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We are the official Australia distributor of TRADE STRIP® PAINT REMOVER products. Researched, developed and manufactured in the UK. Trade Strip paint and varnish remover is a revolutionary unique patented water-based paint stripper using “science not solvents” that is safer to its user and the environment than conventional hazardous solvents.

Our products are a non-toxic composition and consist predominantly of water, and yet exhibit effective paint, varnish, and lacquer plasticizing/softening characteristics. This is totally different chemistry to that of normal solvent-based formulations where there is no chemical reaction within the formulation, only with the surface and coating being stripped (and of course the user!). All components in the formulations are well established and have a long history as non-hazardous materials. The main ingredient, the carrier, water, and the materials are emulsified to form and oil
in water emulsion. All ingredients were carefully selected for their user and environmental benefits. Independent VOC testing show content is 0.000004% (virtually nil!). All ranges are differentiated with the labels and the larger sized products being available for trade and industrial use.

In Australia prior to 1970 paints used in many houses contained very high levels of lead, any exposure to these paints and lead is a serious health hazard. The smallest amount of paint flakes, chips and or dust containing lead, stirred up during a repaint and or maintenance can be a health risk.

It does not matter who is painting, or doing any kind of maintenance on a house that could disturb paint coatings containing lead, this should be avoided, it will leave themselves, families, pets and surrounding neighbours fully exposed to its health risks and hazards. It is especially dangerous to young children, pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Since 1992 the recommended amount of lead in domestic paints has been reduced considerably from 50% pre 1965, to much safer level of 0.1% in 1997.

Lead, like asbestos in houses is generally only problem if it is damaged or disturbed. Paint coatings in good condition that is not peeling, flaking, powdery or chalking, and or is covered by a well coated lead free paint is not a hazard.

Also lead can be hazardous when it is on surfaces that have friction or impact subjected to them, such as windows and doors, or on handrails, balustrading etc. where children can chew that surface. We have also found moderate to high concentrations of lead found in garden soils in residential areas, this is generally due to residue from poorly maintained paint coatings containing lead-based paint.
The most common places lead paint is found is on window, window frames, doors, door frames, skirting boards, kitchen and bathroom cupboards, exterior walls, eaves , gutters, metal surfaces and fascia. Not only is it found externally but also commonly found on internal walls, ceilings and all surfaces with enamel paint. The traditional old days pink and red primers both contain lead, you should really be thinking twice before disturbing any surfaces that has had any of these paints applied or visible red or pinks on underlying coatings.

It is common a lot of the time even painters and home renovators don’t even realize they are creating lead hazards when working at home or on job sites. When lead paint is not being handled correctly any residue, dust, paint chips, flakes can be left behind in the garden for many years after the renovation or repainting is completed. Any paint stripping / removal by dry sanding be by hand or power tools, blasting, burning creates the serious danger because the particles are small enough to be inhaled, deposited and left in furnishings, curtains or carpet, making complete removal extremely difficult and nearly impossible.

Do it yourself: tips for repainting your home„
epainting your home is a job that may seem difficult for those who are not professionals. Yet with some appropriate advice and some elbow grease it is possible to transform your home like the best painter around.

CLEAN THE WALLS The first step is to clean the walls you want to repaint. With a simple rubber you can remove the accidental stains left by pencils and furniture, while for the most demanding dirt just a little water and soap . An excellent strategy to adopt is also to pass on the walls a sponge soaked in water and bleach , in order to remove the marks caused by smoke or other agents.

PREPARATION After cleaning comes the time to prepare the walls. To avoid having to paint around the outlines of the furniture you need to move all the furniture in the center of the room, covering all parts with a sheet of plastic (available in hardware stores), to prevent splashes of paint can get on the furniture or the floor . The second step is to check for holes in the wall, easily filled with ready-made filler . Then window frames, switches and baseboards with paper tape should be covered, so that to make cleaning easier at the end of work. To remove traces of previous paint or other debris you can use the card glass , so as to eliminate any possible relief that could make repainting inaccurate.

THE PAINT But which paint must be used? Each wall has its own. The ideal is to be advised by the trusted hardware store, taking into account the fact that the breathable paints allow a greater permeability of the wall to the air and slow down the formation of mold. For environments such as kitchens it is advisable to use washable paints . Usually to paint a wall, two coats of paint are enough, with the second one passed once the first is dried. As for the color, you can choose the shade you want in the shop, otherwise just take some white paint to which the vials with the chosen color must be added.

THE COLOR The choice of color is certainly a very personal thing, but for certain environments there are more appropriate shades . For smaller areas, such as a narrow corridor, it is advisable to choose lighter shades such as teal or yellow. While for the rooms it is possible to create an intriguing chromatic effect going to paint the front wall of a very strong color, to then paint the other walls with light colors like white or purple-indigo.

CREATIVE TOUCH If the monochromatic wall seems little modern to you, the creative ideas to make your home more colorful can be different. With a sponge soaked in a darker color than the base with which the wall was painted, it is possible to create delicate imprints, otherwise you can embellish the wall with stencils or freehand drawings.

IT’S TIME TO PAINT Finally it’s time to paint. Bring a brush wide and flat for the walls, with the aid of a handle telescopic for ceilings. A small brush is ideal for precisely painting the narrowest areas. The roller is definitely a great tool to do quality work in the shortest possible time. Remember to apply the paint with energy in both directions, so as to obtain a uniform color and prevent the paint from dripping.

The water-resistant paint or water-repellent paint can be used in a wide variety of environments, both external and internal, mainly to act as a protective layer between the space of the facades and the atmospheric agents such as rain or even hails, but also between the surface of the walls and the accidental events such as stains in the bathroom and grease in the kitchen.

In fact the water repellent-paint has a unique chemical structure that allows it to prevent dirt from sticking to it and spores to form due to the presence of moisture, bacteria and water stagnation . So the water repellent paint can bring really appreciable advantages because it is a self-cleaning and anti-mold paint . Furthermore, the water-repellent paint can be used indifferently on any type of substrate, homogeneous or inhomogeneous, raw or plastered, in whatever color is desired.

The water-repellent paint can be spread relatively easily and, if you have planned a project to modernize the house that involves its elimination, it can be removed in an equally simple, albeit rather annoying way, even by anyone who loves to try at do-it-yourself. Here are some tips in the following guide: How to remove water repellent paint? How to make this job more unbearable? Put on your old work clothes and get ready to get your hands dirty.

Certainly you will need to wear a pair of work gloves and long, covering clothes in order to not leaving any part of your body exposed to the chemicals you will be required to handle. You will also need to use protective glasses to avoid the risk that either drops of solvent or loose pieces of water-repellent paint may inadvertently damage you if they splash on your face.

Finally, once the right precautions have been taken for your safety, also take care of the destiny of what is around you, that is of the place where you will have to do the stripping of the water repellent paint and of the objects present in it: spread some sheets of newspaper on the floor and cover the furniture and furnishings with cellophane sheets.

Interested? More info? Contact us now!

The next generation paint stripping services using environmentally methods and materials which can be used on almost any surface eg, stand stone, timber, render, brick. metal both old and new.

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