POR Auto Bodywork Paint Stripper
Cost:
US Quart (946ml) Approx £15. (Purchased from Frost Auto Restorations)
Background:
Every now and again you need to remove paint to back to bare metal. Of course blasting is good but if you don’t have a blaster then you need a paint stripper. I have tried a few in the past and the paint bubbles and that’s about it, scrapping and elbow grease to follow. I have used the POR15 paints and have been impressed and thought I would try the paint remover.
The piece is an air filter box that has been abused, it needs the massive dent knocking out of it and filling to smooth.
The product label
Application:
Firstly the POR Strip comes in a metal can with the instructions on the front. Shake well before use and decant into the spray bottle provided. Spray onto paint and try to avoid runs. It’s not recommended to apply in direct sun and out of windy locations. The garage is an ideal place. Leave to dry for approx. 15 mins and then scrap of paint with a plastic or suitable tool. Re-apply a second coat and use steel wool to clean the final surface.
As soon as the spray hits the paint it starts it process and the slightest of ripples will appear. After a minute or so it’s quite clear the paint is being eaten into and starts to bubble and lift up. It’s amazing to watch. The mixture is like a water based spray but only slightly thicker. A fine mist with the spray is the best results allowing it to get into tight areas and apply an even coat.
This is the second light spray going onto the lid. The paint here was liquefied within a few seconds and was able to spread the paint about with a rag!
Results:
The results I achieved were with no effort at all. I sprayed and allowed the formula to dry, I then scrapped the surface with a filler knife gently. The paint just fell of leaving some of the undercoat on the outside paint. A second spray application sorted that out. I didn’t use any wire wool just to see what would happen and how good the product is. Rinse with water as recommended only and using an old rag rubbed of some of the paint. The great results are here to see for yourself without the wire wool for a top job!
Rating: 9 out 10
Why the score:
Although I was hoping that this was going to be a single application to remove the paint, but depending on the thickness of the paint it’s a two-step process. The first application lifts the paint as expected but a second spray and a little wire wool to agitate the stubborn paint off is required for the paint free finish. The odour is quite heavy and I would say in a ventilated area for use is a must. I was going to give this an eight for the two-step process but the speed at which this works negates the two-step process to be fair. If this was to soak into the paint and lift the whole lot of in a single go then it would certainly be a full marks. However, all the paint was removed from inside with a single application but on the outside it took two applications as recommended to get to the metal. The spray trigger stopped working after a half of the spraying and just wouldn’t work anymore, luckily I had a spare and swapped them over and all was fine after that. Perhaps I got a dodgy spray trigger maybe. I wasn’t to bothered for myself, but if I only had one trigger then I would have been a bit annoyed as I would have had to paint it on! The limited shelf life was also considered for the overall score.
Shelf Life:
The shelf life is only 6 months either opened or unopened. I would expect it to last longer than that to be honest and considering the cost I would save all those little projects up that need stripping and then do them all at the same time to make sure you get the full benefit and don’t end up throwing it away. Order wisely.
Conclusion:
Would I buy it again? Definitely. Would I recommended it? Definitely.
It says this is for professional use – I am interested to see what body shops use to remove old paint for a bare metal re-spray if they can’t blast for some reason.
Important Note:
Make sure you wear gloves, it does not say it on the tin, but if it’s on your skin for a while it will burn. Trust me. The tin says avoid contact with skin and eyes but that’s about it, apart from it may give you cancer if you live in the State of California. After reading that I also wore a face mask too.
Quick links:
POR-Strip video review on YouTube – click the logo to take you to the video 