Replies

1. 
   BG | Jan 08, 2003 11:54pm | #1

   Tnarg,

   I would just wax the floors and test for lead on the stair paint.  If there is lead in the paint, you need to be a lot more careful than just a mask...including desposing of the chips,etc.

1. 
   ClevelandEd | Jan 10, 2003 07:19am | #2

   I'd swear that I got a tightly focused and strong headache from sanding a couple of floors in my 150 year old house.  It was when the exact same thing happened the second time I rented a sander that I associated it with the sanding. 

2. 
   IanDG | Jan 10, 2003 10:22am | #3

   I'd certainly want to keep the patina of age and wear so I wouldn't sand the floors at all
   I'd rent a floor buffer and go over the floors thoroughly with a coarse nylon buffing pad, then I'd finish them with a penetrative oil finish.

   As to the stairs, the paint could very well be lead-based and if so, sanding or stripping with heat are out. There may be regulations governing its safe removal and disposal in your area -- and penalties for non-compliance so I would check it out before starting.

   IanDG

1. 
   ClevelandEd | Jan 10, 2003 11:57pm | #4

   Serious question here, even if the answer seems self evident to you:

   paint could very well be lead-based and if so, sanding ... (is) ...  out

   What is wrong with sanding?  The lead paint problem doesn't have the reputation of  asbestos.  I was intending to sand a couple more rooms here, and that is why I am interested.  Very interested.

   My technique is to start with a rented drum floor sander to remove the paint.   I prevent airborne dust from traveling to other rooms, which I would do whether or not concerned about lead.  All dust in the sanded room gets removed from all surfaces - floor, walls, ceiling - by vacuuming followed by wiping every square inch down.   The only difference this time was going to be getting myself a proper mask or respirator.

   See anything that seriously bothers you in that approach?

   Ed

1. 
   BG | Jan 11, 2003 04:16am | #5

   All lead removers in MA must be certified.  Perhaps you have seem them on TOH....with their respirators, disposable clothes, covered head to toe, in sealed off rooms.  Clean-up has to follow a specific protocol to insure cross contamination is avoided.  Is all this a little overdone?  You bet...now, If I'm your neighbor and I have kids.....whole different story

1. 
   ClevelandEd | Jan 11, 2003 07:46am | #7

   BG -I'll check into local regulations.  I am unaware of any regulations, but I can't imagine MA having tight rules and us having none.   On the other hand, a guy near me  had his 150 year old house stripped of paint by one of those "sandblast stripping" companies and I didn't see any tarps on the ground or anything else that indicated some steps were being taken to control the lead dispersal.  

   Ian - My wood floors were painted, so that is why I am sanding.  Maybe I got mistaken for the guy who started this post, he's the one with the unpainted floorboards. 

2. 
   IanDG | Jan 11, 2003 07:28am | #6

   You'll have to check the regulations where you are regarding lead paint, but generally any process that will release lead particles into the air is not allowed.Maybe I misunderstood your first post but I thought the paint wasn't on the floor. I wouldn't sand the floor, but that's because I would prefer to preserve the surface patina and have the finished floor looking like a 150 year old floor that's been well maintained, rather than looking like a new floor.IanDG