I’m actually in the surface restoration business and what thetinkerswagon posted is a accurate way to remove soot and dirt from limestone.
Paint removed from limestone or Sandstone is much more complicated more complicated.
There are chemical strippers available, but most have the potential to damage surfaces like limestone and sandstone.
Pressure Washing which is at 3000+ psi will gouge and damage soft stone like limestone and sandstone
Processes like Sandblasting and Soda blasting utilize dry media and on old buildings there’s a good chance that there’s going to be lead paint present… so the dry blasting process is just going to release lead in the surrounding area… which is extremely dangerous and expensive fine wise if it isn’t done correctly.
The other issue with dry media blasting is it’s extremely abrasive on the surface which is being restored, because it’s done at high pressures of between 90psi to 200psi which is required in dry blasting to remove paint.
Another way of doing it is to find someone who has a Farrow System in your area. The process DUST FREE and is similar to sandblasting and soda blasting, but much safer and gentler on the surface which is being restored, because it uses low pressure air… 45psi with a combination of water and a mineral called olivine which is a very brittle mineral that fractures upon impact so it doesn’t damage the surface being restored.
Also a Farrow System is a lot cleaner because Sand Blasting and Soda Blasting require between 200lbs and 500Lbs of media and hour where the Farrow System only uses 25Lbs to 50Lbs media to remove the same amount of paint and again the Farrow System won’t damage the limestone.
Do a google search for Farrow System in your area and I’m sure you’ll find someone that can help you.
Dale
I’m actually in the surface restoration business and what thetinkerswagon posted is a accurate way to remove soot and dirt from limestone.
Paint removed from limestone or Sandstone is much more complicated more complicated.
There are chemical strippers available, but most have the potential to damage surfaces like limestone and sandstone.
Pressure Washing which is at 3000+ psi will gouge and damage soft stone like limestone and sandstone
Processes like Sandblasting and Soda blasting utilize dry media and on old buildings there’s a good chance that there’s going to be lead paint present… so the dry blasting process is just going to release lead in the surrounding area… which is extremely dangerous and expensive fine wise if it isn’t done correctly.
The other issue with dry media blasting is it’s extremely abrasive on the surface which is being restored, because it’s done at high pressures of between 90psi to 200psi which is required in dry blasting to remove paint.
Another way of doing it is to find someone who has a Farrow System in your area. The process DUST FREE and is similar to sandblasting and soda blasting, but much safer and gentler on the surface which is being restored, because it uses low pressure air… 45psi with a combination of water and a mineral called olivine which is a very brittle mineral that fractures upon impact so it doesn’t damage the surface being restored.
Also a Farrow System is a lot cleaner because Sand Blasting and Soda Blasting require between 200lbs and 500Lbs of media and hour where the Farrow System only uses 25Lbs to 50Lbs media to remove the same amount of paint and again the Farrow System won’t damage the limestone.
Do a google search for Farrow System in your area and I’m sure you’ll find someone that can help you.
Dale
I had worked in a limestone building years ago and had consulted with a company that did stone preservation work about having our facade cleaned. They told me that limestone had to be treated carefully as it will erode easily. If I recall correctly, they said they would set a water hose at the top of the building and run it continuously for many days down the facade until all of the staining had been flushed out. There were to be no chemicals involved, no abrasives, no high pressure anything. I hope this helps,
I’m actually in the surface restoration business and what thetinkerswagon posted is a accurate way to remove soot and dirt from limestone.
Paint removed from limestone or Sandstone is much more complicated more complicated.
There are chemical strippers available, but most have the potential to damage surfaces like limestone and sandstone.
Pressure Washing which is at 3000+ psi will gouge and damage soft stone like limestone and sandstone
Processes like Sandblasting and Soda blasting utilize dry media and on old buildings there’s a good chance that there’s going to be lead paint present… so the dry blasting process is just going to release lead in the surrounding area… which is extremely dangerous and expensive fine wise if it isn’t done correctly.
The other issue with dry media blasting is it’s extremely abrasive on the surface which is being restored, because it’s done at high pressures of between 90psi to 200psi which is required in dry blasting to remove paint.
Another way of doing it is to find someone who has a Farrow System in your area. The process DUST FREE and is similar to sandblasting and soda blasting, but much safer and gentler on the surface which is being restored, because it uses low pressure air… 45psi with a combination of water and a mineral called olivine which is a very brittle mineral that fractures upon impact so it doesn’t damage the surface being restored.
Also a Farrow System is a lot cleaner because Sand Blasting and Soda Blasting require between 200lbs and 500Lbs of media and hour where the Farrow System only uses 25Lbs to 50Lbs media to remove the same amount of paint and again the Farrow System won’t damage the limestone.
Our company does Farrow System work and here’s a YouTube video of some recent limestone work we did: http://www.youtube.com/user/AtlanticGreenPro?feature=mhum#p/a/u/0/0vk0mzMA6Ug
Do a google search for Farrow System in your area and I’m sure you’ll find someone that can help you.
Dale
I’m actually in the surface restoration business and what thetinkerswagon posted is a accurate way to remove soot and dirt from limestone.
Paint removed from limestone or Sandstone is much more complicated more complicated.
There are chemical strippers available, but most have the potential to damage surfaces like limestone and sandstone.
Pressure Washing which is at 3000+ psi will gouge and damage soft stone like limestone and sandstone
Processes like Sandblasting and Soda blasting utilize dry media and on old buildings there’s a good chance that there’s going to be lead paint present… so the dry blasting process is just going to release lead in the surrounding area… which is extremely dangerous and expensive fine wise if it isn’t done correctly.
The other issue with dry media blasting is it’s extremely abrasive on the surface which is being restored, because it’s done at high pressures of between 90psi to 200psi which is required in dry blasting to remove paint.
Another way of doing it is to find someone who has a Farrow System in your area. The process DUST FREE and is similar to sandblasting and soda blasting, but much safer and gentler on the surface which is being restored, because it uses low pressure air… 45psi with a combination of water and a mineral called olivine which is a very brittle mineral that fractures upon impact so it doesn’t damage the surface being restored.
Also a Farrow System is a lot cleaner because Sand Blasting and Soda Blasting require between 200lbs and 500Lbs of media and hour where the Farrow System only uses 25Lbs to 50Lbs media to remove the same amount of paint and again the Farrow System won’t damage the limestone.
Our company does Farrow System work and here’s a YouTube video of some recent limestone work we did: http://www.youtube.com/user/AtlanticGreenPro?feature=mhum#p/a/u/0/0vk0mzMA6Ug
Do a google search for Farrow System in your area and I’m sure you’ll find someone that can help you.
Dale
I had worked in a limestone building years ago and had consulted with a company that did stone preservation work about having our facade cleaned. They told me that limestone had to be treated carefully as it will erode easily. If I recall correctly, they said they would set a water hose at the top of the building and run it continuously for many days down the facade until all of the staining had been flushed out. There were to be no chemicals involved, no abrasives, no high pressure anything. I hope this helps,
Steve