There is loads of content on the Internet about dealing with old lead paint but how does one deal with old (~1905) lead stain/varnish on stairs? Assuming the stairs can’t be replaced due to cost, is it possible to apply a layer of varnish that will sufficiently encapsulate the old lead coating or must I paint over it with encapsulant paint? There are children in the house so lead is of particular concern.
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nothing encapsulate it, but solid sanding removal– DIY75Commented Nov 11, 2022 at 23:29
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3@Ruskes Sanding lead paint is not that simple. The area needs to be sealed off from the rest of the house plus very good filtres for breathing, washing and vacuuming of the area after. If the lead paint/varnish is in decent condition and bonded to the surface, a couple/few coats of varnish/stain should be enough, plus keeping the children from licking/chewing the stairs.– crip659Commented Nov 11, 2022 at 23:34
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Imagine the children are your own. Taking care of other peoples children might lead to have the lead paint/varnish/stain removed professionally, depending on local regulations.– crip659Commented Nov 12, 2022 at 2:20
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Lead was in paint ( white) , not varnish. Red lead was used as steel primer on autos.– blacksmith37Commented Nov 12, 2022 at 21:42
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Actually it was in stain as well.– NelfoCommented Nov 30, 2022 at 22:20
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1 Answer
If the surface is in aesthetic shape, just apply three coats of polyurethane to abate the lead. If there are some areas that require sanding beforehand, you'll need to either create a containment seal with plastic, or keep the sanding to a bare minimum, wet sanding the smallest areas possible, cleaning up with mildly soapy and water, keeping the water contained, meaning wipe it up as quickly as you can, and dump the contaminated water down the toilet. If the area needing to be sanded, hire a professional painter, as all professional painter sa re required to be lead paint certified by the EPA if there is potential for them to work on houses built before 1978. I assume you have already tested for lead and you are positive the substrate contains lead. If not, that's where I would start, get a lead testing kit from Home Depot to verify the presence of lead. The area to be tested needs to be as clean as you can possibly get it, cleaning the area surrounding it for a good twelve inches and test in the cleanest spot in the center of the area. I have seen do-it-yourselfers test areas without cleaning first, and they get false positive test results from the dust, not the actual substrate. But the quickest, easiest solution is just cover it with three coats of polyurethane, you can even get by with two thick coats, allowing it to dry completely between.
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3M Lead Test gives a strong red result for the areas of the banister where the varnish has worn off exposing the original stain. I have already painted the stairs with two coats of primer and two coats of latex, and now starting on varnishing the banister and posts with polyurethane.– NelfoCommented Nov 30, 2022 at 22:22