# Exterior Scraping...?



## Metzger (Apr 3, 2012)

First post... 
Hello everyone. Last month my right hand man decided to find other work, so now I am a one man operation. Since this has brought down my production rate, I'm looking for ways to speed up the painting process. Especially with exterior work. Scraping seems to be one of the areas that hits me the hardest. What steps do you take for preparing exterior trim, sofit, facia, windows, to be painted? Do you scrape and sand? Or just scrape, prime and paint? Most houses I deal with are peeling relatively bad since I live in Minnesota. My problem is that I try to make everything perfect, which eats up time. How crazy do you get when it comes to scraping? Any help would be greatly appreciated!


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

I would start looking for a new "right hand man", especially if I had a bunch of scraping to do.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

where in MN?

I'm from MN too.


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

I scrape where its peeling or failing. Sometimes on solid stain i just take a putty knife or 5 way and it comes off in strips..alot easier that way. Sand to feather the edges and then prime. Viola.


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## Metzger (Apr 3, 2012)

I live in Minneapolis.. What about you?

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Paint Talk


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

I lived there for awhile in my "formative years".

Born and raised in the Red River Valley.


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## TERRY365PAINTER (Jul 26, 2009)

Minnesota in the house , raised in Minnesota , 
Hand scraping , keep a file on hand or go mechanical . No lead go with the Mikita 5in sander . And a cheapo for finish sanding . 
Ah I miss shoveling snow .


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## sortapro (Jun 30, 2011)

*titanium scraper*

I've always usd standard scrapers and putty knifes honed so sharp they're like a knife, until one lead job i landed last fall. The last crew that got kcked off by the city left behind a titanium scraper, the kind the has replaceable blades that cost like $7 a pack. With some proper elbow grease i could clear the same stretch of board with one strong pass instead of multiple scrapes. It kinda just tears away the loose old paint rather than scraping under it. For me, it has doubled my speed. Individual results may vary... i also bought a harbor freight version of wagners paint eater. I have not had a good scrape job or opprotunity to use it yet, but i saw good reviews from idahopainters, and they seem pretty knowlagable so i picked one up.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

scraping sucks.


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

Get helpers! Carbide scrapers. Follow all EPA rules on lead houses. Better yet avoid lead houses. Only feather sand on a time and materials basis. We scrape to a tight edge, but if they want to start fixing cosmetic issues (and yes I know feathering performs better) its T&M. Otherwise where do you stop? They get less picky when it's their dime. I'm talking old houses here. Not stuff built in the last couple decades.


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

When I was still painting, I had all sorts of homeowners with crazy ideas, they usually were from somewhere totally different like California. I had one homeowner after I was 95% done ask me why I wasn't going to scrape off all the old checking paint on the front of his home. What do you say to that? Nervously I told him that scraping involves scraping the areas that are failing, not just scraping some sound surface. That home I had actually used a porter cable grinder like the ones being sold in that thread by brian, then a heavy duty porter right angle orbital sander - spent 125 man-hours in scraping, grinding and sanding before one drop of primer or one goober of caulk went onto it. 

That's the thing I hated most - when does it end? I find older homes to be so unpredictable in how much time will be spent, some didn't look all that bad and ended up being monsters - some look horrible and end up not being that bad. And getting on the same page with homeowners as to how they wanted the final finish to look like seemed like pulling teeth. I sanded everything after scraping, when I was still painting - and not just feather sanding - full bore sanding. I thought homeowners would love me, and how much longer paint jobs would last, got some jobs that are 7 years old on 100+ year old homes with no sign of failure - no phones ringing off the hook for that service anymore.

If I had to do it all over again - it would be scrape only - and time and material for any sanding, with a review each day if homeowners wanted to go another day.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

plainpainter said:


> When I was still painting,


Dan, what are you doing these days? I was just reading your other posts about 1,000 a month in advertising and not likely to take on small jobs which led me to think you were becoming more active in paint again and then I read the above quote.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

i don't think Dan wants to admit he paints.

