November 15th, 2021 by Sarah Miles

Many DIY projects create as much work to prepare as they do to conduct the job itself but as the old saying goes, those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail. When painting a metal object, whether it’s railings, furniture, or a garage door, you will always get a much more superior finish if you remove any old paint first. While this may seem like quite a challenge, it’s not actually as daunting as it may appear and there are a number of ways you can do it, depending on the project and your personal preference.

The main 4 methods we would recommend are manual scraping, chemical stripping, using a heat gun, or using an angle grinder. Here are the different aspects of each one.

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Method: Manual Scraping

Suitable for:

Smaller areas where the paint is already flaking or otherwise easy to remove.

Equipment needed:

You just require a scraper of some kind. A wide blade is obviously better for larger areas and a smaller blade is ideal for more precise scraping. If you are removing paint from a softer metal, like brass, choose a plastic scraper to avoid scratching the material beneath the paint.

Things to note:

Scraping is the simplest method but also the hardest work as you are largely relying on your own manual effort. Keep the tool at a low angle to avoid gouging the metal and to give you a smooth stroke across the surface.

Method: Chemical Stripping

Suitable for:

Both large and small areas. Objects with small crevices and hard to reach sections. Outdoor items (or those that can be done outdoors, due to the fumes).

Equipment needed:

You will need a suitable paint stripper (that is appropriate for use on metal), a natural bristle brush to apply it (synthetic fibres could potentially dissolve in the chemicals). And a scraper and/or rag to remove the softened paint.

Things to note:

The paint stripper uses chemicals to soften the paint and thereby allow you to scrape or rub it away more easily. Apply to the metal with the brush and leave it to work – this will vary but can be anything from a couple of hours to a full day so check the instructions. Once the paint is soft (it will often bubble and visibly lift) you can remove it.

Clearly, chemicals are potentially dangerous and should be used with caution. Use in a well-ventilated area (outdoors is better) and wear protective gloves and a mask to protect yourself against fumes. Keep children and animals away while you’re working and keep them away until you’re completely done. As you might expect, doing this around naked flames or electrical heaters is a bad idea!

Method: Using a Heat Gun

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Suitable for:

Most jobs except very soft or thin metals.

Equipment needed:

You’ll need a heat gun with different temperature settings and a scraper.

Things to note:

Heat effectively melts the paint, just as the stripper dissolves it. It lifts it from the metal, making it easy to scrape off. The most important thing to manage when using a heat gun is not to apply too much heat as you can risk warping the metal. Just start on a low setting and gradually increase it until the paint starts to bubble. You can then scrape it away. When using this heating method, you will need to work in sections as the paint will only be soft while it’s warm so heat a section, remove it then work on the next one.

For safety, wear protective gloves and don’t touch the metal until it’s fully cooled.

Method: Using an Angle Grinder

Suitable for:

Larger areas. Hard metals.

Equipment needed:

You can use an angle grinder with a strip disk and a rag to wipe the metal over.

Things to note:

One for the power tool enthusiasts and the bigger projects (taking to a delicate railing with an angle grinder is like cracking a nut with a sledgehammer!). This is more of a one-step method as there’s no need to scrape afterwards; the angle grinder will remove the paint as you work over the surface.

This is a very quick method but it’s also noisy and messy as it will create a lot of dust. Always wear gloves and a mask and if you suspect the paint contains lead, check it first as you don’t want to be breathing those particles in.