Help! Need Lead Paint Removal Recs
My husband and I just bought an apartment and we are doing the painting pre-move in. The paint looked like it was in pretty good condition but as we started to scrub the walls for prep work we noticed that the baseboards are peeling. The building is pre-war so we expect that there is likely…
My husband and I just bought an apartment and we are doing the painting pre-move in. The paint looked like it was in pretty good condition but as we started to scrub the walls for prep work we noticed that the baseboards are peeling. The building is pre-war so we expect that there is likely some lead paint under there.
Everything I’ve read about lead paint removal is starting to freak me out. Did you go with a company to strip away paint or did you do it yourself? Any good recommendations? How much did you pay and how quickly were they able to do it? The walls are in good shape, so we’re just looking to redo the baseboards.
DeGamba Stripping. Great guys, great work.
If you don’t have, and don’t plan to have kids, I wouldn’t worry about it, unless you want to make the place safe for future families. Lead has very negative effects on children and experts aren’t sure how it works, that’s why they are so rash about it.
We were just ordered by the city to have our place “abated” because our child had an elevated lead level. DeGamba helped us out. Give John Gamba a call @ 718/499-5788
As the owner of the apartment, I wouldn’t suggest having the paint tested by a company. My wife and I just closed on our apartment and were given this advice: “Every building built or painted before 1978 has lead paint, period. If you get it tested, it comes back positive, and then that’s on the record for that apartment for the rest of time.”
My advice to you would be to hire a painter to scrape the residual paint off (plaster walls, I assume?) and put a nice base coat of sealant/primer on first. Then, use a regular, latex-based paint such as Baer or Benjamin Moore for the finishing coats.
Every apt. that’s pre-war will have lead paint! Don’t worry about it, just have someone come to paint it in proper paints after scraping away the old junk. No need to ruin your chances at re-sale!
And there’s nothing magic about removing lead paint, regardless of the scare tactics employed by so-called professionals. Those of us over 40 have lived with these demons without harm. Just use common-sense, ventilation, dust control and you won’t be harmed.
Actually, why not just paint over the old paint with a good primer. It’s easier.
There is a similar post below. Please stop being afraid of the monsters you heard live in the dark. Get the paint tested to see if there is even lead paint left there. Don’t assume there was ever lead paint on your trim work.
The woodwork was in such bad shape here that I re-cut most of it with fresh hardwood. But I spent months stripping paint too.
So long as you don’t eat or breathe the stuff (which a chemical mask will prevent, especially if you’re using a heat gun) the chances of ingesting lead paint are negligible. Just don’t use a sander to remove old paint.