How to best prepare gloss-painted rail/mouldings for new coat of paint?

[csl]

Hi folks,

I'm currently redecorating the lounge in a Victorian terraced house (c. 1896), and I'm trying to prepare the woodwork and mouldings for my coat of paint. The skirting boards and door/window frames are fine - I've rubbed them down ready to take to the new coat, no problem.

However, there's a wooden rail and plaster mouldings that have both been very thickly glossed - I've tried to sand them down but due to the intricacy of the moulding design I'm having great difficulty in rubbing it down sufficiently to take the next coat. Moreover, the current gloss layer is very thick, there are another two coats beneath it, and it's flaking off in parts down to the second coat. So I thought I should really try and remove the paint and start again.

So, how would you recommend I prepare the plaster mouldings for fresh paint? I've stripped a tiny part of the wooden rail with a small shaped scraper, but it's taking forever due to all the intricate curves and indented surfaces (don't want to damage the wood either). I don't want to use a heat gun on the wood for fear of lead fumes from the original coat - am I being overcautious? Could I use a heat gun on the plaster, or would it undermine its stability? (It's pretty loose in certain areas). Removing and dipping isn't an option either.

Please, any help on how to prepare the wooden rail and plaster mouldings for a new coat would be greatly appreciated.

Chris.

[Weatherlawyer]

Pictures required.

[Owain]

A paint stripper in paste form, worked into the crevices with a brush, and covered in clingfilm while it 'cooks', should do it.

You should be able to find some that are safe on painted plasterwork.

Owain

[Chris]

Thanks Owain - I've bought some Nitro Mors. Hopefully it won't be too messy. I've been trying to avoid chemical strippers, but there's really very option but to use this. I'll investigate the clingfilm stuff too - thanks again!

[pablomartin]

Hi Chris

Nitromors craftsman is oil based and as suggested covering it over will help , don't forget this needs to be neutralised with white spirit the stripper isn't selective . use this if you feel you need to but also try a dremmil sander they have a big range of detail bits , your right in asuming there will be lead underneath sensible precautions such as mask and gloves.

The plasterwork is slightly more difficult a steam stripper will work but is time consumming , DO NOT use peel away or such strippers on plaster or woodwork . When using strippers and you are worried about damaging the substrate use some wood sticks shaped to suit the surface .

Good luck Pablo

[Chris]

I used some Nitromors on a single length of rail, but stopped at the corner as it was getting a bit messy. It also seemed to have some problems removing the original base coat of brown primer stuff. I've decided to just sand what I can and repaint - I found putting some sanding paper round a sponge helps with the mouldings. Thanks very much for the help.