Making the World a Less Pink Place

Yesterday afternoon we went to Economy Lumber to talk to a guy about railings (I mean, seriously). While we were there, Noel mentioned that he'd like to replace the old respirator he's been using. Having had my OSHA respirator training, I thought this was a good idea: respirators should be replaced every couple of years because the plastic breaks down and stops making a good seal. And our old ones date from the first year we owned the house. Time to replace, indeed.

Which meant that tonight, when we were kind of kicking around considering what to do with our evening, Noel whipped out his new respirator with lead-safe cartridges (we don't know if there is lead paint on the trim, but it's safe to assume there is) and started depinking the library door.

I had to convince the dogs that this was not something that they should share. They just wanted to lie down in the hallway and look at him adoringly, as if that's a good idea when cooked paint fumes are in the air.

Before he started with the heat gun, he added some Peel-Away to the trim on the front door. That seems to have done a generally good job there so far.

Just after I'd lured the dogs into the dining room (as far as they wanted to go from their precious Noel), I turned around to see Dash lurking with great interest.

I guess our animals are not very smart.

By the time he called it quits, Noel had stripped much of the door frame and more than half the door. Though to be fair he did the easy part of the door. Though to be even more fair this door had a TON of paint on it.

Some of the layers of paint are quite interesting, like this dark gray colour. The house must have looked very utilitarian and drab with the trim painted that way.

posted by ayse on 08/23/12