I have an old shed which has timber beams that have lead paint on them. The paint is flaking and I want to fix it up. The shed is going to be knocked down in about 5 years, so I don't need a permanent solution, just a temporary one, and I don't really care what the end result looks like as these are internal beams.
Does anyone have any advice on the best method to paint over these beams?
You can't paint over flaking paint. Doing so only adheres the new pait to the old paint, and since the old paint is flaking, so will your new paint.
You need to remove the flaking paint. Scraping is likely best, along with the appropriate safety gear (Lead approved face masks, lead approved filters for the shop vac, etc.)
If it's only going to stand for another 5 years, though, I'm not sure I'd worry about it too much--unless you have children playing in there.
They have been making primers and paints recently that dry thicker than standard paints, specifically for "locking" lead paint in (used a lot in commercial buildings where children are normally present). Here's a link to one:
I'm blanking on some of the other types I've used. Here's one from Home Depot that I don't have any experience with, but it's along the same lines:
Since you are planning to dispose of the shed relatively soon, I suggest incorporating proper disposal of lead painted wood into your plan.
