The key questions, for me, are what wood are they made of; were they originally painted or stained; how smooth are they and are you dealing with a lead paint issue?

Some woods are better left painted.

Some design concepts were intended to be painted, right from the start. What can you tell from other Gill houses?

Sometimes wood was stained initially prior to someone else painting it, in which case you not only have to remove the paint, but extract the stain coloration as well.

If the beams are rough sawn, getting paint out of the grain and crevices will require sanding, not just paint removal to totally remove it.

If I was removing just paint overhead in an occupied building like this (assuming no lead paint is present) I would use a heated plate stripper in preference to a sander, though a sander might be quicker. You need to have a deft hand to it that way, though.

If you have lead paint, then I'd recoat it in situ, even if I painted it dark brown to look like old wood.

I'd try covering up the beams tightly with tape or plastic and doing a mock-up of the proposed colors to see how you like it, first.

I've never had too much luck with any of the propreitary stripping compounds, and I've tried a range from the flammable, cancer-causing, obnoxiously smelly chemical type to the "green" ones made from soybeans and orange rinds. Whenever I am faced with a big stripping project, I always try what's new, only to end up with the plate stripper and the sander, alas. Perhaps someone here can suggest a really good stripper, in which case I'll be very grateful you posted your question.

Molly~

Hey Molly,

Thanks for your answer to this and to the many other questions I've posted. :)

I need to test for lead. I don't know.

The wood was intended to be seen. I think it's pine -- the other unpainted beams in the house are. It's not rough sawn, but there are some cracks in a few of them.

With all of the work around here this is probably terribly unrealistic anyway. The room also doesn't have the very best airflow.

If the beams were painted imemdiately on installation it may be feasible to remove the paint. My sister-in law is a timberframer--I've seen many installation, and pretty much all beams wil crack and check somewhat after installation.

IF (and this is a big if) it was painted _before_ it cracked, you'll only have a surface layer to deal with. but if--as I suspect--it was painted some time after it cracked, you'll have a devil of a time getting the paint out o fthe cracks, if you ever do.

If you're really determined to depaint the beams, Ii'd just plane it with a handheld power planer. The beam's probably strong enough to plane off an inch on all sides without affecting strength; 18x18" is insanely oversized. Which is to say taht 1/16 inch won't make a damn bit of difference and will likely get almost all the paint. Ask an engineer, of course. You'd end up with 'new looking' wood, which may bother you more (or less) than paint, though it won't stay new looking forever.

Eric,

THanks so much for the information. I am sure that, as you suspect, that the beams were painted after they cracked, so that is an issue. The beams in question are actually only about 10", we've got others that are 18" but, luckily, were never painted. I'm not sure why since at some point in the house's history the stone fireplace was painted a yellow-gold color. It has been sandblasted, luckily. I expect the large beams remained unpainted because no one had a tall enough ladder. :)

We're actually in the middle of stripping an entire redwood T&G ceiling. So far Peelaway 7 is the big winner, but it's slow tedious work.

Sandblasting will remove the paint and should leave a nice grained look. One drawback is sometimed the knots do not want to release the stain. preperation is key, covering and masking nearby surfaces is crucial.

Sandblasting will remove the paint and should leave a nice grained look. One drawback is sometimed the knots do not want to release the stain. preperation is key, covering and masking nearby surfaces is crucial.

removing the 3 layers on an over head beam is an unholy pain in the neck and back. sloppy face splattering is the norm. think michleangelo and the sistine chapel. it's only when you get to paint in the grain that you will know what frustration really is. but that's just me.

green zeus, i like the way you think.

Green-Zeus, what brand do you recommend for a full color stain? I have some beams in my dining room that are painted and originally thought I wanted to remove the paint. After doing one beam of ten, I'll do anything to find a product that makes it look like wood. Thanks for your help. Matt

I would also love to know what stain you used. We are dealing with a large beam in our Tudor Revival home that was painted over :( and my google search landed me here. We have discussed sand blasting, stripping, painting, etc. but want the easiest solution.

@Green-Zeus - We have beams that are painted bright white. Should I do some preparation before attempting the stain?