How do I get paint off hardware cloth?

[Vickischics]

Haha oh for sure. I hired a random teen and threw some paint stuff at them, asked them if they knew how to use it, and showed them what I wanted painted/taped off. Did she do it well? Nah. But the poor kid did it for hours with no complaint and it was hours I didn’t have to. Plus, I know first hand what it feels like to get burned out painting/protecting that dang coop (I primed most of it and spar urethaned a lot of it before giving in and paying a teen). I got what I paid for and have been getting a good laugh looking at the mistakes. That is some hard, boring as heck work hahaha

I'm so glad you can laugh. She didn't even complain and she stood there doing it. She probably thought the same thing as you
"That is some hard, boring as heck work" and I bet she'll never take a job like this again!! Lol.
Good for you!! I love it!

 

[3KillerBs]

I have definitely considered that! I love the look of black hardware cloth. Do you spray it on to keep it from dripping?

I personally would not use spray paint on wire because it would be a tremendous waste of some very pricey paint and it would be quite impossible to control the overspray. (I have used spray paint to paint some complex metal shapes and I swear that half the can was on the cardboard intstead of the decorative, iron brackets).

When I paint the wire on the new Chicken Palace we will use non-spray Rustoleum (or reasonable equivalent), and a paint roller with sponge brushes for the tight spots.

 

[WonkierZulu]

A toothpick.....jk all the other suggestions of excellent. Maybe mineral spirits on a rag or zep industrial orange degreaser removed tar off metal with that stuff. You can use xylene but wear chemical gloves. Honestly though a stiff brush to get off and heavy drip and spray paint like the other users mentioned is a much easier and more effective route

 

[CluckerFamily]

Is there a chicken safe spray?

I don’t believe so

 

[Mtnboomer]

Latex paint usually comes off with a little abrasive manipulation so a wire brush would likely do the trick if you decide not to paint the cloth. Dipping the brush in paint thinner would help. Since it is so volatile, lock the chickens of the coop in the morning for the day. By bed time, it will be fine especially if your coop is properly ventilated.

 

[perkolator]

I’d hire the kid back so they get to learn to deal with mistakes like this - have them wire brush off most of it, then give them a foam brush and roller to paint HC black…and the white paint again to cover the black that will get on it, lol

I personally wouldn’t use spray paint for HC surface area bigger than a piece of paper

 

[Isadora]

When I used to make artificial floral arrangements, I used mess master by design master. Works very well to remove paint. I doubt it's chicken safe, though. You would want to keep the chickens away until the smell diminished.

 

[Jitterbuggin]

Thank you everyone! I’m going to try the stiff wire brush first, then go from there to see if I need to do more.

Im a little worried that if I can pick the paint of with my fingers, the chickens will pick the paint off, too

 

[Isadora]

Im a little worried that if I can pick the paint of with my fingers, the chickens will pick the paint off, too

I would be worried about that, too. Chickens investigate everything with their beaks.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Im a little worried that if I can pick the paint of with my fingers, the chickens will pick the paint off, too

If my flock could reach it, they'd clean it up for me. They love paint, yum yum.