Removing gloss paint off a fireplace

[Paintmate]

What is the best way to remove gloss paint off a victorian(ish) fireplace. It is painted up to the wooden surround and right up to the mantlepiece. Beneath the paint are small red bricks.

Heat gun and scrape, or messy Nitromors

 

[Nige F]

i favour heat gun - nitro only on things that can be done outside , my head is very susceptible to chemicals

 

[misterhelpful]

I suggest you remove as much paint as possible with a heat gun then finish off with a chemical stripper and a small brush. This will get into any ornamental scrollwork much better than a scraper.

Either way, its a tedious job.

 

[Paintmate]

Thanks to all. Will be going back to see if they are a type of engineering brick, ...... they looked it.
I will clean a brick and then see if it is worthwhile doing the lot.