# Stripping Paint Off Cast Iron



## CharlesF (15 Jul 2020)

We live in a Victorian townhouse converted into four flats. Our flat has a short section of Victorian cast-iron balusters with a wooden handrail. The balusters are covered in layers of paint, poorly applied in places.

Now I thought it would be easy to apply paint remover and strip them back to the bare iron, but I didn’t think that smell of the paint remover would cause the other flat owners to complain.

Plan B – use my heat gun. Wrong. The smell of melting paint was not well received.

Now I’m manually scrapping the paint off. The more modern layers come off fairly easily, if slowly; but the bottom layer is sticky or welded on, I presume this is the Victorian paint of varnish.

I did think of dissembling the whole thing, but many flat nails are used, and these won’t come out, as just below the surface they have rusted away. Using more force looks as if the brickwork will be badly damaged.

Please can the talented CC members give me some suggestions on how to easily remove all the paint exposing the bare iron, ready for a new coat of Hammerite paint.


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## midlife (15 Jul 2020)

Mobile sandblasting outfit ?


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## irw (15 Jul 2020)

Wire brush attachment in a drill? I've found this fairly effective at (carefully) removing paint from a couple of radiator pipes that would otherwise be rathe difficult to deal with. Just make sure you are wearing some safety goggles, a _suitable_ mask, and some decent gloves!

One of these kits, or something similar.
Screwfix wire brush set


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## Milkfloat (15 Jul 2020)

Just let the other flat owners know that the smell will be temporary and they just have to put up with it (but do it in a nice way). Failing that getting mechanical like @irw suggested.


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## Sharky (15 Jul 2020)

Googled this... 

https://www.healthyhomestore.co.uk/...MIpIeekrbP6gIVh6ztCh2YJA1_EAAYAyAAEgIHcPD_BwE


Smells of almonds! 

No idea how effective it is.


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## MichaelW2 (15 Jul 2020)

With old Victorian paintwork, beware of lead paint and take necce6 precautions. Paint stripper is probably the safest way. I would not sand or wire brush lead paint indoors.


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## snorri (15 Jul 2020)

Perhaps you could hire a portable mechanical ventilating plant to get the fumes diverted out of the building?
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cla...FOXZZ6bdaEMGuu-WnS9lmNenhTSwmxdEaAqvdEALw_wcB


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## CharlesF (15 Jul 2020)

@irw I have just looked at the same brushes on Toolstation - great minds.

@Sharky that stuff looks just what I need, thanks.

I hadn’t thought about lead in the old paint, so that needs to be taken into account.

Thanks for All help.


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## Profpointy (15 Jul 2020)

Wire brush attachment on a small angle grinder. Much much much more effective than the same in a power drill since the drill maybe does 2500rpm but the grinder does 10,000 and is likely a bigger brush too. It's a fierce tool so wear think clothes and (obviously) googles. The wires tend to detach and stick in your legs, and whilst that stings a bit it's not a disaster. Watch the eyes though !

A trade / pro standard 4-1/2" grinder (Makita, Bosch Blue or Hitachi) isn't going to be more than 60 or 70 quid and is a very handy tool for all sorts of things.


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## CharlesF (15 Jul 2020)

That’s an interesting option, always up for a new power tool!


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## Profpointy (15 Jul 2020)

CharlesF said:


> That’s an interesting option, always up for a new power tool!



I should add that I have used angle grinder with wire brush to do that exact job, and it totally works.


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## Badger_Boom (23 Aug 2020)

These chaps are experts when it comes to stripping paint off old stuff. I’m part way through stripping 100 years of paint off some plaster cornices and their Klingstrip paste works a treat. We also bought some stuff to remove gloss paint from exterior brick work.


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## CharlesF (24 Aug 2020)

Thanks for the link, the paste looks ideal. I bought the stuff @Sharky gave a link to; but this looks worth a try.


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## Drago (24 Aug 2020)

If you can get them off then get them dipped or blasted. Failing that, scrape off what you can and then get a wire cup brush on the angle grinder, don some ear defenders, and wait until the fa,lily have settled down watch emmerdale...


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## PK99 (24 Aug 2020)

I used a heavy duty wire brush on drill of some Victorian cast iron gate posts - worked a dream. Down to shiny metal in no time. The Halfords items linked upthread are a bit whimpy - ok for fine detailing but not heavy lifting,

The kling strip linked upthread gets good comments:

_I ordered Kling Strip feeling a bit dubious that it would remove all the paint from an iron fire place based on my experience using a Nitromors type product. I was delighted at the result though! Kling Strip removed a number of layers of paint, including what we guessed was lead based paint. The majority of the product brought off the paint in one gelatinous length. It was a little messy to remove the remaining product, and you will need to use a nail brush or something less abrasive to get all the product off. However, if you are looking for something to remove all traces of paint, this product will do the trick. NB Protect walls and floor coverings around the area to be stripped. _


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## Globalti (24 Aug 2020)

If you simply repainted with a matt paint the signs of previous bad painting would be less obvious than if you used gloss, which shows imperfections much worse.


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## CharlesF (24 Aug 2020)

Globalti said:


> If you simply repainted with a matt paint the signs of previous bad painting would be less obvious than if you used gloss, which shows imperfections much worse.


That’s a good tip, I’m half way there as I have Hammerite black satin to use.

The stripping the old paint has come to a temporary halt until I can stand for a longer time.


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## Badger_Boom (24 Aug 2020)

PK99 said:


> I used a heavy duty wire brush on drill of some Victorian cast iron gate posts - worked a dream. Down to shiny metal in no time. The Halfords items linked upthread are a bit whimpy - ok for fine detailing but not heavy lifting,
> 
> The kling strip linked upthread gets good comments:
> 
> _I ordered Kling Strip feeling a bit dubious that it would remove all the paint from an iron fire place based on my experience using a Nitromors type product. I was delighted at the result though! Kling Strip removed a number of layers of paint, including what we guessed was lead based paint. The majority of the product brought off the paint in one gelatinous length. It was a little messy to remove the remaining product, and you will need to use a nail brush or something less abrasive to get all the product off. However, if you are looking for something to remove all traces of paint, this product will do the trick. NB Protect walls and floor coverings around the area to be stripped. _


I can vouch for Klingstrip. It worked a treat on my Victorian front door surround, and plasterwork that some dingbat descided to gloss paint in a fetching shade of purple.


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## rogerzilla (31 Oct 2020)

I've done my small Woden vice over the last few days. Wilko paint stripper, wire wool and a lot of elbow grease. These are grey cast iron.

Not fully reassembled yet as I want to let the Hammerite cure fully. It takes a bit of manhandling to get the handle spring compressed so the roll pin can go in, not ideal with fresh paint.


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## Rockster57 (15 Nov 2020)

I am not a fan of Hammerite. It's not easy to apply. It's very prone to runs, which would be a significant problem when painting ornate castings. The thinners/brush cleaner is horrendously expensive and worst of all, I find the finished surface chips too easily. I would certainly avoid using it in a "heavy traffic" environment such as a staircase. 

It's all very subjective but personally I feel the suggestion to use (full) matt paint by a previous poster is good advice.


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## CharlesF (16 Nov 2020)

Hammerite, black satin, went on fine for me. I always apply paint sparingly when painting something like the balusters and brush down and up. Nothing touches the caste iron so it isn’t a heavy traffic item.

Anyway, after a lot of delays it is finished and won’t be touched for many years. Notice the highly polished brass handrail!!


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