Lath and plaster were common in homes up until the mid-1940s. Your lath and plaster walls have decades worth of layers of paint on them, and removing it can be quite challenging. Up until 1940, about two-thirds of homes were painted with heavily leaded paint, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC.) It's not always necessary to remove all layers of paint from plaster and lath walls for a good paint job, but if you decide to do so, you have several options.
Instructions
1. Test the paint for lead, either by using a lead paint test kit or sending a sample to a laboratory. It may be safer to assume that at least one layer of paint contains lead.
2. Seal and protect the area. Remove everything possible from the room where the paint will be removed. Close or seal vents to prevent lead dust getting into the duct work and cover the floor by taping heavy plastic over it. Direct a fan out of a window to dissipate dust and fumes, and wear a respirator with a HEPA filter.
3. Use a scraper to remove all loose and poorly adhering paint. A pull scraper is less likely to damage the underlying plaster.
4. Apply a heavy bodied chemical paint stripper as directed by label instructions. Some strippers can take up to 24 hours to work and must be covered with a sheet of plastic to prevent premature evaporation.
5. Carefully scrape the softened paint from the plaster wall or ceiling. If there are many layers of paint, this may take several applications.
6. Scrub the walls to remove loose plaster or calcimine coatings. Rinse them clean and allow to dry. Run your hand over the dry surface--if white, chalky residue comes off on your hand, you need to scrub it again. Paint will not adhere to chalky surfaces.
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