Where lead paint turns up
Because later repaints usually cover it, lead paint is rarely visible. The practical approach on a pre-1970 home is to assume older coatings may contain lead and prepare accordingly, without claiming that they definitely do. Old timber windows are one of the most common spots — our Heritage Timber Windows & Sash Restoration guide covers their assessment and repainting in detail.
- Exterior weatherboards, eaves, fascias, barge boards and verandah posts.
- Timber window frames, sashes and sills — high-friction surfaces that shed dust when they move.
- Doors, door frames, skirting boards and architraves inside the house.
- Old metalwork such as railings and gates.
- Soil close to the house, where decades of flaking exterior paint may have collected.
Testing
Consumer lead test kits from a hardware store give a fast indication on a single spot and a single layer. They are useful for screening, and useful for deciding how cautious to be, but they are not a substitute for professional testing where a definitive answer is needed — for example before major works, or if someone in the household has a specific health concern.
Health authorities publish guidance on lead in household paint, including safe renovation practice and what to do if you are concerned. If you have questions about exposure or health, that is a conversation for your doctor or the relevant health authority rather than your painter.
How we prepare lead-safe
Contain the area
Drop sheets laid and secured, work zone defined, and the area kept clear of residents, children and pets while preparation is underway.
Wet methods
Wet scraping and wet sanding to keep dust down instead of dry abrasion that puts it into the air.
HEPA extraction
Where power sanding is necessary, tools are used with HEPA dust extraction rather than open sanding.
No heat or open flame
We avoid burning off or high-heat stripping on coatings that may contain lead, because heat releases fumes.
PPE
Appropriate respiratory protection, gloves, eye protection and coveralls where warranted.
Clean as we go
Debris collected, sheets folded inward and the area cleaned down rather than left to spread between work days.
Protect the garden
Garden beds, play areas and outdoor furniture covered or moved clear before scraping begins.
Final clean-up
Work area cleaned down at completion before it goes back into everyday use.
What we do and don't claim
We are painters who take lead-safe preparation seriously on older homes. That means dust control, containment, PPE and proper clean-up as standard practice when working on previously painted timber in pre-1970 houses.
We are not a licensed hazardous-material remediation service and we do not carry out lead abatement. If a property needs paint removed as a hazardous material, we will tell you that plainly rather than take the job.