Stripping what looks like solid. Thompson's Product

[PowerPlay 14]

Hi All,

I have a job coming up where the homeowner applied two coats over three years of a Thompson's product. The stain on the deck still looks very solid on the rails and spindles. Usually when I see Thompson's it is semi transparent. This is the first Thompson's I have seen that looks pretty opaque. Does anyone have experience stripping this? I looked at the metal square can and couldn't find ingredients anywhere. I don't know what I am up against. I will be working on it late this week.

Thanks for any opinions.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

test and test again...make sure not to commit to a price before you know it will come off with normal procedures..could be one tough mofo of a job!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

use alcohol and a rag to test to see if it is acrylic or latex. Acrylic will come off with this test, latex will not.

This narrows down what you are dealing with.

Rod!~

[plainpainter 217]

Rod - 'latex' is an industry term that represents resins like vinyl acrylics and 100% acrylics. There hasn't been an actual honest to goodness latex resin in 'latex' paints for over 40 years. Denatured alchol will remove all 'latex' products 100% acrylic or not.

[PowerPlay 14]

Thanks everyone. I was mainly hoping to hear if anyone has experience with a Thompson's product like I was explaining. However, the alchohol trick is good to know. I usually just avoided jobs with acrylic in the past.

So if it is acrylic, can you strip the entire deck with the alchohol?

Thanks.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I think the way it works, is the an oil will not budge, but the acrylic will....with the alcohol test.

Beth

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Daniel,

Thank you for the correction, being in a hurry does lend to some mistakes. The test will determine between an 'oil' and acrylic as Beth mentioned.

Rod!~

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Does anyone want to explain why the alcohol works to remove the acrylic but not the oil? ;) That might be useful too....

Beth :sunshine: :cup: :groovy3:

[PowerPlay 14]

Oh I see. So if it comes off with the alcohol be prepared to put another coat of paint on, lol.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

:lol: ....you could do that...YUCK!

Beth

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Something about protic solvents, organic versus synthetics, and molecular weight. Higher the molecular weight of an acrylic the harder it is for alcohol to work on it.