Remove Graffiti from Unfinished Wood Fence

[seglie]

Hello, A few weeks ago we had some graffiti thown up on our back fence. A guy at home depot suggested some mild spray used specifically for graffiti but it didn't say anything about removal from wood so I picked up some lacquer thinner as well. The thinner worked ok, but not what I was hoping for. The paint now looks faded, but still definitely visible. Not sure if there are any other chemicals I could use or if I should go straight for the sand paper.

Any thoughts on how to remove the spray paint from unfinished wood would be very helpful.

Thanks.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Paint remover and/or sanding. Once paint or other liquids get into unfinished wood, it can soak into the pores and never come out.

[Oren]

I've used a product by Liftoff Inc for removing red marker from walls and doors inside and this stuff worked well. They have several products.

Here is one for paint removal. Good Luck. Our Mayor was under fire for a public statement he made about taggers ... cut their hands off..

-- Oren

"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."

[jJim McLaughlin]

Pressure washer with capabiliy of adding chemicals to water stream. Like a tank, or such. Add about 1 lb. of ordinary househld baking soda to two gallons of hot water in tank.(Or use 5 lb. to 5 gallons in ank.) Introduce that solution into water stream and clean with the pressure washer. Sometmes a good foamy dgreaser along with the baking soda slution helps.

The baking soda does not ully dissolve, and has a mild granular abrasive action.

Its important to do ths soon after the graffiti is applied.

Longer you wait, the harder it is to remove.

I do this (graffiti removal) with a local group of volunteers in our parks, where so many "artistes" trash stuff.

[e-mail] wrote:

[mm]

Pressure washer. My next door neighbor did this -- I don't know if he added chemicals or not -- and I watched and it came right off. Took

10 minutes or so. Although there

I agree that this with you 100% but ftr my n'bor waited months. Of course the fence was wood. It was an almost new peeled picket fence, where the outside face is shaped like a parentheis, and not smooth. Sanding would not have gotten low spots.

Be careful where you point the pressure washer. They're dangerous. And even be careful on the wood until you know what will take off too much would and what won't. My n'bor didn't seem to have problems but his fence was almost new.

BTW, the stockade fence is a few years old now, and one can see betweeen the pickets. Does that mean they didn't age the pickets like they should have?

[Oren]

All of this unfinished wood fences and power washing?

Power washers are dangerous around wood; if, allowed in the wrong hands.

-- Oren

"My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."

[jJim McLaughlin]

Benches with stained wood boards; sign posts, wood, stained with painted lettering.

Not really. No more dangerous than a router. Takes about an hour to get trained by the Parks Department. Stop by. We can always use extra hands.

[Oren]

In NV; according the Las Vegas Mayor, any graffiti with an accumulative damage of $5,000.00 (over multiple incidents) is now a Felony. Citizens can now call 911 if you catch a tagger in progress (happens before dawn).

Recently one of the worst offenders was caught. They brag on the web and the cops catch them. The Mayor promises to appear in court as the victims advocate.

-- Oren

"My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."

[jJim McLaughlin]

Way to go Oscar!

Oscar is a funny guy.

We were on opposite sides long, long, long ago when I was a federal prosecutor and Oscar was a defense lawyer.

He was tough, but his wrd or his representation in a court room or in a negotiaion always meant something.

Not something I'd always say about some other lawyers from Boston, New York or LA with similar clients.