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I have a home built in the 50’s that badly needs painted. I’m sure I will be scrapping down into some lead based paint. I’m looking for the method that is the safest, cheapest and easiest for this application. I am considering heat, chemicals, or scraping and sanding.
Any suggestions welcome.
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These are just some observations and a very little experience. Your biggest concern when scrapping will be dust and controling the chips. Wear a dust mask and use dropcloths to catch the chips for disposal. Check your local laws about disposing of your debris too. Lead is nasty on the environment.
I came into a large pile of old closet shelves with lead paint on them. Underneath was some really nice tight grained almost clear pine. It was a job stripping them but the shelf I built turned out nice. Lead paint comes off with a good stripper and the goo would be easier to control than flying chips. Just my slightly less than humble opinion.
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Research, research, research.
Lead paint can be pretty nasty stuff if not handled properly. Like all of the health risks, there's a wide range of opinion as to (i) the dangers and (ii) the best way to deal with it.
Check first with local authorities as to restrictions in your area: some states seem to be pretty worked up about it, others couldn't care less.
Read as much as you can and talk to as many specialists as you can and then draw your own conclusions.
Please don't just blow it off, though. If improperly done, you can jeopardize your health, that of your family (child are at higher risk than adults, but that _doesn't_ mean adults can't be at risk), and others in the community.
Bob
*There is a product called something like "Peel Away" that is a brush on chemical stripper that allows you to damn near pull it and the paint layers off in one shot. You have to cover it after application with a film supplied by the company to keep the stuff moist after application so it can work. I think I ran across an article in one of the building journals I read, but for the life of me I can't remember when or where. I have not used this stuff, but I do know that it has been around for a while. I think a possible advantage to using a product like this is that you are not mechanically abrading the old paint which causes airborne dust. There is no heat or water intrusion. Check out "The Old House Journal" as I seem to remember more than one article written on the very issue you are up against. Obviously, restoration people are confronting the lead issue all the time given the type of paint found on older structures.
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well, there's really no best way. i'd suggest stripping down to bare wood only where the paint has completely failed. don't forget to use proper pre when repainting or you'll be redoing your job in short order.
peel away is about $25 for 2 gallons and doesn't give you that much coverage. sometimes more than 1 application is required. plus, when done stripping, you have to neutralize it with a solution. but supposedly the product does encapsulate the lead.
i think you can forget using heat. you'd probably give up before finishing the job with a heat gun. propane torches work faster, but you're not supposed to use them because they're too hot and basically vaporize the lead which disperses it all over the place.
the most effective strippers have methyl chloride in them, and will give you a headache rnearly right off the bat. but they work great and require little clean up besides wiping.
a local paiting contractor says he uses the paint shaver exclusively now.
the EPA have info on its web site regarding this.
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I have a home built in the 50's that badly needs painted. I'm sure I will be scrapping down into some lead based paint. I'm looking for the method that is the safest, cheapest and easiest for this application. I am considering heat, chemicals, or scraping and sanding.
Any suggestions welcome.