Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - Refinishing Lead Painted Trim
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fu22ba55
04-24-03, 05:40 PM
Howdy.
My wife and I just bought a house built in 1900, and it has gorgeous trim throughout, but it has all long since been painted over with lead paint.
I used to refinish furniture for a living, so I'm handy with paint stripper, scrapers and steel wool. I know how much time is involved... since I refinised a little bit of trim in a previous (lead filled) apartment.
Here's my question: Is is possible to remove the trim (window casings, door casings, baseboards...) and refinish it off the wall and then replace it? Or am I better off leaving it in place? I'm worried about the gallons of paint stripper affecting the horsehair plaster, and ruining the gorgeous hardwood floor.
Anybody know any good contractors in New England who are comfortable with this kind of a restoration?
My wife and I just bought a house built in 1900, and it has gorgeous trim throughout, but it has all long since been painted over with lead paint.
I used to refinish furniture for a living, so I'm handy with paint stripper, scrapers and steel wool. I know how much time is involved... since I refinised a little bit of trim in a previous (lead filled) apartment.
Here's my question: Is is possible to remove the trim (window casings, door casings, baseboards...) and refinish it off the wall and then replace it? Or am I better off leaving it in place? I'm worried about the gallons of paint stripper affecting the horsehair plaster, and ruining the gorgeous hardwood floor.
Anybody know any good contractors in New England who are comfortable with this kind of a restoration?
twelvepole
04-28-03, 09:38 PM
Tape off areas around windows and doors to protect from stripper. Take your time and do a small area at a time, such as one window or door. Those inexpensive felt-backed table cloths will do nicely as a drop cloth. The felt side is absorbent and the plastic will prevent stripper from getting through to floor. Take care of spills and drips ASAP, wiping up. Keep plenty of rags handy. Care should be taken that you do not get stripper on the bottom of your shoes and walk on floor. A pair of slippers that you can leave on your drop cloth, so you can step out of them when need be would be an extra precaution. There are also thick strippers that advertise themselves to be dripless.
fu22ba55
04-29-03, 09:52 AM
Thanks twelvepole.
Removing the trim is a bad idea I guess, huh?
It seems that stripper always tends to work better on items laying flat since it's all about the gases in stripper pentrating DOWN into the finish. I always use less stripper if I turn a chest of drawers on its side when I strip the side...
There's no way to slowly and painstakingly remove the trim? Like a reverse jigsaw puzzle? Or will the 1901 plaster just crumble?
---
What kind of tape should I use? Something strong enough that stripper can't get through, yet I don't want it to hurt the plaster. Masking tape? Doesn't stripper go through masking tape?
What stripper do you recommend?
Removing the trim is a bad idea I guess, huh?
It seems that stripper always tends to work better on items laying flat since it's all about the gases in stripper pentrating DOWN into the finish. I always use less stripper if I turn a chest of drawers on its side when I strip the side...
There's no way to slowly and painstakingly remove the trim? Like a reverse jigsaw puzzle? Or will the 1901 plaster just crumble?
---
What kind of tape should I use? Something strong enough that stripper can't get through, yet I don't want it to hurt the plaster. Masking tape? Doesn't stripper go through masking tape?
What stripper do you recommend?