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Painting and Wall Coverings
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My old house is painted inside with lead based paint. How can I safely deal
with it?
First, if undisturbed, lead-based paint
is not dangerous. Lead cannot be absorbed through the skin. Problems arise when overeager
homeowners decide to sand off the paint as part of a renovation project and breathe in the
lead particles. But lead can also be absorbed when children ingest flakes of paint falling
from windowsills or around the baseboards. The dust is picked up on their hands as they crawl
about or play. It enters their bodies when they put their fingers in their mouths. Even pros
wearing respirators can get in trouble if lead flakes fall on the sandwich they are eating
during a break.
Lead was originally added to paint to
make it more durable and easier to spread. Paint prior to 1950 contained large amounts of
lead, but the percentage steadily diminished until 1978, when it was banned altogether in
house paints.
To correct the problem, consider one
of these three primary approaches. First, you can have a lead abatement team come in and
strip the house. Needless to say, this is expensive. Second, you can cover the walls with
paneling, or paint over the walls with special lead-encapsulating paint. Third, especially
if the paint is in good condition, is to leave it undisturbed. Use damp cloths to dust, and
vacuum carefully around the baseboards and windows and doors. Doors, which often rub against
the jambs when closed or opened, can generate fine amounts of lead-paint dust. The same is
true of double-hung windows when opened and closed.
What's the best way to strip paint from wood?
There are a variety of chemical strippers
on the market. Some have different applications, so read the instructions carefully before
buying. A quality paint store may also be able to offer good advice when you describe your
project. One product that penetrates many layers of paint is
Peel Away.
Its primary ingredient is sodium hydroxide, which is a powerful lye. One advantage of this
paint remover is in working with old lead-based paint. It pulls the paint off and seals it
in the process so the paint can be properly disposed of. It also eliminates sanding, which
is a serious health hazard with lead-based paint. As with all chemical paint strippers, test
the results first on a small area.
Can I paint old and chalky aluminum siding?
You can, but for best results on all metal
siding, the finish should be sprayed on. The most important part of the project will involve
removing all loose or chalking finish. Because aluminum siding tends to chalk (it's the nature
of the beast), specially formulated acrylic paints have been created to deal with this issue.
Even more important are the acrylic primers that are designed to be applied to chalky, or soon
to be chalky, surfaces. Their chemical makeup allows them to chemically bond with the chalk and
form a solid coating that won't peel or lose adhesion. Alkyd (synthetic oil) based primers are
not the best for aluminum. The chalking, including present and future, will adversely affect the
primer's adhesion. Select a latex paint, which is more elastic and thus expands and contracts
without cracking. Do not use a dark color, which will absorb more heat.
Also, make sure to caulk all seams, crevices,
and cracks with a quality exterior caulking made to be painted. Silicone based sealants will not
take paint. Finally, if any of the wood sheathing needs repair, take care of that before
covering it with new siding.
How much paint will I need?
You can check ImproveNet's
Paint Calculator
first. It will do it all for you. Otherwise, first calculate how many square feet you have to cover.
Do this by measuring the length and the height of the area to be covered. Multiply them by each
other, which gives you the number of square feet. Add square feet of walls, ceilings, or other
items together. Then, to find the number of gallons required, divide by 400, which is the
approximate number of square feet a gallon of paint will cover. But there are many variations.
If you are painting light over dark, or dark over light, you will probably need
two coats.
The coverage from a gallon of paint also depends
on the substrate being painted, the product being applied, and the manufacturer's specification
regarding coverage. Always apply paint heavily enough to cover, as closely as possible, the
number of square feet the manufacturer says a gallon will cover. Applied too thinly, the surface
will need another coat for proper sealing or hiding. Applied too thickly, the paint may not cure
properly or may sag. Assuming you are painting with a brush and roller, you typically paint
ceilings first, walls second, and trim last.
I want to wallpaper a room in my house, but the wall is textured and rough. How can I smooth it?
Scraping or sanding textured plaster will not
smooth out the finish entirely. The best route to take in this situation would be to ask a reliable
wallpaper dealer in your area about using an interlayer, which is a thin type of sheathing material
that will provide a smooth enough surface for your wallpaper. You can also refloat the wall with
some wallboard joint compound. A thin coat may fill in all the irregularities. Then sand it
smooth and size it. It might take two coats, depending on the depth of the texturing.
