Off topic- Concrete slabs

[Globetrotter.uk]

Please can someone recommend what I need to remove very old stains ie paint varnish oils etc for patio slabs. I have tried bleach, caustic soda, paint remover.

[singteck]

short of hacking it off? try more stains?

singteck

[korvin karbon]

A sander

Had the same problem and i sued every chemical uner the sun, so many that i actually weakened the concrete.

[ANDYRAF]

Wire brush + blow lamp.
For paint and varnish. Lightly heat stain then rub with wire brush, don't use more heat than neccessary.
For oils dampen area with solvent, then rub in some cat litter the granular type ( the pinkish brown absorbent type stuff).

Alternatively steam or high pressure washer.

Andy.

ps. Don't forget safety masks, goggles etc.

[loz.]

Just turn upsidedown

[Andy2112]

Brick acid. Used for getting stray mortar off the face of bricks.

[EdS]

decent power washer.

[spamel]

Atomics!

[Shewie]

You can get abrasive pads to go in a drill which will work a treat, I got some from B&Q and used them to clean off 100 years of paint from the brick walls in my cellar.

They look like some kind of recycled plastic, they`re a mini version of those discs which go on the wet floor cleaning machines you see in warehouses etc.

Dusty job though so make sure you`ve got plenty of masks in.


Rich

[Globetrotter.uk]

thanks everyone, I will try the drill and pads. if all fails I will use TNT

[spamel]

thanks everyone, I will try the drill and pads. if all fails I will use TNT

That's the spirit!

[crazydave]

phosporic acid

[SimonM]

Cola - The police in America, allegedly, use it to clean blood stains etc off the pavements etc.

Try dropping a penny in a glass of it overnight and see what happens!

Simon

[Arth]

Are you in trouble with the missus then?

[Shewie]

Cola - The police in America, allegedly, use it to clean blod stains etc off the pavements etc.

Try dropping a penny in a glass of it overnight and see what happens!

Simon

My mum went through a phase of washing the garden path & patio with cola when I was a kid. It did a good job of getting off the green slime but I`m not sure if it would get the paint and varnish off though.


Rich

[alpha_centaur]

Atomics!

I so like your thinking on this one

[maddave]

For Oil (I'm assuming engine oil) Buy the cheapest bottles of Cola you can get. Scrub it into the concrete with a stiff brush but making sure it's really wet. Leave for an hour or so then hose down. I kid you not, we did it on a friends block paved driveway and it came up a treat !!

[demographic]

Poly abrasive discs are pretty good for removing paint, they are the ones that look like a bigger harder scotchbrite/scouring pad and fit into a grinder,

Silverline make them and by the sounds of it they are simillar to the drill mounted ones that Shewie was talking about.