Painting - Is it ok to strip paint with a pressure washer?

I was pressure washing my house and some wood trim that needs re painting had quite a bit of paint come off. I found if I worked the nozzle back and fourth it was stripping all of the paint off. If I were to remove all of the paint in this manner, and then let the wood dry out for a week, should this be enough time? Or is it just a bad idea to begin with? Thanks!

A pressure washer can be an invaluable tool for prepping your house for paint but care must be used!! Too much pressure or holding the tip too close can damage the wood not to mention forcing water behind the siding :eek:

Other than that it should be ok. I usually pressure wash and then scrape but a lot depends on the condition of the current paint job. A week should be enough drying time but it all depends on the drying conditions.

As long as you are not damaging the wood you'll be good
I prefer to start prep with a powerwasher myself, as it helps strip loose paint like you have found
It will still need some scrape and sand, but much less if PWed properly

You should be ok with 1500 psi and the 45 degree tip.

With 3500 psi and a zero degree tip, you'll drill a hole into the siding.