Old house restoration--question for the gurus

Oh Haha · 06-22-2009, 05:06 PM

I thought milt did restoration work on old houses but it may have been someone else.

I am painting a barn for a family member this week. It was built in 1865 but is solid. The walls are 2 foot thick concrete!!!

I scraped the old paint from the 1940's off(what was left anyway)and started priming the wood siding per the owner's request. The wood soaked up the primer pretty fast, especially sinc it was 85 degrees today.

I'll be using a latex exterior grade paint. I don't recall the brand but it is not bargain paint. The new color is ust slightly darker than what's on now.

My question is whether or not I NEED to prime the wood. Thanks.

I underestimated the work that will be involved with this project.

Oh, and there is a LIVE FEED power line going into the barn. How close does a paintbrush need to be to conduct electricity, you ask. let me tell you, it ain't that f-in far!!!!!!! twice

URY914 · URY914's Garage

Prime it. The primer is cheaper than $ paint so your paint will cover more area. There are other reasons but I like the $.

dad911 · 06-22-2009, 05:43 PM

http://www.thefunplace.com/house/home/leadpaint.html#before
Most homes built before 1960 contain lead-based paint. Lead based paint produced before 1960 contains higher concentrations of lead than paint manufactured in later years.

Test for lead?

Oh Haha · 06-22-2009, 05:52 PM

No, I didn't even think about lead until after I got home tonight. I wore a dust mask and safety glasses.

Most of the paint had already flaked off anyway. I just loosened up what was there. There wasn't even a enough to fill a gallon size bag.

met a very nice bat that poked his head out to say"hi". I must have woke him up from his afternoon nap.

Jim Richards · 06-22-2009, 06:47 PM

One hour spent on PPOT will result in greater levels of brain damage than a barn's worth of lead-based paint. Only 5 minutes if we're talking PARF.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

it is likely that you have significant lead exposure - not sure what you can do about

it is the tiny respirable particles that cause the real problems

you won't get much more exposure from painting, but I would avoid eating the dirt near the barn

did you use an oil based or latex based primer?

speeder · speeder's Garage

The danger of lead-based paint to adults is highly over-rated, IMO. I've been breathing tons of it in dust form for over 20 years and when I have my blood checked for lead, there isn't any. Plus it just isn't very dangerous except to developing small children. That's why the whole *babies eating paint chips* campaign got legs.

Don't get me wrong, breathing any foreign matter is not desirable but the idea that you will be harmed by one exposure to scraping some old paint is a big nothing. If it was really dangerous, I'd be so dead. I specialize in renovations of old houses that include heavy removal of old paints and stains, stripping/scraping/burning/sanding/etc. The real danger is to the environment, (water table), if you do not dispose of the old paint chips and dust. I collect every bit possible using drop cloths and brooms/dustpans and take it to household waste collection sites. Nothing goes in the trash.

Use a good respirator if it's heavy work, otherwise just a good 3M dust mask. Definitely prime the prepped surface before painting if you want it to stick.

HardDrive · 06-23-2009, 12:21 AM

I wear a high quality respirator (current one is 3M) when doing heavy demolition work. I have moderate asthma. There is plenty of nasty stuff if old buildings, but frankly.....I think the danger is a bit over rated. I know quite a few contractors in their 50s-60s who are not dragging an O2 tank around. Unless you doing brake jobs on old cars all day or removing insulation from heating pipes, me thinks a decent respirator (prolly just a 95 dust mask really) will be fine.

Prime, it will save you work.

Oh Haha · 06-23-2009, 02:50 AM

Thanks guys.

Denis-I knew there was someone on here that did this work. It is latex primer and paint.

Off to paint. I hope to have at least 2 sides completed by 1pm.

I think I have it down now-Turn the power off to paint around the lines, look out for pi$$ed off bats, and don't eat the dirt. Got it.

Gregsgroup · 06-23-2009, 03:00 AM

Prime. Also, you can tint the Primer to match the color your paint choice. Or you rolling or spraying?

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Wayne,

Have fun with your "project"!

Porsche_monkey · 06-23-2009, 04:08 AM

I primed my cedar sided house, then put two top coats on. It lasted 12 years.

I would not skip the priming stage.

Oh Haha · 06-23-2009, 10:08 AM

I found out that the barn was painted in the mid80's so lead is not a problem. I spoke to one of the owners this morning about it. I must have misheard the person Ispoke with last night.

The paint is like pudding and going on great. It's going to take me ALOT longer than I thought but the owners are not in a hurry.

I would like to use a spray gun but I don't have but a small one for car stuff.

I'm going back after supper to finish the front side.

M.D. Holloway · 06-23-2009, 11:14 AM

If it is a barn chances are the first few coats are what was known as milk paint - actually made from milk! But Dad911 is correct, lead was (and is in asia) used as an additive starting in the 20's on through to the 70's. Bad stuff - make you retarded.

M.D. Holloway · 06-23-2009, 11:18 AM

something I found:

In Colonial America, as earlier in Europe, itinerant painters roamed the countryside, carrying pigments with them, which could be mixed with a farmer's or householder's own milk and lime. Often, the itinerant painter would be a tinker or farrier, or have some trade in addition to his knowledge of paint. Practically every household had their own cow or goat, and each community had its own lime pit. Even though there exist many examples of early American furniture that was painted with some form of oil paint, the look associated most widely with the country homes and furniture of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries is that of the soft velvety, rich colors of milk paint.

This scene doesn't change much until after the Civil War. In 1868, the first patent was given for the metal paint can with its tightly fitting top. With this development came the commercial oil paint industry. For the first time, paint could be manufactured in great mass, packaged in the new patented cans and shipped to stores throughout the country.

But this kind of operation does not lend itself to the use of milk paint. Made from natural milk protein, it will spoil just like whole milk. Therefore, from the very beginning of the commercial oil paint industry, up until 1935, the only paint sold commercially was oil-based paint, to which was added lead, mildewcides, and other poisonous additives. Other types of casein paints were developed that could not be considered milk paint. Casein was mixed with fromaldehyde, or with ammonia, or with borax, to create much different types of paint recipes. Around 1935, a new water-based casein(milk protein) paint was developed with the use of synthetic rubber and styrene. This was called Kem-Tone, the first latex paint, which met with great commercial success.

M.D. Holloway · 06-23-2009, 11:19 AM

oh ya, you should prime and I hate to say it but sand as well (don't hit me...)

dad911 · 06-23-2009, 12:01 PM

I've been in construction 25+ years, and been exposed to alot also. Insulation, asbestos siding, cement dust, played with mercury, and done alot with lead, from bodywork to melting lead into pinewood derby cars for weight.... the list goes on. Although I seem fine, My father, also in construction his whole life, died of cancer. And some of my friends have died of cancerous or respiratory diseases.

My point was that before digging into a project, sometimes a little research/precaution is a good thing. And enough 'Pelicans' read these threads, some may get the paint tested before stripping, burning, etc.

Stepping off the soapbox now........