how to identify lead paint on furniture

If you experience any of these symptoms while painting or renovating you should stop and consider the possibility of lead exposure. Wear respiratory protection for lead dust.

How To Identify And Remove Lead Paint Two Fussy Blokes

Id like to start by saying that lead poisoning is nothing to scoff at.

. But lead paint may not be the national health concern youve been told it is. The other form of exposure is low. Wipe the test area in a backward S pattern with a moist cloth picking up dust to use as a sample.

The test will detect lead on painted wood metal vinyl and plastic as well as drywall and plaster. Use a solvent-based or caustic paint stripper. Contact your health department or an accredited lab for complete how to identify lead paint instructions.

If a dealer is unsure or if you fall in love with an item at a flea market and simply have to have it you can test to see if the paint is lead. Some people even refuse to own an old home due to fears of lead paint. The best method of how to tell if its lead paint is with dust wipe tests.

By far the easiest way to check whether or not a surface has been covered in lead paint is to use a lead paint test kit. Keep in mind since the swab turns red when the paint is positive for lead if youre testing red or pink paint it will show up as a false-positive. Keep the area as clean as possible.

You can take samples yourself and send them to a lab for analysis. The test kits available at home centers and hardware stores include step-by-step. Use a hot-air gun to soften the paint but dont let it get hot.

These should be readily available at your local paint stockist and will take the guesswork out of the process. This will seal in the lead and prevent it from causing harm. If you have to remove lead paint to redecorate use methods that dont create dust or fumes for example.

Most lead-based paint poisoning in children occurs by exposure to lead dust and testing dust will determine if you have a lead hazard you have to deal with. You can test for lead with an EPA-recognized lead-paint test kit available at home centers. Consider running a High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filter HEPA in order to filter any lead dust out of the air while you work and for a time after.

Quick and Easy Lead Paint Testing with 3M Lead Check Strips. There are two on the market. The best way to proceed would be to find knowledgeable furniture dealers who can tell whether or not a piece is coated with lead paint.

3M LeadCheck Swabs and ESCA Techs D-Lead. By Scott Sidler. A professional lead abatement contractor can also do the tests to tell if its lead paint.

Lead paint and lead poisoning as it pertains to old houses have long been a lightning rod of controversy. Learn how to check for the presence of lead paint in your home or on painted furniture. Choose a water-based solvent-free paint remover.

I recommend testing a few different spots on your piece. Both are 95 percent accurate.

How To Remove Lead Paint Safely Diy