Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth’s crust. Lead from paint, including lead-contaminated dust, is one of the most common causes of lead poisoning. Even in well-maintained homes, lead dust can form when lead-based paint is scraped, sanded or heated during home repair activities. Fortunately, there is a safe way to remove or paint over lead-based paint without putting yourself at risk.

How To Know If Your Home Has Lead Paint

If your home was built before 1978, it is possible that it has been painted with lead-based paint. In 1978, the federal government made it illegal for consumer uses of paint that contains lead, but some states banned it even earlier (Baltimore). Lead-based paint reached an all-time high in 1922, but through the 1950s and 1960s, the use of exterior lead-based paint declined significantly and ended by the early 1970s.

 Children Are More At Risk

If you’re just learning about the dangers of lead paint, remember that  young children, especially infants, spend a lot of time on the floor or playing with toys that may have been in contact with the floor. As we all know, some kids like to put hands and toys in their mouths. This raises their chances of swallowing lead dust and paint chips. Only a tiny amount of lead is needed to harm a young, growing child. It’s important to wash the toys even if they don’t look dirty and mop your floors often.

Removing Lead Paint In The Home

If you have lead paint in your house, and you are thinking about remodeling or painting the wood, Oil Bond is a great solution for you. Most people who have lead paint don’t repaint the wood because they don’t want to risk being exposed to the messy, lead-contaminated dust that is a result of sanding (it can be harmful to humans and animals).

Oil Bond is a unique product because you can paint over any surface. From wood to walls (with oil based paint), without sanding or priming. No mess. No risk. No lead dust. Interested in how Oil Bond works? You can learn more about the process here. Ready to paint? Let’s get to work! Oil Bond and other Latex Agent products are available online. Feel free to contact us about your product questions or how we can help with your next paint job.

Note:

Oil Bond only works with real wood surfaces with a finish, not wood surfaces featuring laminate or plastic surfaces. Most kitchen cabinets are perfect for Oil Bond.