 

[Penners]

have half a room covered with klingstrip/cling film and very hard and dried

Try peeling off the clingfilm (if you can) and spraying the Klingstrip with water repeatedly, a little at a time - re-covering it with the clingfilm each time. Depending on how dry it has become, you might succeed in softening it up.

 

[danjennings]

Thanks - i was thinking earlier driving along ( thinking hands free by the way ) that a spray or water may soften it, or maybe some kind of steam application? I did see once on one of those tv channels ( no not that type ) a small steam spray for use around the home, used to clean all manner of things. Maybe that would be a useful additon to my toolbox :?