Dealing with lead based paint-- need advice

[Huntsman Knife Co. LLC.]

Hey guys,

I recently moved into a new shop space that is in a very old barn like structure with timber walls. The paint on the walls is heavily flaking. Long story short, I did the lead swab test and sure enough its lead paint.

Is there an effective way to deal with the paint such as the use of a polyurethane sealant or is this a problem that is too hazardous to wrestle with?

 

[Bill DeShivs]

As long as you don't eat it, the paint shouldn't be a problem.

 

[joedhiggins]

Don't eat it. Lead paint is dangerous for small children, to adults, even if you did eat a small to moderate amount, you would be fine. The quantity of lead in paint is relatively low and is really only a meaningful danger for small children (what with their susceptibility to heavy metal poisoning and tendency to put stuff into their mouth that they shouldn't). For cleanliness, not safety, I might take a broom to the flaking walls and vacuum up the resulting flakes.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Wear a good respirator and scrape off the loose stuff. Vacuum it up and bag it. drop it in the trash can. Repaint with latex paint.
While lead paint is a worry for small children … because the tend to eat the chips (they taste sweet), it isn't a real worry for adults who are in the room.

 

[12345678910]

don't sand it

 

[Lieblad]

Agreed, just clean off loose stuff best you can then sealcoat over it.
Wear PPE during clean up, dont breathe its dust.
If the building interior can take it, Perhaps powerwash it too. We did that to a poultry building. Its initially messy, But minimal dust and results well worth it.

 

[Kevin McGovern]

If you paint over it, after scraping, prime it first with Zinsser Bulls Eye 123. It will make the latex paint adhere much better to the oil based paint.

 

[joedhiggins]

I think painting over it is a waste of energy (unless you want to repaint the room for other reasons). If it is just peeling paint, get rid of the stuff that is peeling and move on with your life. If you own this place and want to preserve the walls for a long time, or you just hate the look, then feel free to paint over it, but otherwise, just get rid of the flakes and move on with your life.

 

[skillgannon]

If you do eat it... take note of the flavor and take tasting notes. With the rise of exotic ingredients you might be able to dust it with sugar and market it to certain type of gastro enthusiasts.

 

[Ajack60]

As already mentioned, the biggest hazard with lead is when it gets airborne, definitely no sanding. Scraping is fine as long as the proper PPE is worn. A filtered mask that has the lead canister, goggles and a paper suit. Disposable booties are also good to have. You wouldn’t want to bring any home in your clothes.
You should be able to check the OSHA website to see how it should be encapsulated where it won’t be a problem later on.

 

[Aidenag]

Check your states laws before you do anything. Most states have laws more stringent than epa standards. And the fines for improperly removing and disposing can be pretty steep. As homeowner you can do it yourself though with much less red tape. Id concur with others here, scrape off loose chips, wear safety gear while doing so, bag it, and dispose properly, then put fresh paint down over all remaining paint. Its no longer a worry now.

And to those saying its only a risk to children, etc. That train of thought is a bit dated now. Its linked to many neurological disorders in all ages. I knew a family that bought a very old house, original kitchen, not in good shape, and lead paint that was deteriorating. But they liked the 'rustic' look of it. Yeah, they were a mess after 2 years, breathing problems, headaches, balance issues, memeory problems, etc knowing them before and then after, it was scary. Woulda thought the parents had strokes, and the kids were autistic. When their doctor had bloodwork done they had lead levels that were something like 20x over the safe level. This is of of course an extreme case, and they have mostly recovered now, but it shows just how nasty inhaled lead can be for everyone of all ages.

 

[Huntsman Knife Co. LLC.]

I appreciate everyone's input. First things first, I'm just going to make sure I always have my respirator on in the shop even when I'm not grinding. The biggest concern for me is airborne dust.


Game plan as of now is to use some deck sealer and roll it on and then cover the affected walls in fresh plywood and seal the joints of the new plywood with caulk. The paint is in extremely poor condition and much of the wood is rotted. I don't want to risk creating dust by scraping. The polyeurethane should reduce the risk of dust formation and the plywood should keep any dust or peelings that come off stuck behind it.