It sounds pretty noble:thumbsup:


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

The guys standing outside home depot in the morning probably would love scraping :thumbsup:


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

The carbide blades are the best, but impossible to sharpen.

The biggest secret to production scraping is having a VERY sharp blade and employing the correct angle of attack.

There's a trade off between having a blade that's easy to sharpen but dulls quickly, and one that stays sharp but impossible to sharpen.

I found the best middle ground was the Hyde triangle scraper:










The metal is hard enough to stay sharp longer than the softer two blade pull scraper:










One little trick I figured out was to sharpen the blades with my belt sander (with a fine belt).

I would take a few of them up the ladder with me all sharpened. Each tool had three blades (being a triangle). 

and that's my scraper secrets

OR, you just butcher the wood with a disc sander:












:no: :no:


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

Workaholic said:


> Dan, what are you doing these days? I was just reading your other posts about 1,000 a month in advertising and not likely to take on small jobs which led me to think you were becoming more active in paint again and then I read the above quote.



***sigh***


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Paint and Hammer said:


> ***sigh***


What?


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

daArch said:


> OR, you just butcher the wood with a disc sander:
> 
> 
> View attachment 10861
> ...


I generally just use a sharp 5-1

Bill it doesn't look like that would was sanded at all. Looks like aliens created crop circles on it.


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## playedout6 (Apr 27, 2009)

13 HP Honda Pressure washer...best scraper in the World and it never gets tired like the elbow or shoulder . I also have 2 guys come behind and get any loose stuff as it comes off very easily when wet . We usually use the bar scrapers...and they are knuckle killers but are very versatile with both ends usuable . The pressure washer with the proper tip is by far the best way the answer for this area .


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

playedout6 said:


> 13 HP Honda Pressure washer...best scraper in the World and it never gets tired like the elbow or shoulder . I also have 2 guys come behind and get any loose stuff as it comes off very easily when wet . We usually use the bar scrapers...and they are knuckle killers but are very versatile with both ends usuable . The pressure washer with the proper tip is by far the best way the answer for this area .


I find you gotta be very careful. Pumping too much water into the wood isn't a great idea. 

Plus there is usually quite a bit of loose stuff it can't remove without mechanical means after. 

Just my experience.

I like to scrape and then do a soft wash.


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## Rick the painter (Mar 30, 2009)

makita gv 5000 and experience.


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

Workaholic said:


> What?



I was in agreement with you.....and sighing along with you, we pointed inconsistencies awhile back.


......that's what.


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## playedout6 (Apr 27, 2009)

TJ Paint said:


> I find you gotta be very careful. Pumping too much water into the wood isn't a great idea.
> 
> Plus there is usually quite a bit of loose stuff it can't remove without mechanical means after.
> 
> ...


Yes you have to be careful of over working the surface and that comes with experience . Sometimes you do hit a spot and it explodes...and in that case it had to be replaced because it probably was rotten . I usually run at 3500 pounds and I always start away from the surface and ease in to a sweet spot/distance to work from and I always do a quick pass over a section and then a slower follow up one to finish . I also have workers come behind me and scrape the loose remain off...and there ALWAYS will be some paint that does not come off...it will be staying unless you want to scar the wood surface permanently . 

Keep in mind that 99 % of the exterior jobs that we do are wood shingles and all about 20-80 years old . Using a pressure washer on cedar siding has never worked for us in this area . We always scrape the cedar siding by hand .


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Thesnapshield™ said:


> After 27 years as mostly a one man show, I pressure wash then I use a 4" anglo grinder with 60/80 grit or whatever works best. Nasty loud and dangerous but it does a quick nice job. Watch out for lead. After that I started using this cool paint shield for roofs that it cuts my trips up the ladder by at least 1/2 and the productivity goes up the roof. Check *(spam) *


lol. What?


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