Painting & Decorating

Can I remove wallpaper that has been painted over with lead paint?

Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 3.00 PM

Hello there, All walls in the lounge, bedroom and kitchen of my Victorian flat are covered in damaged wallpaper that needs removing. Problem is, the wallpaper has been painted over by the previous owner, and I have reason to believe that the paint covering it contains lead. The wallpaper is really teared and ripping off in places, so it isn’t salvageable, and I don’t think it can be covered up. I want to strip the wallpaper to the underlying plaster so I have a fresh surface to work from, though I am very worried about releasing lead dust when doing so. Would it be safe if I sealed each room with poly sheets, wore a respirator, and striped the wallpaper whilst being made wet by using a wallpaper steamer? Or am I asking for trouble? Any advice would be much appreciated, as I’m holding back on doing this job due to the safety issues posed and not knowing what to do. Many thanks, Russell