Best Option for Lead Paint on Trim

Hi all.

So, I'm in a 70 year old house with original doors and trim (thankfully the windows have all been replaced). A lot of the trim around the doors have spots where the top coats of paint are peeling and chipping and I can see 5 or more layers of paint in some areas down to wood. The paint on the bathroom trim is just peeling off like a sheet of rubber.

Assuming to top or few top layers are not lead paint (I will test to be sure) would good option be to fill chipped spots in with a spackle and then sand, being sure not to sand through the top non-lead layer of paint? Then of course prime and repaint with a high quality enamel.

Also, where the top layers of paint are chipping off, is it reasonable to say that it's safe to knock off the surrounding loose paint around those chips with a plastic putty knife while keeping the area wet?

Cheers.

 

I suspect latex over oil as the reason for your peeling. You can verify this by testing the paint. Take some denatured alcohol and put some on a cloth. Wipe the paint, if the paint transfers to the cloth, then it is latex. The lower levels of paint are most likely oil based and contain lead. To test for lead, pick up a test kit in the store, score the paint in a v shaped slit with a utility knife. This exposes all layers down to bare wood. Swab your test kit on the slice to determine make up of the paint. We can advise from there when we are sure.

 

There are two ways to deal with lead paint; encapsulation or removal. The main dangers with lead paint are inhalation of the dust or ingestion of the chips. I agree the most likely reason for the peeling paint is having latex paint applied over oil base without the proper prep/primer.

btw - welcome to the forums!

 

Thanks for the replys.

I have no need to test the underlying coats of paint, they're 75 years old and I know they contain lead.

I'm really wondering if there is any need for precautions in removing the top layers, perhaps with a plastic knife and water. The small bits ive pulled off have some of the older (potentially lead) paint stuck to the back of the paint, but it appears securely bonded and and not flaking from the top coat of paint.

Is a general purpose latex primer sufficient for covering oil based paint?

 

Oil based primer over oil based paint and then you can put latex paint over the oil based primer.

 

I know this isn't what you are asking, but I have watched the sensitivity to lead increase over time. Today (at least in Maine) a contractor working on an old house with lead based paint needs to have a lead certification and any related insurance coverage. I doubt if the future will require less.

Given that you seem to have a lot of painting to do, now might be a good time to bite the proverbial bullet and have a complete remediation done. Once completely cleaned you avoid any repercussion down the road because there is lead paint hidden under that pretty new surface. If not now, future buyers may require it at a much greater cost and one way or another that cost comes out of your pocket.

Bud

 

I am lead certified and I believe the law pertains to contractors not homeowners. Although precautions should be taken. The description given points to a paint mismatch of latex over oil. Encapsulating is a viable option if done correctly. Remediation would be terribly cost prohibitive.

 

It's also my understanding that the lead certification and applicable laws/regulations are just for contractors but some local regs are more restrictive than others.

Both oil base and pigmented shellac primers will adhere well over oil base enamel. Latex paint will adhere fine to the solvent base primer. Maybe I'm just old school but I don't trust any latex primer over oil base enamel.