Remove paint from Tree?
Question:I am considering buying a house with one problem. It has a nice big tree in the front yard and the trunk is painted white.
Is there any way to remove the paint without damaging the tree?
Answers:
Maybe paint thinner but I dont know if that would damage the tree.
you couldn't remove the paint, but you could repaint it with a bark color. Use water based paint.
NO CHEMICALS!
All the chemicals out there will, at the very best, do the tree no go. And at worst they will kill it.
If it was mine to take care of I would try a pressure washer first. Working with a fan nozzle and low pressure to start. If all you do is blow the bark off then switch to something else. If I couldn't do it with water, I would try a sand blaster. Always work on a small piece and start where you can't see the area from the house or street if that is possible. As a final option you may have to let it "wear" off. As the tree grows it will shed some of that bark and the painted stuff will be the first to go.
Another option might be to email a guy I know of in Sacramento, Ca. His email is Fred@Farmerfred.com. He has a couple of gardening shows on local radio and as a public service he takes and responds to emails on gardening issues. I have used the service several times and he has always responded in less than 48 hours.
Good luck, I hope you find a safe way to go on the depainting.
this kind of trunk painting is usually a method for keeping insects off the tree. it's probably a special paint that was used for this purpose. if only a portion of the trunk is painted, with a straight line at the top and bottom of the paint zone, then that's probably what you've got there. in which case, leave it: it's there for a reason
More Related Questions & Answers...