Wood Siding Paint Removal

Strip Peeling + Flaking Paint from Clapboards, Shingles, Shakes, Plus Trim

The Paintshaver® Pro is the best way to remove paint from wood siding. It strips peeling, flaking, plus layered paint at roughly one square foot every 20 to 30 seconds, down to bare wood in a single pass. Three carbide blades on a rotating cutting head shave the paint off, while built-in dust collection captures debris into any wet/dry or HEPA vacuum. No chemicals. No heat guns. No fire risk. No scorched wood. No dust clouds. Invented in 1985 by the family that still builds every tool in our Cranston, Rhode Island factory.

Works on clapboards, cedar shingles, cedar shakes, trim, windows, plus doors. Lead-safe under EPA guidelines when paired with a HEPA vacuum. Follow with the Orbital SanderVac™ for a paint-ready finish.

Why the Paintshaver® Pro for Wood Siding

Other methods of stripping paint from wood siding are slow, dangerous, or damage the wood.

Method Speed Mess Limitations
Chemical strippers 4 to 24 hours per application Toxic fumes, skin burns Methylene chloride banned for consumer use. Multiple rounds needed on thick paint. Goopy residue requires disposal.
Heat guns / infrared strippers Slow — inches per minute Fire risk, lead fume vaporization Can scorch wood. Vaporizes lead paint into inhalable fumes. House fire risk if operator walks away.
Hand scraping Very slow Uncontained lead dust Inconsistent results. Leaves paint in grain plus corners. Not EPA RRP compliant without full containment.
Media blasting (sand, soda) Moderate Damages wood grain, lead contamination Erodes soft wood. Media gets everywhere. Requires full containment. Not practical for residential siding.
Paintshaver® Pro 20 to 30 seconds per sq ft Lead-safe with HEPA vacuum Flat clapboards plus shingles. Trim adapter available. Carbide blades last roughly 300 to 500 sq ft on wood.

What You Need to Know About Wood Siding

Use Carbide Blades for wood. Paintshaver Carbide Blades are purpose-built for wood siding, trim, plus doors. They last roughly 300 to 500 square feet on wood depending on paint thickness. Diamond Tipped Blades are for hard surfaces (concrete, steel, fiberglass). They are not needed for wood.

Pre-1978 siding often contains lead paint. Homes built before 1978 almost always have lead paint under newer layers. Pair your Paintshaver® Pro with a HEPA vacuum for contained, lead-safe stripping under EPA RRP guidelines. The built-in dust shroud captures debris at the source. Read our lead-safe paint removal guide.

What Customers Say

  • Krist P., Kenosha, WI

    “We had stripped and sanded nearly twice the area we had done with the heat guns.”

  • Ed G., Virginia

    “Compared to the mess belt sanding would have created, it was a joy to use.”
Read More

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to remove paint from wood siding?

The Paintshaver® Pro is the best way to remove peeling, flaking, plus layered paint from wood siding. It strips clapboards, cedar shingles, shakes, trim, windows, plus doors at 20 to 30 seconds per square foot, down to bare wood in a single pass. Built-in dust collection captures debris into any wet/dry or HEPA vacuum.

Will it work on cedar shingles and shakes?

Yes. The Paintshaver® Pro works on cedar shingles plus shakes just like flat clapboards. The cutting head follows the wood surface, stripping paint without gouging the shingle. For heavily weathered or split shingles, start slower plus work with the grain.

Is the Paintshaver® Pro safe for lead paint on wood siding?

Yes. Pair the Paintshaver® Pro with a HEPA vacuum for lead-safe stripping under EPA RRP guidelines. The built-in dust shroud captures lead-containing debris at the source before it becomes airborne. Test for lead on any siding painted before 1978.

What about trim, windows, and doors?

The Paintshaver® Pro works on flat trim, door panels, plus window casings. For narrow profiles plus corners, pair it with the Orbital SanderVac™ for detail work. Decorative moldings plus deep profiles need hand scraping.

Which Paintshaver® model should I choose?

The 6 Amp DIY ($749) handles smaller homes plus occasional projects with a 2-year warranty. The 9 Amp Pro ($849) is the most popular model, built for full-house restoration with a 5-year warranty. The 12 Amp Pro ($999) is for production crews, with soft-start, anti-kickback protection, plus a lifetime warranty.

Do I need to sand after stripping with the Paintshaver® Pro?

Yes, for a smooth, paint-ready surface. The Paintshaver® Pro strips paint down to bare wood, but leaves fine tool marks. Follow with the Orbital SanderVac™ (40 grit, then 60 grit) for a dust-free finish ready for primer plus paint.