What's the easiest way to remove paint from moulded doors?

[KPaul]

Hi guys,

I have 5 interior moulded doors (like the cheap ones you get from the sheds) and they've all got a bad paint job. I figure I've got two options - replace or strip.

I can't sand them as it will take the (fake) grain off them so would a decent chemical paint stripper work, or my trusty old heat gun? Or is it a lost cause and just replace them? Has anybody successfully done this?

Cheers,
Paul.

 

[TheDec]

Paul

Try a heat gun, don't have it on to high a setting and just allow the paint to soften. Got to be worth a try.

Dec

 

[Robbie uk]

If they are the ones with the wood grain finish, i think they will be very hard to strip to a decent finish. Theses doors are on offer at most big Sheds for about £18 each.

 

[KPaul]

Cheers guys. I might try the heat gun and see what happens but I am resigned to the fact that it will be cr@p and will need replacing anyway. I've got a guy coming round tomorrow to give me a quote to replace them. I can't be bothered to hang them myself.

I was just hoping for some miracle stripper (so to speak) to do the job for me!

 

[TheDec]

Just a thought but this product was mentioned on another thread regarding paint removal, Stripaway. It may be worth a look.

Dec

 

[SimonH2]

Funnily enough I saw a bit of a program on one of the obscure Freeview channels a while back. This guy obviously had a series on making stuff with reclaimed materials, and this episode he was using some old panel doors.

He took them to some spot where they literally dunked the entire door in a tank of "something powerful" (caustic I think) for half an hour or so, and then just power washed them down - completely paint free ! IIRC the cost wasn't a lot and it saved a lot of almost impossible effort getting into nooks and crannies.

Never done it myself though.