How to fix chipped skirting boards?

[JBlondebrick]

The previous owner painted acrylic gloss paint over oil on the skirting boards and doors and it is chipping badly.  As the house is pre 1970 we are assuming the paint is lead based so removing it is toxic either way apparently. 

What the best way forward here - will priming properly stop the acrylic flaking off or do we need to figure out how to remove the acrylic without taking too much oil off?

Cheers

[MitchellMc]

Hi @JBlondebrick,

Here's some helpful information on Lead in house paint and home renovations involving lead paint. The basic steps include isolating the area, wearing sufficient PPE, wet sanding or scraping and the use of chemical stripping agents. The main concern is the lead-based paint becoming airborne in dust form. Given the concern, I would strongly encourage you to consider enlisting the services of a professional painter who has experience working with lead-based paints.

Priming doesn't stop the underlying paint from delaminating, but it might seal it enough to inhibit the issue. How long your new coat will last is unknown due to the comprised lower layer. As a quick fix, I see no harm in priming the area with Zinsser 0.95L Peel Stop Clear Binding Primer and painting the area with a water-based topcoat like Dulux Aquanamel. As mentioned, it's a bit hard to tell how long this will last, but it could potentially resolve the issue without having to disturb the surface.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[JBlondebrick]

Thank you, we will see how we go with that.