Peel Away® pH Test Tape
When stripping paint from wood surfaces, the pH level can become highly alkaline depending on the paint removal product being used. Before applying any other wood finish, coating or paint to the stripped surface, the pH levels should be tested to ensure the surface is ready for refinishing. Peel Away® pH test strips can be used to test the surface to make sure the levels are where they should be.
If you’ve chosen to use one of the many Peel Away® paint removal tools, you may need to neutralize the surface after the paint is removed and the residue is cleaned off. Use Dumond Citri-Lize Neutralizer and Mill Glaze Remover after the paint stripping process is complete, then test the pH level of the surface with Peel Away® 1 pH Test Tape to be sure the process is complete.
How to Use Peel Away® pH Test Tape
Once the surface is stripped, rinsed, and neutralized it should be left to dry thoroughly for at least a week before the pH levels are tested. When the surface is ready, follow these simple instructions to test the levels:
- Moisten the surface with clean water.
- Apply a small strip of Dumond’s Peel Away® pH Test Tape to the surface.
- Remove the test strip and compare the color to the chart enclosed in the test tape package.
- The color comparison will determine the pH level of the substrate. A safe pH level will be between 5 and 8.
Peel Away® 1 pH Test Tape is sold with the Peel Away® 1 paint removal system and is also available separately to be used in other lead-based paint removal projects. Using the pH test tape will ensure you know when it's time to begin the next step in your refinishing project. |
