Our great progress in stripping the paint from the spectacular window trim and base molding 
has.
slowed.
down.
considerably.
Turns out, the recent cold snap (I love saying that, like we live on the prairie, maybe near the Big Woods!) has had an effect on the efficacy of the Smart Strip product.
As the instructions clearly state:
Limitations: For best results, surface temperatures
should be 60ºF – 95ºF. Smart Strip can be
applied as low as 37ºF, however, efficiency/effectiveness
are reduced and dwell time increases.
We have the heat turned off in the brownstone, and it's been hovering around 45-50 degrees. As a result, the Smart Strip isn't turning the 100 years of paint and shellac into the easy-to-remove goop we've grown to enjoy. We may need to wait for the weather to warm up a bit. Or buy a heater for the rooms we're working in. Argh.
For the fans, here are some action shots from this weekend. Note the wool cap. It's cold!
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[where: 10032]
6 comments:
Stripping? For truly GREEN consider STEAM. Learn more, photos & video, over at Historic HomeWorks:
http://historichomeworks.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=133
(not recommended for interior in the winter, moisture may cause problems if residual moisture is not captured and vented outdoors)
John
by steam and heat we strip it neat
www.HistoricHomeWorks.com
John: appreciate the post, but this job is both indoors and in the winter...
We just stumbled on your blog while doing a search for Smart Strip. I'm looking forward to reading it. We are renovating our 1889 Victorian in Canada and are stripping the ancient shellac and stain from all of the woodwork (one room at a time). After trying Peel Away 7 last year, we've switched to Smart Strip and were really happy with the result. Of course we weren't removing so many layers of paint. Your house is beautiful. I hope it doesn't exhaust you--at least not too much. I've just begun cleaning up our old Eastlake door hardware, some of which had been painted with that bronze radiator paint. I'm trying the Smart Strip after my attempts to boil the paint off failed. All the best. Warm weather shouldn't be too far away now.
S & N: glad you found us, and also glad that you have discovered Smart Strip. Great stuff!
Oh, that radiator paint is no fun. I would drop the hardware into a bucket and soak it in Smart Strip for a few days. I don't believe you'll have much luck with heat removal methods on radiator paint.
Love the door you snuck in on the small side extension, btw. Very clever.
.//A.
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