"frank1492" wrote in message
...
For years I have been repainting (not staining) this porch about
once
a year and not worrying too much about appearance (uneven paint
layers, blistering.) Today I decided I would "do it right." (Not so
sure that was a good idea.)
The porch appears to consist of oak tongue and groove. There has
been some shrinkage so it will be necessary to fill some deep
cracks,
some as wide as 1/4". As for the paint removal, large areas can be
lifted off with a putty knife, but other large areas remain
unmovable.
The wood surface is generally in good condition and I don't see a
lot
of surface or other rot. The boards really don't need to be
replaced.
As there are several layers of paint, I have ruled out use of a
liquid remover, which brings me either to burning or use of a floor
sander. (It's a fairly small area.)
What are your thoughts? I don't really see using a standard
propane torch as I think it would take too long. (Is there any
better
tool for burning off paint?) And I am concerned that the floor
sander
might not get through all the layers. (If a floor sander is an
option,
what size should I get and what grit of sandpaper?) I don't need to
end up with a really smooth finish, anything would be better than
what I have!

I have something like this -
http://www.amazon.com/Warner-000-Wat.../dp/B0000A14RC

Hold it over the surface for 6-10 seconds, then scrape. It works best
when there are multiple layers of paint. Leave the loose paint on
before heating - it keeps the underlining wood from burning. I use a
thin bladed putty "knife" as a scraper.

Bob