VinylSiding

Removing Paint From Vinyl Siding

Removing paint from vinyl siding is not a process that people should choose to tackle lightly. After all, painting the exterior of your home is a large undertaking that can be pretty expensive, depending on how tall your home is and on some of the angles you may have to deal with near the peak of the roof. If you've already experienced the costs of vinyl siding paint, the thought of then removing that paint from the siding can be a pretty frustrating one.

However, there are times when removing paint from vinyl siding is simply something that you must do. For example, perhaps the previous owner of your home was the one who painted the vinyl, and it was done poorly, which has led to peeling and bubbling of the material, leaving the side of your home appearing to be neglected. It's also possible that you may have attempted to start a painting job on the vinyl siding on your home, only to find that the synthetic material could not accept the type of paint that you selected, meaning you must figure out a way from begin removing the color from the house.

Cleaning Siding

When it's time for removing paint from vinyl siding, you have to follow a few specific steps, or you run the risk of ruining the vinyl, which will turn a relatively inexpensive home improvement project into a costly repair job. Because of the precise type of work that must be used when removing the paint, you really must consider hiring a professional to do the job. Some types of solvents you can use for removing paint from vinyl siding could cause permanent damage to the synthetic material, so you really need to have some knowledge of this process before attempting it yourself.

The first thing you should try when removing paint from vinyl siding is to attempt to scrape the panels until they are clean. Try to avoid using metal tools, as they're likely to scratch the vinyl. Instead, consider using a plastic scouring pad or stiff brush, which will help you do some preliminary work for removing the colors off the home, while avoiding causing damage to the panels. If the siding was not properly prepared for paint, there's a chance that much of the color will simply flake off as you scrub it.

Next, look to use some water and ordinary detergent to attempt to clean the panels. Look at using the same sort of cleaning chemicals that you would use to give the vinyl a regular cleaning. Almost any hardware store should be able to provide you with these basic cleaners for the siding. Just a little scrubbing and cleaning solutions may be able to do most of the job of removing paint from vinyl siding.

Just be careful that you don't scratch up the material, while removing the color from it. This type of synthetic material can be scratched and damaged, like almost any other type of plastic, if it's treated harshly. Don't use power tools, other than perhaps a power washer. Before using a machine that will spray the house, however, check with the contractor who hung the siding or the manufacturer of it to see what type of pressure it can safely stand from a pressure washer.

Finding Paint Solvents

As you're looking for materials to help you with removing paint from vinyl siding, take extra care that you don't use a solvent that is too harsh. With some cleaners, you could cause significant damage to the material on your home, almost melting it away. Before you use any powerful solvent for removing the colors, make sure you ask at the hardware store about whether the chemicals are safe to use on the exterior of your home. Some chemicals that may work well for cleaning paint from wood on the side of your home might be unsafe for vinyl. If you can test the chemical on a spare piece, do that first.

If you run out of ideas for removing paint from vinyl siding, you can always call on a contractor who has experience with this issue. Look for someone who has painted this type of material in the past. Someone who has experience may have a quick answer for you, and may be able to do the job more quickly than a novice, which may save you some money in the long run.

Finally, as a last resort, you could end up replacing some of the panels that have been damaged with the color. This is not a great solution, as removing paint from vinyl siding is more preferable than replacing panels. However, if the panels have been damaged or if the color will not come off, replacing the damage is probably your only option.