Evaluation of the Characteristics of Coating Removal Solvents for Traditional and Modern Dancheong

Dancheong of wooden architectural heritage deteriorates over time, necessitating repainting.In this study, the material characteristics of traditional and modern dancheong paint layers, as well as the removal characteristics according to adhesive types, were analyzed to facilitate repainting using traditional materials.For traditional dancheong paint layers, characteristic peaks of animal glue and alum were distinctly observed.After applying washing methods for paint layer removal, peaks indicative of the original wood were detected, suggesting that most of the paint layer was effectively removed.Although some residues of glue and pigments remained irregularly, almost no physical damage to the wood surface structure was observed.In contrast, for modern dancheong paint layers, characteristic peaks of synthetic resin adhesives such as acrylic emulsion were identified.Physical treatment using sandpaper alone was insufficient for complete removal of the paint layer.When physical and chemical treatments were combined, a 70% aqueous acetone solution left pigment residues on the wood surface, demonstrating a limitation in removal effectiveness.While pure acetone (100%) showed the highest efficiency in removing the paint layer, the risk of damaging the wood substrate increased accordingly.Pigment particle size had a significant impact on the residual presence of the paint layer.Traditional pigments, with larger and more variable particle size distribution and uniformity, allowed for most of the paint layer to be effectively removed when animal glue was used as the adhesive.However, modern pigments, being smaller and more uniform, tended to penetrate and adhere to the micro-relief structures of the wood surface, making it difficult to achieve complete removal of pigment particles even after adhesive removal.