Asked on Jul 17, 2016
How to deal with lead based paint
by
Cynde
I recently purchased a very old chippy porch railing and column which I would like to hang inside my home. A friend/ contractor made a comment to me about the chippy paint on the piece being lead based. How can I clean and seal this piece to make it safe to hang indoors? Thanks Cynde
Flea market find
2 answers
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That's a nice piece of handrail, but are you trying to keep the existing look or give it a solid color? Your friend is probably correct in his observation,however if you wanted to be sure, Sherwin-Williams, or any reputable paint store have test kits to verify lead paint presence. To find actual content level you'll probably need to send a chip sample (Several large chips) to a lab that test lead content-kind of expensive and timely, but lead based paint for a contractor means a lot of regulations and procedures and precautions. If your trying to keep its existing look the paint store may be able to suggest some sort of low luster clear to spray on it to encapsulate the entire surface to prevent?//-slow down the pealing and chipping. If it is going to be hung in an area that would be just for viewing and NOT handled it probably not be a problem, however spraying the right sheen of clear coat over that surface will not prevent future chipping. If the handrail was stored in doors and the moisture content of the wood is really low, 1-2 1/2 %, that would be very important. If the moisture content is higher ,no matter what you paint over the existing surface ,the moisture trying to escape will cause more paint to separate from the wood and fall off eventually. As far as doing any actual surface preparation, heavy mil plastic on the floor a min. of 20 feet out in all directions. Disposable overalls to wear during work. Min of an N95 respirator (disposable), Gloves and eye protection. No children in the area (6 yrs and younger are most affected,& elderly!) Any mechanical means of paint removal, scrapers, sanders, wire brushes are supposed to be accompanied by a HEPA Vacuum system. As a contractor with my lead paint training & certificate my liabilities are all mandated by the EPA, I've probably done an injustice to describing what steps you need to take and talking with a good rep. at your local paint store you could probably verify a lot more concerns. I will encourage you to not take the safety precautions lightly ,and you may have to adjust what the final patina will be for a safe outcome, but if it's just for a display item i'd say it's doable . If you have any more questions, I'd certainly try to give you an answer, just hope I haven't confused you or discouraged your idea!
Galen W. Yoder
on Jul 19, 2016
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I still have to say, that's a nice find! Personally I'd love to see the original house and location it came from, so much of that kind of craftmanship has ended up in a burn pile or the landfill! Sorry if I caused an uproar, but if you decide not to proceed with your idea, have you considered sending a photo of it to Mike Wolf, on American Pickers!?--- Or have you got an area that you could incorporate it in a landscape scenario, flower bed?? If it did happen to be used outside I'd still suggest trying to use some sort of clear wood sealer to prolong it's life from water damage!
Galen W. Yoder
on Jul 19, 2016
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