Lead based paint testing

[OldKettle]

Hi,
I have a number of jobs on our house that are being held up with concerns about possible lead paint, mainly on the walls and ceilings, but also on woodwork and some pipework.

None of the lead testing kits online get particularly good reviews, and I wonder if anybody here has any suggestions regarding kits or third party testing.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

[Notch7]

I know they make a huge fuss about it in the states, hardly anybody says anything over here.

I dont know how much of a health risk it is or not in reality. I suppose it depends what you are intending doing. many hours of sanding with an electricla sander or using a blow torch might be dodgy. A light rub back and re paint possibly not. Im sure a pro decorator will be along with some good advice.

 

[OldKettle]

Thanks. The biggest job is that all of the walls and ceilings are painted yellow (which I believe commonly contained lead, back in the day). They were all papered when we bought the place, and we had intended to just strip the paper, put up lining paper and then paint. We've now stripped most of the walls, and we can just go ahead with lining and painting, but at some point we will get a rewire done, so if there is a problem with the paint, I had hoped to get it rectified now, rather than have the walls chased, and holes drilled in the ceiling, with the paint there, and also potentially have to strip the walls again when redecorating.

If I could know for certain that it wasn't lead based, then we could just line it and paint it.

The other, smaller, issues are that there is some painted pipework that is a problem, and the same with the woodwork.

EDIT: The presence of young kids in the house is the other complicating factor.

 

[Nige F]

Age of the house ?

 

[OldKettle]

Age of the house ?

It was built in the mid 1950s, last owner before me bought it the mid 1960s. Looks like it was last papered in the 80s probably.

Couple of pics below (most of the walls are in much better condition, but the light was better for the photo on that wall).

 

[Nige F]

Thanks, I can see siraphite plaster showing on the walls and a plastered ceiling ( no asbestos Artex) so the only possibility of lead paint may be the woodwork, and that's not a certainty because it was a lot more expensive than oil based u/c and gloss at the time. It may have been used on the outside of the house, and was still available in the 70's when I used to help my old Dad use it on quality outside woodwork. Damned stuff was hard work compared to ordinary paints, and amazingly heavy in the can. So you are fine with your walls and ceilings and probably OK on your woodwork.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

We've now stripped most of the walls, and we can just go ahead with lining and painting,

So just paper over it. It's only lead paint, not nuclear waste. Drilling a few holes in it isn't going to affect anything.

 

[OldKettle]

Thanks, I can see siraphite plaster showing on the walls and a plastered ceiling ( no asbestos Artex) so the only possibility of lead paint may be the woodwork, and that's not a certainty because it was a lot more expensive than oil based u/c and gloss at the time. It may have been used on the outside of the house, and was still available in the 70's when I used to help my old Dad use it on quality outside woodwork. Damned stuff was hard work compared to ordinary paints, and amazingly heavy in the can. So you are fine with your walls and ceilings and probably OK on your woodwork.

Thanks for the advice.

If I understand correctly, the plaster on the walls and ceilings, was only available after the use of lead paint stopped. Is that right? (if so, fantastic!)

What is the oldest that the plaster on the ceilings and walls could be?

Thanks again, incredibly helpful.

 

[opps]

It may have been used on the outside of the house, and was still available in the 70's when I used to help my old Dad use it on quality outside woodwork. Damned stuff was hard work compared to ordinary paints, and amazingly heavy in the can. So you are fine with your walls and ceilings and probably OK on your woodwork.

Thanks for the info. I thought that it was simply the oxidising agent used in the paint rather than being a special class of paint.

 

[Nige F]

Thanks for the advice.

If I understand correctly, the plaster on the walls and ceilings, was only available after the use of lead paint stopped. Is that right? (if so, fantastic!)

What is the oldest that the plaster on the ceilings and walls could be?

Thanks again, incredibly helpful.

Plaster could only be as old as the house I was saying it's a type coeval with the house, not lime plaster. The walls could have originally been painted with distemper, emulsion paints were starting to come through in the late 50's. Wall/ ceiling paints don't have lead in them

 

[Nige F]

Thanks for the info. I thought that it was simply the oxidising agent used in the paint rather than being a special class of paint.

The old Magnet lead paint slogan was "Lead paint lasts" and it did weather well, a bit like Sadolin Superdec does now, dulling and fading but sticking like **** to an Army blanket - as Dad used to say.