How do I remove latex paint from a concrete driveway?
Question:Its a 2 week old concrete drive way and i accidentally split latex paint on it. I tried power washing it and using soap and water but it won't come up. any ideas?
Answers:
There are paint strippers that work on latex paint - but since this is on concrete - a pourous and flat surface - the stripper will just soak in and you'll still be left with a stain - possibly harder to remove than what you started with.
Between the green concrete and the relatively large pigment size of latex paint, it should have skinned over and will mostly peel off -- unless you tried wiping it up and you worked it into concrete. Clean up will also be harder if the concrete had a broom finish (open, coarse finish).
What won't peel/scrape off is going to require mechanical effort to remove -- wire brush, grinder or sand blaster.
Start with a wire brush - use one of the brushes you can chuck in a drill to speed things up - it's the least abrasive, but will also mar the concrete the least.
If that doesn't work, try a coarse oxide sanding disk in a grinder -- again, it will minimally mar the concrete.
If that doesn't do it, than you're going to have to pull out the big guns. A concrete grinder is essentially a floor buffer with a disc containing carbide cutting bits, and you'll literally scrape away the surface of the concrete. A sand blaster uses a compressor and paint-sprayer-like spray gun to shoot a high speed stream of abrasive (sand, metal oxide powder, etc). You can rent either at your local HomeDepot or tool yard.
Try using mineral spirits. It is considered paint thinner for latex paint. If you want to step it up, you can use laquer thinner. Getting a steel brush to scrub it would help to. Everything you need can be found at a local hardware store and should run you $10 to $15.
Good Luck
Power washing didn't remove fresh latex paint?
Possibly use a heat gun, then when warm, a nylon bristle brush.
A hose and a wire brush! Scrub the spot after you get it wet, you gotta work with it a bit but it will come right off!
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