best way to strip paint from door frames?

[vannah]

and skirting boards?

I did this in a flat about 10years ago, and from what I can recall it was a horrible time consuming job using a heat gun and paint scrapers. Any new shortcuts developed since then?

Also how long will it take to strip one door frame? Ive got 6 altogether in the hall way plus skirting boards...REally dont want to do this! But hallway redecoration beckons and I dont want to paint over the current white gloss which has chips of paint falling off- Im assuming that means it needs stripping...

thanks for any advice

Sorry cant help but interested in advice as soon to be in a similar situation.

Any experts out there?

Don't do it! Chemical paint strippers and mechanical sanders are available but don't make it much easier. Doors can be 'dipped' by specialist companies, but if the frames are so bad that you can't paint over the blemishes then perhaps consider replacing the architraving with new. Probably easier than stripping the paint.

One thing to consider is that once you start you can't stop, or you will have unmatching frames.

Don't do it! I once chemically stripped a staircase. It was a total PITA and bloody messy. Replace the skirtings and get the door stripped professionally

We've done it in our house. I used hot air gun, then chemical paint stripper with wire wool and finished by sanding. It was a horrible job, I've done it at every house we've lived at, but worth it when its done if you like your wood paint-free. If I was just doing it to repaint them though, I would do as other posters have said and replace them.

Thankyou all. I see this is going to end up costing a small fortune! Glad to have been advised against stripping, always dreaded it...