A lot of people derive joy and satisfaction from handling an important home project by themselves. And while many homeowners take on the project of wood stripping, not all of them know what kind of product to use. The fact is that different jobs call for different types of products. And if you don’t know which product you should use; the project can become a huge hassle at best and dangerous at worst.

If you have decided to strip your fence or deck yourself for the purpose of re-staining or repainting, we applaud you. And to give you a little help, we have composed this little guide on what to look for in a wood stripper product.

Convenience

This tip applies especially for people who have never stripped a deck or fence before. The project can become complicated and treacherous when you have to mix and measure products with water or other solutions. So if this is your first time out, we recommend using a stripper that requires no mixing or measuring. How do you find out? Simply take a good look at the instructions on the label before you buy.

Multiple Wood Applications

Using the wrong kind of stripper for your wood can result in problems down the line. So this tip also goes out to all the first-timers or simply any DIYers who are in doubt. Our recommendation for newbies is to use a stripper that can be applied to multiple species of wood. This will take the guess work out of your project and again, it’s easy to find these types of strippers simply by looking at the label. Defy makes some quality all-wood strippers FYI.

Avoid Toxic Chemicals

A lot of people simply reach for the most powerful stripper they can find, which is understandable when you have 15 coats of old paint irreversibly adhered to your fence or deck. But some of the more powerful wood strippers contain toxic chemicals like methyl chloride which can do a lot of harm – from irritating your skin and causing nausea to knocking you unconscious and damaging your liver. So it’s best to steer clear of these chemicals. Luckily, there are a number of heavy-duty wood strippers that don’t use harsh chemicals.

Know your Project

Some wood stripping products promise quick action, which is great if you are pressed for time. Just be aware that a lot of the products that claim they can start to decompose stain in an hour or less will not be effective on certain paints and finishes. Fast-acting strippers like these typically won’t work on solid stains, most kinds of outdoor paint and film-forming finishes. So you can save yourself some time and hassle by making sure you know what stain/paint/finish you need to remove.

Effective Wood Stripping Service

No matter what your plans for your fence or deck stripping may be, we can help you realize them here at Century Painting. We offer complete wood stripping service so tell us about your project today at; (704) 245-9409.