Staircase Update: I Didn’t go to Pittsburgh

The title of this post says it all. I didn’t go to Pittsburgh to have the balusters dipped. Last Friday, I planned to drive down and drop them off. To explain why I did not, let’s back up a little.

Truthfully, I had been feeling a little uneasy about dipping the balusters when some of them seemed so fragile. I had visions of a few returning to me in pieces. Then, my gut just felt off about the environmental impact of that much chemical stripper waste. What really sealed the deal was a direct message I received shortly after the last staircase update post went live.

That message came from John Rodgers of Phoenix Preservation. He is in the restoration biz, and I really respect him. First, he was very direct with me about the potential effect of the chemicals on the wood. After being dipped, there is a chance that the paint will not adhere properly. Of course, there are best practices with any paint job, but it would be crushing to put in all this work and have the paint fail again. Second, he reiterated the amount of chemical waste created by dip and strip facilities.

He was kind, but it was clear that his message was, don’t do it. I opted to sit with that message for a few more days and do a gut re-check. I am a recovering people-pleaser, so I now regularly consider the unintended consequences of my decisions. Who am I trying to make happy, and at what cost? It did not take long to decide that I was not going to Pittsburgh, after all.

By that time, my friend Dale and I had already spent several hours removing the paint on the broken balusters, and it went pretty well. Work is always more fun with a buddy. (Spoken like an extrovert!) We used Peel-away, a chemical stripper, but it is in a different class altogether.

It did a decent job, but I think my Cobra infrared paint remover and the ProScraper (affiliate link) will work just as well or better.

There is a lot of work ahead, but since the latex paint never bonded to the oil-base layer, it comes off without much muscle. Removing the old paint is still a tedious job, but it is only annoying on a scale from one to horrible.

I started using the Cobra on the Greek Key accents, and the latex layer crackles and practically leaps off.

Note: I wore protective gear and secured the area when I had to dig into the base layer, which likely contains lead. Used properly, the Cobra does not raise the paint temperature high enough to release lead fumes, and the paint chips become soft and easy to contain. Also, I do not have small children.

Early last week, Dale and I removed all of the remaining balusters, and we secured the handrail with some wood pieces and clamps. The green painter’s tape adds a nice touch.

The staircase will be a usable construction zone for the next couple of months at least.

Dale is coming over on Thursday, and we are focusing on the balusters again. I will teach him how to use the Cobra and the ProScraper so we can use those instead of more Peel-away. We will save the Peel-away for the stubborn spots.

For now, this is my life.

I scrape latex paint for a living and daydream about what it will feel like to be done.

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