Q How do I remove paint from a back door? It's latex over old paint, probably lead paint.
A Paint applied before 1978 is lead paint and you'll need to take special precautions.
Remove the door from the hinges, if possible, and set on sawhorses, ideally, outdoors.
Do not dry-sand to remove lead-based paint. Dry-sanding creates a lot of harmful lead dust. The only time it is OK to dry-sand is when you are removing paint from a small area around an electrical outlet.
Do not use a heat gun at temperatures of 700 degrees or greater or an open flame torch to remove lead-based paint. This level of heat will create a dangerous lead fume that is very easy to breathe in.
Apply a paint stripper. You'll want to wear a respirator designed to protect against chemical vapors whenever you work with a chemical stripper, as some of them contain very strong chemicals. Check with a hardware or safety supply store for more information about respirators.
Read the manufacturer's instructions before you apply the stripper. If not working outdoors, be sure to have doors and windows open for ventilation. After you have used the stripper to remove the paint, store the stripper and paint residue in a proper container, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Follow the manufacturer's specific cleanup instructions for the stripper product you are using. Do not use stripper products containing methylene chloride. It's classified as a probable cause of cancer in humans by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Dispose of waste properly. Minnesota law allows property owners to put lead waste in the trash. Call your county offices, though, to find out if they burn trash. If your trash is burned, lead fumes could be released into the air, so the state Health Department recommends that you dispose of lead paint chips and lead debris at a household hazardous-waste collection site. Call your county offices for information about household hazardous-waste service in your community.
