Do you ever worry about the health factor of old “chippy” paint?

I fell in love with this antique chair that I found on the FB marketplace, and thrilled over its flathead screws and aged layers of paint. The layers of paint were at least 1/8″ thick and I thrilled thinking about all the people who had spent time painting this chair to match their decor.

But as soon as I put it here on the porch, the kids started sitting on it, and I began worrying about the layers of paint that kept chipping off into their hands!

And when I considered the lead-based paint of the 30’s, and the shocking lack of hand washing my children naturally do, I decided to sell this chair.

Thank goodness there are lots of other gals out there who love old furniture too, so this lovely piece could find another home!

🌿Tip: You can seal in the lead-based chemicals from old paint with Shellac or Poly. Just be aware that it may change the shine and color of the current piece.

🌿Tip: BE CAREFUL! Always Wear protective face respirators and gloves when scraping, sanding or painting over old paint!

What old piece have you fallen in love with only to realize it wasn’t quite what you expected?