Removing aged stubborn protective plastic film - any hints?

Question

I have a recycled plastic garden fence. When it was new, all the panels and posts were covered with a protective plastic film which peeled off reasonably easily. But for some reason, one post was erected still partially covered with its film.

It was hidden by garden furniture but now, some three years later, changes in layout have left it exposed - and the film is proving extremely difficult to remove. It takes a good deal of force and patience to lift an edge even in one small spot, and once a grip has been established the stuff just comes away in tiny chunks or very small slivers.

Any handy hints or suggestions as to how to deal with this - solvent? Boiling water? The abrasive side of a kitchen sponge? - will be very welcome. Thanks.

R D S · Accepted Answer

I have a similar problem with some self adhesive printer paper, had it ages and now can't peel the film off the back to stick it to anything.

Tim+ · Answer

Hair dryer maybe? Tim

Theo · Answer

I think the issue is that any kind of tape or film is a tug of war between the strength of the film and the strength of the glue. In this case the film has weakened and the glue has stayed the same or strengthened. Which means the film tears before the glue does.

I wonder what is the best way to a) weaken the glue somehow and b) get the weakening agent past the film to attack the glue?

For example, if you find a solvent that will attack the glue, perhaps it would be enough to score the film so the solvent can penetrate (given sufficient contact time). I'd look at an organic solvent to begin with, say IPA? Or heat would be worth trying.

Or, if you can get the film off (in bits) you can then deal with the glue separately. Abrasion might help here.

I suppose you can try a few things and see what looks like it's making progress. I don't know what the typical glue here would be composed of, which might indicate a suitable release agent.

Theo

Bert Coules · Answer

Thanks for the new replies.  I'm wary of trying anything too drastic because of the possibility of damaging the fence post itself; I'll give it a go with a hair dryer and see what happens (apart from the pitying looks from my neighbours, that is).

John Rumm · Answer

Many glues soften with heat - so that would be my first attempt.

Brian Gaff (Sofa · Answer

I would experiment with solvents on a bit you cannot see and see if anything works, but the problem usually is that the plastic goes brittle with UV or whatever, and the  binder leaches out so it tends to then almost be part of that is underneath. I had a portable radio which lived on a window sill that still had some of that stuff on it and it now is part of the radio, but looks like its turning to a kind of semi transparent dandruff. Brian

Bert Coules · Answer

Sadly the hair dryer proved ineffective. Maybe a heat gun might do the trick but I'm reluctant to try it without a safe out-of-sight area to test it on first.

It's possible though that I might have a small offcut of the material somewhere; I'll check.

Removing aged stubborn protective plastic film - any hints?

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