How to Strip Paint from Wood in London: Heat Gun, Chemical and Infrared Methods Compared

When Stripping Is the Right Decision

Not every repaint requires stripping back to bare wood. A sound, well-adhered existing paint surface can often be cleaned, lightly sanded, and overcoated with excellent results. But in many London period properties — particularly Victorian and Georgian houses in Belgravia, Chelsea, Kensington, and Fulham — decades of accumulated paint layers have obscured the crispness of mouldings, gummed up sash window mechanisms, and built up to a thick, uneven coating that no amount of sanding will improve.

In these situations, stripping back to bare wood is the only way to restore the original profile and achieve a finish worthy of the joinery. The question is which method to use, and the answer depends on the timber, the age of the paint, the location within the property, and the lead content of the existing coatings.

The Lead Paint Question

Any property built before 1992 — and most London period properties predate 1930 — may have lead paint on its woodwork, particularly on external joinery, staircases, and window frames. Lead-based paints were standard until the mid-twentieth century and were not fully banned for residential use in the UK until 1992.

Before choosing a stripping method, it is essential to test for lead. Inexpensive swab test kits are available from decorating suppliers, or a sample can be sent to a laboratory for definitive analysis. If lead is present, the stripping method must be chosen to minimise dust generation and vapour release, and appropriate PPE — including a P3 particulate respirator — must be worn.

Heat Gun Stripping

The electric heat gun is the most widely used stripping tool among London decorators. It works by softening the paint film with a directed stream of hot air, typically at 400–600°C, allowing the softened paint to be scraped away with a shave hook or broad scraper.

Advantages: fast, relatively inexpensive, no chemical waste, effective on thick multi-layer paint build-up. A skilled decorator can strip a panelled door in under two hours.

Disadvantages: generates heat that can scorch timber if the gun lingers too long, creates localised fumes (a concern in poorly ventilated London rooms), and poses a genuine fire risk near dry timber, lath-and-plaster walls, and concealed voids. On lead paint, the temperatures involved can vaporise lead, creating a significant inhalation hazard.

Best suited to: thick paint on flat or gently curved surfaces — skirting boards, architraves, door panels. Less effective on intricate mouldings where the scraper cannot follow the profile.

Chemical Stripping

Chemical paint strippers work by dissolving or swelling the paint film so that it can be scraped or washed off. Modern formulations have moved away from the highly effective but hazardous methylene chloride (dichloromethane) products that were standard for decades. The current generation of professional strippers — NBS, Peel Away, SmartStrip — use caustic or solvent-gel formulations that are slower but safer.

Paste strippers such as Peel Away are applied thickly, covered with a laminate blanket, and left for 12–48 hours. The paste draws the paint away from the wood, and the blanket is peeled off, bringing the paint with it. This is effective on intricate mouldings, carved details, and areas where scraping is impractical.

Gel strippers are brushed on, left for a shorter period (typically 30–60 minutes), and scraped off. They are effective on one or two layers but can require multiple applications on heavily built-up paintwork.

Advantages: no heat, no fire risk, effective on complex profiles, safe on lead paint (the lead is encapsulated in the paste or gel rather than released as dust or vapour).

Disadvantages: slow, messy, generates chemical waste that must be disposed of responsibly, can raise the grain of the wood if water-based, and caustic products can darken certain timbers — particularly oak.

Best suited to: ornate mouldings, carved details, window sashes with delicate glazing bars, and any situation where lead paint is present.

Infrared Paint Stripping

Infrared stripping is a relatively recent development that is gaining popularity among professional decorators in London. Devices such as the Speedheater and the Silent Paint Remover use infrared radiation to heat the paint from the surface inward, softening it at a lower temperature than a heat gun — typically around 200°C at the paint surface.

Advantages: the lower operating temperature means that lead paint is softened without being vaporised (lead vapour is released above approximately 370°C), making infrared significantly safer for lead paint removal. The heat penetrates multiple layers simultaneously, softening the entire paint build-up rather than just the top layer. There is less risk of scorching the wood, and the process is quieter and more controlled than a heat gun.

Disadvantages: the equipment is more expensive (a professional infrared unit costs several hundred pounds), the process is slower than a heat gun on simple flat surfaces, and it still requires manual scraping.

Best suited to: lead paint removal, delicate period joinery, sash windows, and situations where fire risk must be minimised — for example, in occupied London townhouses where the work is being carried out room by room.

Choosing the Right Method

In practice, professional decorators in London often use a combination of methods on a single project:

• Infrared for sash windows and areas with confirmed lead paint
• Chemical paste for ornate cornicing, carved newel posts, and deeply profiled mouldings
• Heat gun for skirting boards, plain architraves, and flat door panels where speed is important and lead is not present

After stripping by any method, the bare wood must be sanded smooth — typically to 120 grit — and treated with an appropriate primer before repainting. Knotting solution should be applied to any visible knots in softwood to prevent resin bleed.

Disposal and Compliance

Paint waste — whether chemical paste residue, heat-softened scrapings, or sanding dust — should be bagged, sealed, and disposed of through a licensed waste carrier. Lead paint waste is classified as hazardous and must not be placed in general skip or household waste. In London, several specialist waste carriers handle lead paint debris from residential decorating projects.

For properties in conservation areas or those that are listed — common across Belgravia, Mayfair, and Kensington — any stripping work should be carried out with an awareness of the building's heritage significance. Original joinery should be preserved wherever possible, and stripping should be a means of restoration rather than replacement.