Red spray paint on a tree

[Annastefka]

I need the help of all of my friends here in town and any of you on freak scene just give me a hypershoulder to cry on.

My son took out some Red spray paint and painted our 200 year old oak tree with skull and crossbones and such because he thought it would be good for Halloween. The paint will not come off of the tree. It is so horrible and ugly! My husband and I fell in love with this house because of that tree. I have cried about it! I don’t know what to do. My parents would have have beat the heck out of my bottom but I can’t to that to him. His dad is out of town and due home in a few hours. I don’t know if I can scrap the paint off because I will remove the bark also. I don’t know if I can use paint thinners. I would have to get a toothbrush to get into the cracks of the bark. I am so upset. Thanks for letting me mention it here. I am so sad, that poor old, beautiful old, huge old tree that sits in the front of our house. I am so sad.

[crazycloud]

it should wash off with time.. it is no big whoop to a tree… paint thinner would probably be worse off for it… i.d just leave it.. or find some brown paint and paint over it… or you could use some sand paper to just take off the layer of bark where the paint is…

[FlyingCloud]

Awwww! so sorry to hear about the mess.
…and of course I’m sure your son didn’t do it in with any bad intentions.
but you should be careful with any removal actions, as they could harm the tree a lot more than the paint itself. maybe painting it over in brown, like sandanista suggested, is the way to go?

anyway, I’m sure, the tree has much too much dignity to be impaired by a bit of paint

[Bucky Ramone]

I can imagine that that 200 year old oak tree has experienced worse things than a little red paint, just let it wear off (or camouflage it with a little more paint….. )

[Annastefka]

"sandanista!" wrote:

it should wash off with time.. it is no big whoop to a tree… paint thinner would probably be worse off for it… i.d just leave it.. or find some brown paint and paint over it… or you could use some sand paper to just take off the layer of bark where the paint is…

Thanks guys this is the same advice that I was getting here. It is not hurting the tree but it looks so ugly. We live in the woods so everything around here is colored the color of nature. My father said the same thing to me that the chemicals would hurt the tree more and he suggested some brownish bark matching paint and a very light sanding. When I questioned little Juan about it, it is true he really didn’t understand that it was so permanant, he thought after a few rains it would wash away. I did yell, however, I raised my voice, he painted the side of the house, he painted on a granite garden scupture, it was just not right. Last night before he went to bed and I held him and told him how much I loved him.

[Rich]

you ever thinking about sanding off a thin layer of bark to take it off, i dont think the paint would saturate deeply into the tree

[Author]

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