Remove paint from concrete with a pressure washer?

TSYORK · #1 07/17/14, 10:05 PM

I'm looking to remove some ugly paint from a sidewalk.... would a 3,000 psi pressure washer do the trick? I do not know how long the paint has been on the concrete, nor if the concrete was sealed or not before it was painted.... i'm getting in on this after the fact..... just needing help in getting this removed and I am hoping this pressure washer would blast it off.

Any thoughts?

logbuilder · #2 07/17/14, 10:15 PM

I would think the PW would do the job however where you take the paint off will look real clean compared to the parts you don't do. I'd plan on doing the whole sidewalk.

A disclaimer: it likely depends on what type of paint it is.

Explorer · #3 07/17/14, 10:34 PM

Pour acetone on the offending paint. It will soften it and make removal easy. Old to new paint makes no difference.

TSYORK · #4 07/18/14, 07:22 AM

Thanks. I am going to do something with the sidewalk, just not sure what yet.....However, I have got to get it stripped clean first.

JoePa · #5 07/18/14, 08:08 AM

Sandblast it -

TSYORK · #6 07/18/14, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoePa

Sandblast it -

I don't have one of those, and know of anyplace around that rents them, so I will have to stick with the pressure washer option.

Harry Chickpea · #7 07/18/14, 09:12 AM

Be prepared for a long tedious job. We used to use a pressure washer to remove gum from sidewalks and it could take a while. With paint, sometimes it is best to blast or scrape off the loose paint and then paint over it. If I was to try to take paint off completely, I'd use a floor sander with a coarse disk to scarify the paint, wash that and then apply paint remover. The pressure washer would come after that.

DirtyHowi · #8 07/18/14, 10:34 AM

can of aircraft stripper will take it off too. can get in spray can, spary on paint, let sit 10 minutes, pressure wash.

then pressure was the whole thing so its all one color

TSYORK · #9 07/18/14, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtyHowi

can of aircraft stripper will take it off too. can get in spray can, spary on paint, let sit 10 minutes, pressure wash.

then pressure was the whole thing so its all one color

Lord do have mercy! Where would I find such as aircraft stripper?

simi-steading · #10 07/18/14, 02:43 PM

Autobody repair supply stores usually have aircraft stripper. I just looked and looks like Advance Auto might..

How old is the paint? if it's fairly new, I'd put some oven cleaner on it and let it sit in the sun a bit.. if that spot is in the sun.. .Or even soaking with boiling water a few times will loosen it before pressure washing..

BTW, I had mine out today taking care of gutters, bird cage, windows, and so on.... I took some old paint off the brick wall. Didn't dig into the bricks, but flaked the paint off..