Removing Sadolin

[Gervase]

A new project has lovely matchboard walls, ledge and brace doors, built-in dressers and lots of moulding; all liberally coated with thick, treacly coats of Sadolin.
What's the best way to remove the stuff? Heat, chemicals, scraping and abrasion...?
All the woodwork will eventually be painted rather than stripped, so I'm not worried about any staining - just getting it off the surface. There's quite an acreage, so using Klingstrip or a similar water-based poultice, with the accompanying mess when you wash the stuff off, probably isn't an option.

And then there's the roof to worry about - the place was built (or extended upwards) with wrinkly tin, but the client is set on slate. Tin is the most authentic covering, and will allow him to use the existing roof structure, with just some purlin ends needing replacing, whereas slate will entail an entirely new roof and wall-tops to take the additional weight
He's probably prepared to pay the hefty premium for slate, but there are so few tin roofs left now that the pedantic part of me would like to see this place kept as tin. It's one of those issues where perhaps greater diplomacy than mine is required! Anyone got any links to some nice corrugated iron roofs that I could show him?

 

[Nemesis]

You could ask Andrew Gayton, who roofed his extension in it... looks good... and tell him it's recognised asa vernacular buildings material by some local authorities.

There was a book on tin tabs published recently,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tin-Tabernacles-Corrugated-Churches-Britain/dp/0954712609

and plenty of websites:

http://www.corrugated-iron-club.info/

http://www.bobhumm.com/

This has a piece about it, with a terrific quote from Peter Beacham (of EH, although it doesn't says so in the piece) you could show him:

http://www.england-in-particular.info/

http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/product_detail_large.htm?productid=876


Re that stripping.

I'd try a heat gun (lots of ventilation... ) then use Nitromors - the sort you wash off with white spirit, followed by sanding or wire wool.

Of course some of it will be lead based, so don't breath it in or eat it.

 

[Moo]

This is probably a very silly question, but here goes -

If it's going to be painted anyway, why do you have to strip it? Wouldn't a good rub down be sufficient?

 

[Gervase]

Ta for the links, Evelyn - useful ammo.
As for why we need to remove it, Moo, the trouble is that the client's mother dolloped it on with a trowel (it's the gooey Sadolin, not the stain) and it looks as though someone's smeared cold mollasses all over the woodwork.

 

[Penners]

some of it will be lead based, so don't breath it in or eat it.

I don't think Sadolin is lead based. Mind you, I don't think it's particularly good in sandwiches either.

 

[SGray]

have you tried it with peanut butter? That's not so bad! (in your sandwiches I mean)

 

[NT]

When the job's done, Sadolin will be known as Happy Lynn.

NT

 

[Toby Newell]

Gervase

http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/article023.htm

Briefly: Stripping this probably PU varnish will be very hard with Klingstrip. With Nitromors solvent based it will get very goey and horrible. I would hire a decent random orbital sander and dust extractor to sand all the flat surfaces and sand the rest by hand. Use only a fine grit, say 240 on a low setting or the finish will just melt. The aim is to clean the surface first by washing with flash/ soda crystals etc to remove grease then sand lightly to provide a key.

Personally I would strip with Nitromors for a professional type finish but you should get fairly decent adhesion if overcoating with an oil based paint. In your case I agree you want to avoid stripping if you can!. If you make sure the finish is perfectly clean and sand to provide a key you should be okay.

If the "sadolin" is melting when you sand it then you may like to try and use wet and dry abrasives with a little soapy water, this will stop the abrasive sticking and give a silky finish. Try and over paint a test spot and try and rub it off after a few days with a coin. If it flakes off easily you may have to resort to stripping. If you do have to strip, try and remove most of the finish carefully with a cabinet scraper, hard work but perhaps preferable to gallons of Nitromors mixed with sticky molasses. Then u can use wire wool with a lot less Nitromors to remove the last vesiges, and give it a quick sand. Good Luck!

Toby