Anyone got any bright ideas about removing a PVA film on a smallish
area of 10 year old plaster. Trying with a steamer and scraper but
it's taking an age. Probably about 1 sq. m. altogether.

Maris

Maris wrote:
Anyone got any bright ideas about removing a PVA film on a smallish
area of 10 year old plaster. Trying with a steamer and scraper but
it's taking an age. Probably about 1 sq. m. altogether.

Maris

This is an outside chance. I discovered by accident that methylated
spirit softens emulsion paint (yes the hard way!). I now use it to
remove small areas of paint for extending tiling etc. I think that PVA
is chemically similar so you might try that. Cover anything likely to be
damaged, eg paint. I brush it on several times over a few minutes, then
it scrapes off.

Good luck

Peter Scott

On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:41:04 +0000, Peter Scott
wrote:



Maris wrote:
Anyone got any bright ideas about removing a PVA film on a smallish
area of 10 year old plaster. Trying with a steamer and scraper but
it's taking an age. Probably about 1 sq. m. altogether.

Maris

This is an outside chance. I discovered by accident that methylated
spirit softens emulsion paint (yes the hard way!). I now use it to
remove small areas of paint for extending tiling etc. I think that PVA
is chemically similar so you might try that. Cover anything likely to be
damaged, eg paint. I brush it on several times over a few minutes, then
it scrapes off.

Good luck

Peter Scott

You were on the right track. Meths, in fact, didn't work (waste of
£2.48, I suppose I could drink it) but some Cellulose Thinners, that I
had knocking about, did seem to work.

Maris

Maris wrote:


You were on the right track. Meths, in fact, didn't work (waste of
£2.48, I suppose I could drink it) but some Cellulose Thinners, that I
had knocking about, did seem to work.

Maris


You can a filter to remove the blue colour before you drink it!!!
Actually meths is a handy thing to have around. I always clean and
degrease hard surfaces with it before I use any glue. Also good as a
whiteboard cleaner, and windscreens if you are careful not to spash on
the paintwork.

I'll make a mental note about using thinners for PVA. I'll bet that
question gets asked again.

Peter Scott

Peter Scott wrote:


Maris wrote:


You were on the right track. Meths, in fact, didn't work (waste of
£2.48, I suppose I could drink it) but some Cellulose Thinners, that I
had knocking about, did seem to work.

Maris


You can a filter to remove the blue colour before you drink it!!!
Actually meths is a handy thing to have around. I always clean and
degrease hard surfaces with it before I use any glue. Also good as a
whiteboard cleaner, and windscreens if you are careful not to spash on
the paintwork.

I'll make a mental note about using thinners for PVA. I'll bet that
question gets asked again.

Peter Scott

More on alcohol. I just read a book about the restoration of an ancient
text that had been badly repaired recently including the use of PVA. The
restorer used isopropanol and water to release the glue's grip. This was
on a priceless and ancient text so time was not a problem. But it does
say that this form of alcohol would do the trick in a delicate situation.

Peter Scott

On Tue, 18 Dec 2007 09:19:35 +0000, Peter Scott
wrote:



Peter Scott wrote:


Maris wrote:


You were on the right track. Meths, in fact, didn't work (waste of
£2.48, I suppose I could drink it) but some Cellulose Thinners, that I
had knocking about, did seem to work.

Maris


You can a filter to remove the blue colour before you drink it!!!
Actually meths is a handy thing to have around. I always clean and
degrease hard surfaces with it before I use any glue. Also good as a
whiteboard cleaner, and windscreens if you are careful not to spash on
the paintwork.

I'll make a mental note about using thinners for PVA. I'll bet that
question gets asked again.

Peter Scott

More on alcohol. I just read a book about the restoration of an ancient
text that had been badly repaired recently including the use of PVA. The
restorer used isopropanol and water to release the glue's grip. This was
on a priceless and ancient text so time was not a problem. But it does
say that this form of alcohol would do the trick in a delicate situation.

Peter Scott

Actually, you jogged my memory that I need to undo a poor PVA repair
job that I did on the armrest of a William Morris chair that I have!

Maris