If this is not a job for a heat gun, are chemical strippers appropriate?
stripping lead based paint
So, what is it that makes the heat gun "unsafe"?
So I went out and got the smallest tub of Peel Away 1 that I could find- a 1 gallon tub. this came with about enough paper stuff to cover one side of a door. Should I expect to cover more area that that with this 1 gallon tub? If so, is there something else to use to peel with when I run out of their paper?
The best product we found was Strip-ez it smells and you must have adequate ventilation but it is a dream. You may want to wear a respirator. Tape off with plastic bags and go to town.
As for heat guns and lead based paint. Lead is a hazard if it is ingested or inhaled as a vapor. Heat guns vaporize the lead and enable you to breathe the fumes. It has a cumulative effect, be very cautious. I don't recommend using a heat gun.
Good Luck with your project! Kath
Here's my report on Peel Away 1. It works and takes the paint off in one shot- but it doesn't "peel away" for me. The paper comes off, and under that is a crusty layer, and under that is a slime layer. The crusty stuff crumbles, and then the slimy stuff is easy to wipe up with a wrung out wet rag. Working a small area at a time is better.
We contacted our County Health Dept. where we were well instructed on the removal of the paint.
We were told it was alright to use a heat gun as long as we wore the right clothing, completely sealed off the room, and used this special vacuum cleaner that they actually let us borrow free of charge.
The proper clothing consisted of being totally covered and using a HEPA filter face mask. The vacuum cleaner was actually one they used for asbestos clean up but with a different type of filter. My husband ran the vacuum cleaner close to the area while I melted and scraped the paint away. It was much faster and cleaner than using the chemical strippers.
After all this, I think Citristrip is my preferred method for doors, and sashes which I can remove and lay flat. 3M SafestStrip is my favorite for the remaining trim, because it doesn't ooze/run down on vertical surfaces. It is slow like Peel Away, and needs repeat applications, but I like it better than Peel Away because it isn't going to burn me if it gets on my skin.