How do I paint my fiberglass entry door?
First, clean it by scrubbing with trisodium
phosphate (TSP), an industrial-strength cleaner, to remove all grease and dirt. Then apply a
very high-quality oil-based gel stain. Take your time and follow directions closely to get a
smooth, even stain. When the stain is dry, coat the door with a marine spar varnish, which is
tougher and more flexible than polyurethane. Do not use polyurethane, as it will quickly
deteriorate in direct sunlight.
Can I paint my exterior steel door?
As with a fiberglass door, clean it first
with TSP (see above). Next, sand it lightly to roughen the paint and make the next coat adhere
better. Apply an oil-based primer and when dry, sand it lightly with fine sandpaper. For the finish
coat, use high-quality acrylic latex, which will expand and contract with the metal door without
cracking. Oil-based finish paint is not recommended because it tends to yellow with time and it is
more prone to mildew, a factor in damp climates.
Do not use a dark color if the door is
exposed to direct sunlight. This will increase the heat penetration. Because the interior
panel will be cooler than the exterior panel, the two will expand at different rates, which
can cause the door to buckle or bow.
How can I get several coats of paint off my fireplace mantel?
There are two possibilities. First, try
chemical stripping. Be sure to ventilate the room well, and in many cases you may be advised
to wear a proper protective mask. Follow instructions carefully.
Peel Away
advertises that it removes two dozen coats at a time and uses a powerful lye as its key ingredient.
Second, you can consider sandblasting. This will have to be done by a professional. Sand particles
and dust will coat the room, and more importantly, the sandblasting will remove the protective
fired finish on the brick. This may be all right for interior bricks but not for exterior, as
they will quickly soak up too much water. If cleaning paint from outside bricks, you can also
try power-washing paint off the bricks.
Can I paint the dark wood paneling in my house?
If it is smooth and shiny, lightly sand it
first, then wash it with TSP, which is a strong degreaser. When the wood is dry, paint it with
a flat white alkyd primer first. Apply a second coat of latex in the color of your choice. If
the paneling is rough, frost it with cream or rose latex stain for an elegant and soft look.
Can I paint ceramic tiles?
Yes, but check with a quality paint dealer
first. You used to be able to clean the tiles, apply KILZ, a stain-blocking mildew resistant
primer, and then paint. But there are much better paints specifically for tiles out there now,
and you might also look into enamel paints for this purpose.
Can I paint Formica?
Yes, if you first clean it with TSP
(see the two questions above) and then prime it with KILZ. For countertops, you may
want to apply three coats of water-based polyurethane over the paint to seal and protect it.
How do I remove wallpaper glue from my walls?
In pretty much the same way you remove
wallpaper. With wallpaper, you first score the paper with a little spiked wheel and then
spray or sponge on the wallpaper remover chemical. The biggest problem in this process is
that people are impatient. They don't wait long enough for the chemical to soak all the way
into the glue. So if you pull off the paper and glue is still stuck to the drywall, sponge or spray
on more chemical, let it eat into the glue, and then scrape it off with a wide-bladed putty knife.
How do I remove vinyl wallpaper?
First pull off the vinyl layer, and then
apply wallpaper removal solution to the paper.
Can I wallpaper over wood paneling?
Yes, but first make sure the walls are free
from oils and residues. Clean the paneling with TSP, then cover it with wallpaper liner, which
goes up like wallpaper but is heavier. It will cover the grooves in the paneling. Alternatively,
you can fill all the grooves in the paneling with paintable caulk (not silicon) and smooth them
with a putty knife. Sand any irregularities smooth before wallpapering.
What's the best way to paint kitchen cabinets?
Lightly sand any glossy finish, wash with TSP
to remove grease, and then apply an oil-based primer. You need to do this because if the surface
coat on the cabinets is oil based, latex paint will not adhere to it. Finally, apply a latex
semigloss or glossy paint, which is easy to wipe clean.
I painted my banister but the paint keeps peeling off. Why won't it stick?
The problem is probably that you are
applying latex paint over oil-based paint. But latex will stick to an oil-based primer. In
this case, you will have to sand and pull off all the loose paint, then apply an oil-based
primer, then your latex finish coat.
What should I use, oil-based polyurethane or water-based polyurethane?
Choose water based. It goes on more smoothly,
dries faster, and is not prone to yellowing as it ages, as is oil-based polyurethane.
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