How To Remove Oil-Based Paint From Concrete
Oil-based paint is beautiful and durable----and very hard to remove. Whether you want to fix a stain or strip painted cement back to bare concrete to repaint or stain it, you'll need to put in some hard work to remove oil-based paint. Most importantly, you must wear full protective gear---especially a respirator, goggles and gloves.
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Things You'll Need
- Paint stripper
- Paint stripper containing methylene chloride (for larger areas)
- Sawdust or other absorbent material
- Old towels
- Nylon scrub brush
- Scraper
- Pressure washer
- Respirator with fresh organic filter
- Gloves
- Goggles
Instructions
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Removing Wet Oil-Based Paint
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1
Blot as much of the wet paint with the towels as you can without spreading it or rubbing it in.
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2
Apply absorbent material to the remaining wet paint---use sawdust, crushed-clay kitty litter or a commercial product bought from a home improvement store. Leave it overnight, then sweep it up.
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3
Allow any remaining paint to dry for at least 3 days, then follow the steps below for dry paint.
Removing Dry Oil-Based Paint
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4
Remove a stain by mixing paint stripper with your absorbent material to make a creamy paste. Apply it to the stain and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Scrape it up with the scraper.
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5
Sprinkle an abrasive cleanser over the stain, and scrub it thoroughly with a nylon brush.
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6
Rinse the stain well with a pressure washer.
Removing Oil-Based Paint From a Large Area
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7
Put on all of your protective gear. Mix paint stripper containing methylene chloride with absorbent material, and spread over a small area at a time. Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
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8
Scrape up the paste and dried paint. Move on to the next area and repeat until the entire cement area is paint-free.
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9
Go back to where you started, apply an abrasive cleanser and scrub it with the nylon brush. Do not rinse until you have scrubbed the entire area.
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10
Use the pressure washer to rinse the entire area at once. If this does not remove the paint, call a professional and have it sand-blasted.
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Tips & Warnings
Always do a spot test before committing to a difficult or toxic method.
Methylene chloride is highly toxic, so use the proper respirator, goggles, gloves and protective clothing. Never use methylene chloride--based strippers indoors.
