Stripping old (lead) gloss paint

[bp]

Hi,

I have recently bought a terraced house (approx 100yrs old) and I want to strip the doors and frames etc of the gloss paint. The doors I have sent to a local door stripping company.

This leave the frames and some built in cupboards.

I am fairly certain that the doors and hence the frames and these built-in cupboards are fairly old or are even the original ones from when the house was built.

I also think that layer upon layer of gloss paint has been applied to these over time. I can see older colours in the hidden parts of the wooden frames etc.

So what is best way to get the paint off.

I have read that older gloss paint can contain lead. I have to assume the paint used has lead in it as the decor is quite old anyway and has layers of paint under it.

with this in mind what is the safest way to strip the frames. The two options I guess are heat gun or chemical based stripper. I have a heat gun.

Note the cupboard doos have gone to the stripping company as well. This leaves the fixed parts of the cupboards, so I cant even do it outside.

Many Thanks

Bhupesh

[s--p--o--n--i--x]

I'd suggest using a chemical stripper. A heat gun could produce fumes containing lead.

Also, when sanding the stripped wood down take precautions not to breathe any of the potentially lead containing dust.

sponix

[Rob Morley]

Fingers crossed that they don't wreck them then.

I'd use a heat gun - wear a dust mask and gloves, keep the work area well ventilated and clean up well afterwards. When it comes down to it there probably isn't *that* much risk anyway, as long as you don't chew the paint off.

[Chris Bacon]

Put down a dust sheet. Use your hot air gun, and shave hooks. Keep your shave hooks sharp and clean. A triangular and a combination one will be useful. You can file a combination hook to suit, if need be. Take care not to drag a shave hook across the grain, or it will leave a scar (extra work to fill). Use a dust mask. Take up the dust sheet carefully and bin the scrapings.

[chris French]

In message , bp writes

There is bit in the FAQ on this, and people like Dulux publish info.