I have one large area of a 200 year old painted Pennsylvania fieldstone house with old vine tendrils on it. Its only latex paint and tested as lead free. At least 3-4 years ago the vines were pulled off. Its 2 stories high by about 30 feet wide. Who knows why anyone would have painted the stone on a 200 year old house but that’s another topic we can start if anyone is interested.
Anyway, its getting repainted. Will the turbo nozzle have enough power to strip the paint off the stone and mortar without killing the mortar. The stones can easily take it but I feel like the mortar wont. Any bad experiences washing 200 year old mortar or the like to share?
There is also a stucco addition that has a smaller area of vines. Has anyone tried a turbo nozzle on stucco? It doesnt sound like it’s a good idea to me to use enough high pressure to remove the vines but I think the turbo will be okay at low pressure.
Does anyone have actual experience trying to remove vine tendrils? I searched posts but it was a lot of “tell the customer it won’t come off” or “you cant do it”.
What I’m looking for are factual results of actual attempts. Did any of it come off or none of it? What chemicals did you try? Did a very hot mix help even a little?
Has anyone ever sprayed muriatic acid by hand and then rinsed with low pressure. I can see that working on the tendrils to soften them a bit. There is a layer of latex between them and the stone so it has a little time to work on loosening all. Using that on the stucco is probably a bad idea.
I tried to be clear and say I want the results of the attempt instead of advice not to do it. It’s not that I dont appreciate the advice from the experienced here. I greatly do.
I’m trying to see if I can find a way of combining what’s been tried before that partially cleaned them with another method that might get it do e. Just trying to experiment without trying what’s already failed. Who knows, maybe I’ll have some luck by reading about how it has failed before.
The reason for don’t do it is risk vs reward. The risk of damage from a turbo nozzle on a home greatly out weights the possible profit. Turbo nozzles are good for paint prep not paint removal. 200 year old mortar and a turbo nozzle is not a good idea. Trying to remove vines with a turbo nozzle will likely damage the surface before you get them all off. Again not a good idea. If you believe you can achieve different results have at it. Please have your insurance up to date so it doesn’t make all of us look bad after you destroy someone’s 200 year old home . Because you see this as a challenge instead of a warning
I left an important detail out. It’s my home so I am not taking the charging bull attempt!
I do have to get them off either way because we are having it repainted. I’m going to try the muriatic acid on a 2’x2’ area down low. I have to think it will react with the wood. It couldnt be used on all applications for sure. That stuff is used to etch stones all the time. Water dilutes it easily. I can even get a neutralizer to put down if I use it on a large area.
most topics you read are from a trial and error, I have always learn the best experience is from someone failure and the lesson they share with me but to get a different answer from the guys who posted in those topics will not change. good luck and let us know how it worked out for you
yes the vines bury into whatever surface and hang on .they are impossible to get off without really damaging the surface they are latched to. I never had any luck with them .
Way way walk away. In 200 years someone had parge coated something there somewhere. In 200 years someone has pointed it too shallow or not filled the beds and heads the way they are supposed to. As soon as water, not even pressure, hits them you will get a sand flood. Then your parge face will collapse. Then once you hit a cement dead spot in a bed or head it will pop the joints ruining any water barrier the may have been. Then the matter of lots of water hitting a very old, very unreliable, and very porous surface is not a good plan. If you do decide to tackle it learn how to tuckpoint first.
@Jwind, it’s my house. I cant walk away. I do know how to tuck point and there are already areas that should have been pointed before it was as painted. I expect to have to repoint 1/4-1/3 of it.
You obviously have knowledge about stone work. What do you think of spraying muriatic acid to soften the vines and then a low pressure rinse?
Seems if you already know what your going to do… just do it and quit wasting everyone elses time, or call a professional that knows how to deal with it.
You’re only wasting you’re own time by commenting if you dont find the enthusiasm of wanting to share information that would help everyone here if a solution to the problem is found.
It’s ok.
I see a lot of responses like your’s here from others when I read through the posts.
I am also looking for a solution how to get those people from hurting a post and not helping it.
I’ve already sent out messages to the company @Infinity recommended looking into. I also found a similar product from Sun Brite Supply. Hopefully they can let me know if it works.
I’ve been doing a lot of research and that’s how I found this website. One proven method is to burn it off with a propane torch but the wall has latex paint so that may not be a good idea.
