How to remove paint from metal hinges

[Louis Brandt]

Hello,

This isn’t a woodworking question per se, but it’s close, since I’m doing woodworking on this project. If the moderators think that it should be moved to another forum, please do so.

I’m in the process of repairing and repainting my garage doors, and all of the metal hinges have layers of paint on them. I’d like to remove the hinges, one at a time, and soak them in something to remove the paint. It’s latex paint (I think).

What would you recommend that I soak the hinges in to remove the paint?

Thanks,
Louis

[Lloyd McKinlay]

good luck using a strong solution of TSP. Wear gloves as it draws all the oil from your hands.

[Rob Cooper]

I have soakes painted hinges in Lacquer thinner overnight. I still had to clean them with a steel brush. Brass came out looking to cloudy to leave unpainted. If I were to do it again, I would, after soaking, wrap the hinges in window screening and go to town with a pressure cleaner.

[Jason Roehl]

Instead of a highly-volatile solvent like lacquer thinner, use Brush and Roller Cleaner instead. It's roughly the same cocktail of solvents, but doesn't evaporate as quickly. After you let them soak for some time, use a stiff, nylon or brass-bristle brush to scrub off the paint.

Another option would be a stripper of some sort...

[Roger Lance]

try placing painted hinge in pot of boiling water...let soak...I've had some success with this method.

[Michael Prisbylla]

I had a whole house full of hinges to do this way. I ended up just using a wire wheel to strip the paint.

[Matt Meiser]

If its just latex, something mild should do the trick, but if you need to use stripper, Aircraft Stripper, which I've gotten at Autozone in the past, will take any paint off. But it will eat plastic and will burn your skin, so you need to be careful.

[Phil Green]

Louis,

I think Roger has it right. I've had very good luck just using boiling water. It softens many layers and isn't harmful to your skin or the environment.

Of course you can use any caustic you want, but when you start brushing on it get off the small areas that may stick, you always end up with something either on your skin or in your eye. Never liked working with any kind of stripper.

Phil

[Mark Bolton]

Boiling them in vinegar will usually strip any paint.

Mark

[David G Baker]

I use liquid dishwasher soap. 1/4 cup in a quart of water and boil. Dishwasher soap can do some interesting things.

[Frank Hagan]

+2 for boiling water.

Hot water works really well for latex paint, without damaging the surface of the metal under it.

The other thing I've used is a latex paint remover, Goof Off or something like that, found in the paint aisle at Lowes, Home Depot and ACE. It works best for paint overspray and drips where you can't soak the item in hot water.

[adam prochaska]

I used an old crockpot with water and dishwashing soap. I left them overnight and all the paint comes right off. It leaves the hinges/hardware with a nice "tarnish" and does not make them shiny, which i liked.

[Louis Brandt]

Thanks for all of the replies. I've been using the boiling water method that many of you suggested, and it's working well. I do have to use a wire brush or steel wool pad to get the small amount of remaining paint off, but it's working fine.
Thanks again. I always get great help from this forum, and I appreciate all of you.

[Jeff Todd]

Boiling them in vinegar will usually strip any paint.

Mark



boil a mix of vinegar and water works GREAT. safer and cheaper than strippers or thinners.

[Gary Venable]

I have done the hot water as well works like a champ. Take on old crock pot fill with water and hinges handles ect. and set on high overnight. Next day you can rub the paint off with your fingers (I used a brass brush).

[Prashun Patel]

Boiling them in vinegar will usually strip any paint.

Mark

+1 on this method. You can help the process along by removing the hinges every now and then and rubbing with a stiff bristled (plastic) brush.