Has anyone used soda blasting to remove paint from wood siding? We’re buying a fixer-upper built in 1888. It has shiplap siding with many layers of peeling paint. We’d like to get it smooth again, but don’t want to damage the wood. I know sandblasting is a no-no, but our inspector told us about a house that had been soda blasted and after painting it looked like new.
Assuming it’s OK for siding, what about trim and gingerbread? None of it looks particularly delicate, but I’m wondering about its efficacy in those cases.
If it can be used safely and effectively, are there any precautions that should be taken?
Thanks for any help you can offer!
Dave
Replies
I'd think the biggest precaution would be avoiding spreading lead paint all over the neighborhood. If the house is that old, I'm 99.94% positive there's lead paint on it, and it'll be released into the air during the soda blasting process, unless you use a vacuum retrieval system.
Bob
The biggest problem with soda blasting wood is neutralizing the soda before you apply a finish.
It is important to thoroughly remove the residue or you will have adhesion problems with your newly applied finish.
We use crushed corn cobs, but for siding, a medium such as soda will provide a much smoother finished product.
>>We're buying a fixer-upper built in 1888.
I don't know much about their site, but you need to become familiar with the Old Houes Journal: http://216.25.63.4/index.shtml
They used to sell bound back volumes a few years bound together which are worth their weight in gold for working on old houses.
'
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