|
Strip painting your old
fireplace mantel
 You
can refurbish that old fireplace mantel, without making a mess of
your house
Fireplace mantels make homes beautiful. They can
really enhance the quality of your home.
Restoring a fireplace mantle is a serious task
that requires a lot of safety precautions, but in the end it will be
very rewarding. Here are some tips when it comes to this task.
If you can, try to do some of this work outside. If that is
impossible, use stripper and heat guns only in well ventilated
areas, as fumes, or risk of damage or fire is something to be paid
attention to. For more information, the EPA has written scores of
brochures and booklets detailing the hazards of lead paint removal.
When working inside, it is suggested to use a HEPA respirator and
vacuum your work space thoroughly and frequently.
When done working for a while, or even just taking a break, always
wash your hands very thoroughly, as lead paint or paint stripper can
be very hazardous if taken internally.
When lead paint is involved, you should be especially careful.
Tracking led dust around the house on your shoes, or clothes can be
very hazardous to anyone living there. Make sure that your clothes
are washed, and shoes cleaned before you enter living space. (it
might be smart to keep a separate pair of shoes just for this work.)
Also, be sure that no one lese runs the risk of tracking paint chips
around.
When using a heat gun, be sure to keep it away from things like
carpet, as modern carpet (if it doesn’t light on fire) may turn
synthetic threads into a molten plastic ball that will harden
unattractively on your floor.
Never trust the can of wood stain. Be sure to have a test area for
any staining you do. Stain and varnish the wood as you would your
mantle just to make sure you know exactly what the color is and if
it’s what you’re looking for.
Remember, you often get what you pay for. Cheep hardware may not do
the job very well, or at all. What’s the point of buying a $45 heat
gun if it’s going to cease to work 20 minutes in, leaving you to go
buy the $85 one you passed up?
Be careful of your hands. Protective gloves are very important, as
you will want to protect them from the heat, and the splinters
involved in this kind of restoration.
Use nail nippers, rather than knocking old nails back through wood.
This causes less damage to the wood.
If you’re working in your house, it’s suggested to keep the AC or
Heater off. Rely on fans instead, as ventilation doesn’t mean
circulating stripper fumes into the living room or bedrooms. It is
suggested you turn your pilot light out as well, to avoid any
unexpected pyrotechnics. (Stripper fumes can be very flammable, and
you can never be too cautious)
Helpful articles and common questions regarding
fireplace mantels:
|
|
