Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989




-----

Stripping paint from antique Galvanized windmill

March 11, 2012

Q. Hello,
My husband just found a wonderful 102 year old windmill that was unfortunately painted in the last 50 years. We are trying to restore it, and so don't want to scrape or damage the patina. We are certainly planning on putting in a lot of elbow grease but are wondering if there is any advise out there. Better to learn in the beginning.
Thank you

Brenda Stone
ranch owner, restorer - Boonville, California, USA

---

March 15, 2012

You could use several different paint strippers without damaging the zinc.
Dilute caustic soda [affil links] (NaOH) as sometimes used in wood stripping, can be used.
Or one of the methylene chloride paint strippers, but these are sometimes hard to find in some countries.
Don't think of anything that's acidic -- that will take off the galvanizing. And on an old item like that, don't be too abrasive.

Geoff Crowley
Crithwood Ltd.
Westfield, Scotland, UK