Yea, you really don’t want to sand lead-based paint.

If you scrape the old paint it must be caught in a drop cloth and disposed of as hazardous waste. Otherwise it contaminates the top soil. Don’t use a heat gun to loosen it — you will get a kind of lead-infused gas.

If you can encapsulate it, you should be okay although some might say you are just postponing the inevitable need for removal.

Best is to replace the trim if possible.

Note that the fine black dust on the window sill (where the bottom sash is seated when closed) may be lead contaminated too.

Use gloves and seriously keep any children well away from the whole project. It doesn’t take much to poison a child and the effects can be permanent.

Lead presents an inhalation risk and an ingestion risk, but not a contact risk.

So long as you're not breathing it in (wear a properly-fitted N-100 or P-100 respirator), and are not ingesting it ( remove your clothes BEFORE you enter the home, thoroughly wash yourself and your hands off when you're done), you'll be fine.

There is definitely something to be said for releasing it to the environment, though, which should absolutely be avoided.

Personally, I'd rip off the casings and replace them completely, so as to avoid releasing all those flakes to the environment. But if not, then yes, a combination of scraping, and a sticky encapsulating paint is the way to go.

Have you had it tested by a professional? Do it and you may be surprised. The dangers of lead paint were well known by 1950, and although not outlawed until 1978, many people stopped using it.

Source - my company installs 3K windows per year, and we test every house built pre-1978 per EPA regulations. I am very surprised at the amount of homes built before even 1950 that come back negative. You have a 97% chance of being lead paint negative if built after 1970, and odds still heavily in your favor if built in the 60s. It’s a coin flip in the 50s, odds not in your favor in the 40s, and pre-1940, forgetaboutit - it has lead.

I can’t say what a professional charges in your area, but the company we use charges $325 to test all windows and $400 to do the entire house.

I would not recommend trying to encapsulate failing paint. The areas that aren't peeling yet probably aren't far behind. I would definitely look into the cost of just replacing the trim. You'll still need to take precautions to prevent environmental contamination when removing the trim instead of stripping, but it will be much less of a headache. Remember that the hazards of lead paint removal go far beyond your own personal safety during the removal. You do not want this stuff in your yard. It's not something that just goes away after a few rainstorms. It stays there and can potentially make the yard unsafe for gardening or recreation.

I with this dude. Beside the lead, the time it would take to strip them is probably about the same to rip them off and replace. Also, you'll end up with a nice, smooth fresh paint job

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Even if it really is lead and not oil-based it's the same solution. Prime and paint it. Get the zinnsser Peel Stop.

Just from the photo it don't look like lead to me, lead peels in a specific way like a fish net and the paint chips are very heavy and brittle. There is no way the finish would have lasted this many years either. It's probably oil and that requires you to prime it first anyway.

I've been wet-scraping "some" lead-painted wood on my house. It is a time consuming process, but yields the best results. There are a variety of profiles of carbide scraper that you will need.

Basically, I set up a catch system, spray the board to be scraped repeatedly during the process to minimize dust, and scrape away. Once its scraped you can easily sand and fill any imperfections, and often end up with a finish that is better than the original.

Maybe heat it with a heat gun. It will bubble off with no dust. Or replace the trim

Here is a pamphlet that might help. While lead is dangerous with prolonged exposure common sense precautions as outlined in this pamphlet will give you the maximum protection. A one time project with proper percautions well executed is very doable. I would take it seriously, but do not be paralyzed by it. This is DEFINITELY a DIY project that you can tackle.

Good luck

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• Don't make lead dust
• Don't inhale lead dust if you make it
• Small kids and pregnant women should not go around licking all the paint.
• Wear gloves and a respirator
• Collect all the loose paint chips dispose of properly.

I would add that over time as the window is opened and closed lead dust can build up on the sills and baseboards as it is worn down through use.

When I was with early intervention we recommended peopke wash sills and baseboards with a cleaning solution high in phosphates, such as Spic N Span or automatic dishwasher powdered soap. You mix ¼ cup to 1 gallon warm water, and wear rubber gloves while cleaning. Wipe surfaces with the phosphate solution, then rinse with clean water. Change water in buckets for each room or as necessary, and pour water down toilet.

Also if the trim is old enough to have lead paint, it also likely has some water damage

That doesn’t look like 1966 NE trim.

The windows don’t look like they’re from 1966 either.

When the previous owners updated the windows, they probably updated the trim.

Do a quick lead spot test to confirm.

That trim looks good. If it’s original 1966 trim, you’d have to get custom trim to fit as all mill work now is smaller/thinner.

Just what I’d do being a New Englander and feeling with a 1910 building and red cedar siding from the 50s.

Replace the trim. I wouldn’t bother with lead-encapsulating primer(Ben Moore’s Insl-X brand makes one but it’s pricey), and sanding it even with a Festool HEPA setup like the pros(expect to drop at least $700 on the vacuum only) isn’t a good idea.

I would prime it. Add filler where needed. Lightly sand filler making sure not to sand through the primer. Wearing a respirator while doing so. then paint. And not be to fussy with the finish.

To get a perfect surface without filler added, youd have to sand the old paint smooth. Scraping it will leave it very uneven and painting over it will make it look ugly. Up to you though.

I see this recommended all the time but no one mentions how all that lead contaminated water ends up running everywhere.

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Scrape only. Paint over. Move on.

Agreed on testing this to potentially save some time/labor and fully understand the risks.

His paint is definitely in a state of disrepair and needs repainting. But I don’t see any of the alligator skin peeling that is typical of those white heavily leaded paints.

Cries in 1910 home with tons of deferred maintenance

Sorry to say, but in my state at least, the only legal way to deal with this is to hire a crew licensed to deal with lead paint removal. You can paint over it, if you want, but you will need to disclose knowing about the lead paint when selling.

Honestly, this is not something you want to be penny-wise-pound-foolish on. Have a remediation crew that knows what it is doing take care of it for you and your family's sake.

fuhgeddaboutit

That's why the first thing I mentioned was setting up a catch system.

Lead paint test swabs are cheap and very easy to use - even for a novice. Buy them at any home improvement store.

Don’t eat the paint! Put a mask on lightly sand, paint call it a day.

Are kids living in the house ? If so, what age?

If it is not a lot of trim, remove and replace it. Start with new fresh wood. Prime it and paint it. This is the safest way to get rid of lead paint. You will be so much happier without lead paint chips all over your yard and in your hair and clothes etc...

Heat gun is actually one of the safest ways to remove lead paint.

…but pregnant women licking non-lead based paint is fine, right?

Seriously? That was not what I learned, but do tell.

I learned to use two buckets. Dip in one, squeeze in the other.

Lots of official sources recommend it. Eg. https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2502.pdf

As long as you just soften the paint rather than absolutely roasting it then it doesn't create dangerous fumes.