Removing Paint mistakes on wood floor

[Danny]

Hi, I just moved into my new house and the previous owners were not very good handymen. I need to paint the bedroom, which will include painting the trim again. The trim is painted white with what looks like a standard semi-gloss latex paint. All of the surfaces (both walls and trim) are in pretty nice, easily makeable ready to paint to a quality level that fit my standards. There is only one problem. Even though they painted the trim rather nicely, they also got paint onto the wood floor that would be removed.

Can anyone post on some courses of action that they've tried that work (also, methods that DIDN'T work might be handy to know)? Obviously, the paint will have to be removed from the wood floor (oak), which will be the primary visible flooring throughout the house.

I guess it's going to be a lot of slow work, but I don't know of any other way to do it, short of covering up the floors with carpet or laminate, etc, or putting in a whole new floor, which in my opinion, is something that I don't want, and probably a bit of an extreme solution.

Thanks,

Danny

[Doug Miller]

If it's latex paint (and it probably is -- people who are too lazy to do a proper job of masking and cleanup are usually also too lazy to use oil-base paint), you may be able to simply scrape it off of the varnish with a stiff plastic scraper (try using an old credit card). If that doesn't do the trick, try softening the paint with Goo-Gone, rubbing alcohol, or mineral spirits (paint thinner) and try the scraper again. A steel putty knife or paint scraper may do a better job, but there's also more risk of damage to the finish on the floor. DO NOT use harsher solvents such as lacquer thinner or acetone; these *will* damage the finish on the floor.

[SQLit]

Try a steam cleaner in an area that does not show much. It worked for me. Becareful

[m Ransley]

Im sure they used latex, If your floor is varnished then alcohol or is the quickest way, get a rag damp ,put it over the paint till it softens, using a scraper will damage the varnish , use a rag. A wet rag with soapy water will also work, but it will take longer. If your floor is waxed, forget the liquids they will ruin the wax, then strip it off and rewax.

[Danny]

Doug, Group, Thanks for the help. I'd thought of Goo Gone, but wasn't sure that would work, as I've never tried it. Doug, here's one for you, and it concerns your comment on paint types below. I'm a careful and pretty much a perfectionist when it comes to painting, but would have automatically used Semi-gloss latex to repaint the trim. SHOULD I be using oil base paint for the trim? Is either oil or latex paint standard/mandatory useage on interior trim painting? I've never had to address this before as where I've always lived, the wood was stained and finished. I'll be using a standard interior latex paint for the walls, probably Behr.

Thanks,

Danny

Doug Miller wrote:

[NorMinn]

Welllllllllll.......how much paint did they get on the oak, and what kind of baseboard trim do you have? If there is a quarter round, and it can be taken off, you may cover the booboos with a wider trim strip. If extremely lucky, they have a hard varnish finish and some wax on the oak flooring, so some Formula 409 and a plastic scrubber might take off the latex paint. If the latex paint is just a little wobbly and not very wide, you could lay masking tape along the floor and paint the trim color in a narrow band to cover the old booboos; a consistent straight line would probably disguise minor wandering of the edge.

[NorMinn]

Lots of people swear by all-latex. I hate it for trim and doors for two reasons: oil/alkyd gives a nice, hard and more stain resistant finish, and repainting is much easier over oil. Latex, when you go to sand and prep to repaint, wants to roll and peel. Can't sand down to feather an edge where there is a scrape. Good oil/alkyd lasts 20 years unless the kids drive ATV's through the house or the dog eats woodwork :o)

[Doug Miller]

There isn't really anything "mandatory" but I certainly prefer using oil-base paint on trim: it's much more durable, and resists stains and dirt far better, than latex paint. This is *particularly* important for households with children. Note that I did *not* say "small children". As they get older, even well into the teenage years, the only thing that really changes is the height of the handmarks on the doorjambs (and the lintels *over* the doors).

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

For a copy of my TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter, send email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

[Danny]

Thanks for the info. After hearing that, I may just go with oil... It's a very convincing argument for it. I know what you describe about trying to work over latex paints. I've experienced those effects, and I find it frustrating.

What would the recommended surface prep be to paint over with oil based paint, when you don't know what the previous paint was? At this point, not having tried to remove the paint runovers, am not sure if they used oil or latex. I guess it could be either.

Thanks,

Danny

NorM> Danny wrote:

[Doug Miller]

convincing

be either.

Doesn't matter -- IME oil-base paint will stick to almost anything. Don't try to put latex paint over oil, though, it won't adhere. If you're worried, use a good oil-based primer first, then ol-based topcoat.

[nospambob]

[Danny]

Thanks for the info. I'm open to trying Sherwin Williams, after all, it's a local company for me (Cleveland). I found that they have 18" rollers in their stores. I want to try one. 9" rollers just don't cut it with me.

Thanks,

Danny

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