Strippers

[CLASSICPW 14]

No, not high heels and thongs. Is there that much of a difference, besides being cost effective, from HD-80 and store bought strippers. I've been using Flood stripper and I'm getting ready to buy HD-80, just want to know.

[Firedkm 14]

Big time difference. The store bought at your home depots etc. are consumer grade products. There abilities to strip are tuned down so to speak. So its less of a liability for the manufacture. The hd-80 and some of the others on the web are contractor grade chemicals. They are more agressive and need to be handled carefully. You actually save money using these type of chems than using the home depot stuff. You save in cost of product (because you have to use more of the cheap stuff to get the results that are even close to the good stuff), takes less time and is easier to clean.

[RyanH 14]

In high school chemistry we only used 10% - 20% acid in our labs, however our teacher always ordered it at around 95%. We asked her why she didn't just order it in the amount she needed so she wouldn't have to dilute it everytime. The short answer was that water is free and shipping is expensive. The stuff you buy in stores has been diluted (mostly for liability, as has been said) and you are paying for alot of water (even bleach is usually 93% water). Buying more concentrated stuff gives you much more flexibility and is cheaper in the long run. Plus, you have to consider that the stores try to make stuff "idiot proof" because most people don't read directions. As such, they generally are not good for high quality work.

[CLASSICPW 14]

I've got a major issue. When I strip a deck I mask off all the siding and everything else. Well today, some stripper got through and completely destroyed the aluminum siding below the deck. Is there any fool proof method to keep the stripper from touching anything else on the house. I'm waiting for their lawer to call me.

[John T 744]

Strippers will eat at Aluminum and other Metals. I heard of Stainless steel Barbecue's being gnawed at From Strippers.

I use Hd-80 stripper and so far I've had no problems with it attacking metal. I just stripped a deck the other day and I got some of the stripper on there aluminum storm door. I knew this might happen so I soaked the door down first with water then rinsed it again as soon as the stripper got on it. This is the key because if you rinse the stripper fast enough(I believe the container states that you must rinse within 90 seconds to avoid problems and of course the sooner the better)it will not cause any problems to the metal it landed on.

I know this doesn't help you now but its just for future references with dealing with strippers or at least HD-80.

Is the Aluminum pitted?? If not maybe it can be painted(sprayed) to match up with the rest of the house. IF this is not an option best of luck on your situation.

[Henry B. 4]

You may be able to clean the siding and then get some paint from someone that sells siding in your area to match the existing color. If not, try getting a sample and get some paint from duron for alluminum siding. Contact the homeowner immediatly when something like this happens. Let them know what happened and that you will take care of it so they won't have to worry about it. If nothing else, hire a siding company to replace the damaged siding. Waiting for a lawyer to call you is crazy. You need to act quickly to solve this problem before it becomes a huge issue. The customer may be upset but if you take the initiative and fix the problem you will come out looking like a saint instead of someone who ruined their siding.

[Aplus 525]

Henry is right on the mark.

[James 624]

I don't mask or use tape when stripping. I will block an area with card board or something. I want to be able to rinse. I'm always rinsing down ajacent areas. Tape holds the stripper.

[Firedkm 14]

I dont mask either. I just make sure I rinse down the siding to be safe. No problems as of yet.

I hope you said something to the homeowner. If you did not I would reccommend doing so and take the resposibility to get it fixed. Henry is right on the money for this. It may cost you money out of you on pocket, but it will save your reputation as a contractor. The worst advertising you could have is a customer telling others how you messed something up and left it. The best advertising you could have is the customer saying even though he made a mistake he took the time to make it right.

Good luck

[CLASSICPW 14]

I talked to the customer and he was so overwhelmed by how good the deck looks that he didn't even care about the siding. I even offered a free full house wash for compensation and he turned it down. Lucky. So your telling me that hd-80 does not harm aluminum siding?

[reed 500]

No hd80 will harm siding, but you take the precautions of constantly wetting and rinsing to handle that.

Reed

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

As a rule, I keep a sprayer of citralic at the ready in the event something does get onto the siding to quickly neutralize it. Its just common sense really. Once you understand what chems will affect and take precautions to avoid this type of situation in the future, you will do just fine. One rule of thumb is...ALWAYS keep re-evaluating your work and your methods, as well as your products. You will learn nothing otherwise and become another one of the disconnected phone numbers in the phone book.

Keep the questions coming, its how we all learn.

My philosophy is 'the only dumb question is the one you DIDNT ask!" :)

Rod~:seeya: