This paint stripper is tough enough to deliver the heat to remove layers of paint in seconds and gentle enough for any DIY homeowner.
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I Tried the Spengar IR Paint Stripper and Love Removing Paint Without the Chemicals
Updated on Oct. 21, 2024
When it comes to removing paint you have several options and none of them usually seem appealing. There’s the chemical option wherein you pull on industrial-grade rubber gloves, PPE and lay out a tapestry of protective tarps. You read instructions, gather chemical-worthy containers, set aside a few sacrificial brushes and rags and get to work. When you’re done, egads, what do you do with all the leftover rags and chemical waste?
You might also be inclined to try brute force. After all, it’s a tried and true method. A little or a lot of sandpaper and elbow grease can get any job done but maybe not without a trip to the “crackabone.” That’s Cajun for chiropractor where I come from.
Methods to heat paint to remove it have been around for a while. Much of the equipment to do this is priced out of range for the casual and infrequent user. However, the Spengar Infrared Paint Stripper comes in at a consumer-friendly price and gets the job done.
What is the Spengar IR Paint Stripper?
This IR paint stripper uses standard 120v electricity to heat a ceramic plate that’s placed upon the surface containing the paint. It’s handheld and heats a surface approximately 10 inches by 2.5 inches, which seems to be just enough to cover a standard piece of molding or even a 2×4. It heats the paint to a point where it can be scraped off the wood, but not go so far as being a fire or health hazard by setting the wood or paint on fire or releasing toxic lead fumes if the paint contains them.
The Spengar stripper runs between 200 and 400 hundred degrees, which is high enough to heat most paints. For example, acrylics take a lower temperature to heat whereas something with multiple layers of paint may need a longer heating time or repeated exposure to heat. Also, the wood’s porosity is another factor.
VIA MERCHANT
We Tried It
Spengar IR Paint Stripper
This infrared paint stripper removes paint without chemicals.
Spengar IR Paint Stripper Features
The infrared paint stripper is a corded, electric device that uses 400 watts of power to heat its ceramic heating surface. Place the stripper on the surface of the item on which you want to strip paint with the metal casing. The heating element should be held approximately one-half inch from the surface. The casing around the device enables you to rest the machine upon the surface to be stripped.
Hold the device without the risk of being burned with the foam-covered handle. Setting the device’s top side down prevents it from heating a surface while the stripper is not in use. It weighs in at under 2.5 pounds making it easy to hold over items you wish to strip. Plus, the handle folds for easy storage.
How We Tested It
I set out to test the Spengar IR paint stripper on a couple of different types of paint on various surfaces. To keep the testing consistent, I did not use any boiled linseed oil or spirits to expedite or assist in the paint removal. Additionally, the older the paint, the harder it is to remove since much of it may have soaked into the wood and the paint is usually more dried out.
The user manual stated that acrylic paint requires a shorter heating time so I started there. Heating the paint to a point where it can be easily scraped off should take 10-20 seconds indoors or 20-30 seconds outdoors according to Spengar. My first attempt on old, acrylic paint on a soft wood resulted in the paint not being heated enough. I ended up heating the surface for about 35-45 seconds and after it began smoking, I was able to easily scrape off some of the paint.
The idea behind using a heat source to remove paint is to get the paint to a point where it is bubbling and smoking simultaneously. Reaching this state was proving to be challenging with the older acrylic paint on soft wood but after moving to a semi-gloss enamel on harder wood I was able to witness the magic. Again, I heated the surface for longer than I expected—probably 45 seconds until I began to see smoke. When I removed the paint stripper from the surface, I was pleased to see the formation of some bubbles. I took my 9-in-1 scraper to the paint and it took off at least the first layer. If I wasn’t able to strip all the paint, a second pass with the stripper did the job and even removed a layer of primer under the paint.
Pros
- No fumes
- No clean up
- Easy prep
- No need for specialized protective equipment
Cons
- Only clears off small areas at a time
- May require several passes
FAQ
Do infrared paint removers work?
Yes! With infrared heat, paint comes off surfaces quickly and gently, allowing you to scrape with little effort.
Are infrared paint removers safe?
Lead vaporizes at around 750 degrees. Infrared strippers get to about 400 degrees, so they don’t vaporize the lead. This makes them safer than heat guns, which can get much hotter.
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
“I hate stripping wood! Promised the spouse I’d take some trim in our kitchen down to the wood since they like the wood look,” writes Kantrell Cameron in her five-star review on Amazon. “Bought this IR stripper to hopefully make the process go faster and this thing is great.”
Verified purchaser D. Jones says, “We bought this to strip years of paint from windows in a 160+-year-old, 52-room building, once a Poor Home, now a Historical Museum, and if it died tomorrow, we’d buy another. Yes, it works that well.”
Joann also rates the stripper five stars and states, “We have an old house with various amounts of paint layers. After spending hours and hours of scraping, this is wonderful. It only takes minutes to strip areas that would have taken hours and it doesn’t produce dust or nasty fumes.”
Product Comparison
Most infrared paint strippers come in at a fairly steep price while the Spengar IR Paint Stripper comes in at a cost that is reasonable for the occasional user. This makes it appealing for users with one or a few items or projects that require paint removal. For the hobbyist or furniture restorer, it’s a great addition to your painting toolbox.
Final Verdict
Forget the mess, prep and clean up associated with smelly chemical paint strippers. With the Spengar IR Paint Stripper, you can now strip old paint in any location off of windows, doors and trim. This tool is a must-have for those interested in rejuvenating projects, all at an economical price.
VIA MERCHANT
We Tried It
Spengar IR Paint Stripper
This revolutionary new tool packages cutting-edge infrared technology for safe and efficient removal of paint at a price that DIYers and restorers can afford.
Find the Spengar Infrared Paint Stripper on Walmart and Amazon for $130-$140 and try out chemical-free paint removal.
