Real estate, home improvement Q&A
Q: My friend and I want to spruce up her sunroom. She suspected the paint on the wood trim was lead-based, which made us nervous about all the sanding we’d have to do. We got a lead-paint test kit, and the results were positive.
She thinks we need professional lead-paint removal. I think we can do it ourselves, that we’ll be safe with dust masks and good ventilation. There are no small children in the house. What do you think?
A: First of all, home lead tests aren’t always accurate; a professional test should be done in the house. Second, don’t forget that adults are not immune from lead poisoning, especially those with a tendency toward liver problems. Dust masks don’t do the job; you need masks with HEPA filters designed specifically for lead-paint removal. And there are disposal issues to consider if you do the work yourselves.
All these things argue for leaving lead-paint removal to the pros. But removal isn’t the only way to control the hazard. Doors and windows containing lead paint can be replaced; surfaces can be covered with sheet rock or paneling.
There also are encapsulants, either liquid paints or adhesives, that can be applied over lead-based paint to seal it to a surface and prevent the release of dangerous paint chips or dust. But encapsulants can’t be used on surfaces that are walked on, that rub together (such as windows and doors), or are badly deteriorated. Conventional paint is not an encapsulant.
It’s not yet known how well encapsulants work over the long term; it is known they can sustain water damage and peel off a poorly prepared surface. So you would need to test a surface first to see whether the encapsulation paint was covering properly, then follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Many paint and hardware stores carry encapsulation materials; they can be found on the Internet, too.
Q: We have a black marble hearth in our rec room fireplace. With a small rock, our grandson put several scratches in the marble. What do you recommend to polish them out?
A: You can remove the scratches with tin dioxide or polishing powder, available from a stone dealer. Sprinkle some powder on the marble, wrap a dampened felt pad around a wood block, and polish the stone. Then wax the area with a marble wax.