Removing old paint safely

Stripping old paint is often the biggest job in a repaint, and the riskiest. The main hazards are lead in old paint, dust, harsh solvents in some strippers, and fire from heat tools. This guide covers how to plan the job safely. For a step-by-step comparison of methods, see how to strip paint from timber.

1. Find out if there is lead

Most Australian homes built before 1970 were painted with lead paint at some point, and it often survives under newer coats. Lead dust and fumes are toxic — particularly for young children and pregnant women — and the dust settles in carpets, ceilings and garden soil.

• Use a lead test kit from a hardware store on each layer you will disturb, or have a sample tested.
• If you cannot test, assume the paint contains lead.
• NSW EPA’s LeadSmart program has detailed guidance for home renovators.

2. Check for asbestos in textured coatings

Some plaster-type textured wall and ceiling coatings made before the mid-1980s contain asbestos. Have them tested before you disturb them. If asbestos is present, follow your state’s asbestos rules — licensed removal may be required. Trade Strip X-Tex removes textured coatings without creating dust and is widely used in the licensed asbestos removal industry.

3. Protect people and the house

• Keep children, pregnant women and pets away from the work area until clean-up is finished.
• Lay heavy plastic drop sheets and tape them down. Outdoors, cover the garden bed below the work.
• Close windows and doors near the work and turn off air-conditioning that could spread dust.
• Wear gloves, eye protection and a properly fitted P2 respirator, and work clothes you can wash separately.
• Do not eat, drink or smoke in the work area. Wash hands and face before breaks.

4. Choose a safer method

Avoid: dry sanding, power sanding without dust extraction, grinding, open-flame torches, and heat guns on high settings. All of these turn lead paint into dust or fumes.

Safer options:

• Wet scraping — mist the surface and scrape only loose paint.
• Infrared heat — the Silent Paint Remover Speed Heater softens paint at a much lower temperature than a heat gun, does not release lead fumes when used correctly, creates no dust and carries a much lower fire risk.
• Gel strippers without methylene chloride — soy-based Enviro Gel, water-based Home Strip, and Lead Away, made for old lead paints. They keep paint wet as it comes off, so there is no dust.

5. Clean up properly

• Collect paint scrapings and stripper residue as you go, and double-bag them.
• Do not sweep or use a household vacuum. Use a HEPA-filter vacuum, then wet-wipe all surfaces.
• Roll drop sheets inwards to trap dust before removing them.
• Ask your local council how to dispose of lead paint waste in your area.
• Wash work clothes separately from the household laundry.

6. Know when to call a professional

Large areas, interiors where children live, deteriorated lead paint, or anything involving asbestos are jobs for professionals trained in safe work practices. Our services include heritage paint stripping and lead paint abatement.

After the paint is off

Stripped timber is dry and thirsty. Prepare it as described in preparing timber for linseed oil paint — oil, seal knots and paint. See all paint strippers.

Common questions

Can I just paint over lead paint?

If it is sound and not flaking, encapsulating it under new paint is often the lowest-risk option. Wash it, lightly wet-sand only if needed, and paint.

Is wet sanding safe?

It is much safer than dry sanding because it keeps dust down, but still wear a respirator and clean up as above.

Are “safer” strippers really safe?

They avoid the most hazardous solvents, but always follow the label, wear gloves and eye protection, and ventilate the space.