How to strip paint from exposed timber beam?

tom138

Hi there, looking for some advise on what paint stripper would be most suitable for this application? This looks like hardwood beam with several layers of old paint on it. I cannot sand it as it sort of rough sawn:

I am looking for something ideally non-toxic, not too messy but something that works. Looking at product reviews online, it seems quite difficult to find a clear winner. 

Many thanks,

Tom

MitchellMc

Hi @tom138,

Removing paint from rough-sawn timber can definitely be tricky. Paint strippers tend to work best on smooth, flat surfaces, as you still need to scrape the softened paint off — which is much harder on a textured surface like a rough-sawn beam. Even when strippers are effective, you’ll often still need to follow up with sanding to get rid of any residual paint caught in the timber grain.

You could certainly try a stripper, but just a heads-up — most are messy and quite potent. One of the better options for a less harsh approach is DIGGERS 1L Paint Stripper, which is Methylene Chloride-free and low-odour. However, the trade-off is that it’s also less aggressive, so it’ll take more time and effort to get results, especially on rough timber.

Personally, I’d recommend skipping the stripper altogether and moving straight to sanding. It might take a bit of work, but you'll likely get a better and cleaner result in the end. A combination of a wire brush and coarse grit sandpaper could help tackle the texture without completely smoothing out the beam if you're aiming to retain some of that rough-sawn look. 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell