Lead Paint on the ceiling of a Kitchen with a Wood Cook Stove

I have a really old house with lead paint on the ceiling of the kitchen i need ideas of what i could do to prevent that lead paint form getting into my food! The ceiling is lath and plaster, so as I
tried scraping off the paint with a wire brush grinder it started rubbing off the plaster, which I really don't want to do because the lath seems to provide better insulation and support. Scraping it by hand seems impossible because much of the paint tis still very stuck to the top. The next option would be to simply cover it with some sort of drop ceiling, or paneling, but there is plumbing on the under side of the ceiling, however I also have a woodstove in here and I want to have some sort of food drying rack. What are your thoughts or ideas? Let me know! Thanks.

So sheet rock it over and seal the paint away.

I agree, adding a drop down ceiling of sheet rock.  It will enclose the lead paint and make the room look so much nicer.

Personally, I'd put several good thick coats of elastomeric paint over it. That makes things waterproof, I expect it would constrain the lead paint.

I hate sheet-rocking over my head. It's heavy!  I'd use wood paneling on 2x4 studs rather than sheet rock. But if I were doing that, I'd still give it elastomeric paint before I did. Lead dust is not a thing to skimp on, and it will continue flaking if not glued in by something evil (like that paint) and the flakes will wander out cracks.

So my vote would be a glue it down hard layer of some sort, followed if desired by a ceiling smoothing layer of some sort. But I would NOT skip the glue down layer, and regular cheap paint won't be mean enough.  

I'm a fan of encapsulation for lead.

Proper removal and associated cleanup is tough, especially in a place that is currently occupied.

The biggest risk of lead is breathing dust (like from sanding).  Please take precautions. Asbestos is also a worry as that was used in houses long after lead paint was banned. Asbestos causes more harm, over shorter time, with less exposure.  This is also most risky when breathed.

Next risk come ingestion, and the least (but still not safe) is from absorption through the skin.  But these are infinitesimal compared to the risk from sanding and breathing dust.

The simplest way is to leave the old paint and create a barrier.  Most old houses I've seen deal with this by building a false ceiling below the old one using modern materials.

Added advantage is this adds an air gap that helps with insulation.

Another barrier is to put new paint on top, but if it's pealing, that needs dealing with first (we are back to risky sanding) and it's probably oil paint which usually needs specific paint to stick to it long term.

Pearl Sutton wrote:Personally, I'd put several good thick coats of elastomeric paint over it. That makes things waterproof, I expect it would constrain the lead paint.

I learned about a new kind of paint today.  Thanks.  That stuff sounds very useful for this situation.

r ranson wrote:

Pearl Sutton wrote:Personally, I'd put several good thick coats of elastomeric paint over it. That makes things waterproof, I expect it would constrain the lead paint.

I learned about a new kind of paint today.  Thanks.  That stuff sounds very useful for this situation.

It's not a "100% green paint!!" but it IS waterproof and mean enough to hold down lead. I know from experience doing renovations that regular paint did not work. I ended up using a heat gut to take off the lead paint and it sucked rocks. Working in a full body biohazard suit is miserable in the summer.

You may have seen it used on roofs before, it's white, and goes on  thick and practically indestructible. My home in NM had a flat roof, I had it spray foamed, then we put 3 coats of elastomeric on it. Having a flat roof means that over the years people went up there to have lunch, sleep under the stars, read in a quiet spot, clean the clerestory windows etc. So it took a lot of foot traffic over spray foam. I bought a gallon of it for touch up for things like holes where a ladder hurt it, but never had to buy another gallon. When I left 23 years later, that roof was still fine, and I hadn't had to ever redo the elastomeric. It's tough stuff! I'd definitely trust it to constrain lead.

If you choose a drop ceiling answer, make sure to seal the holes and insulate above to protect the pipes.  The drop ceiling can stop enough heat to let the pipes freeze in a cold snap if they are open to a frozen attic.

I have used paint stripper on the lead paint to remove it.
But today I would resheet it with a gap and battens fastened through the old sheet.
Lead dust is something to be avoided as suggested earlier.

Pearl Sutton wrote:Personally, I'd put several good thick coats of elastomeric paint over it. That makes things waterproof, I expect it would constrain the lead paint.

I hate sheet-rocking over my head. It's heavy!  I'd use wood paneling on 2x4 studs rather than sheet rock. But if I were doing that, I'd still give it elastomeric paint before I did. Lead dust is not a thing to skimp on, and it will continue flaking if not glued in by something evil (like that paint) and the flakes will wander out cracks.

So my vote would be a glue it down hard layer of some sort, followed if desired by a ceiling smoothing layer of some sort. But I would NOT skip the glue down layer, and regular cheap paint won't be mean enough.  

Thanks so much I think this is the best option for me, grinding off the paint residue seems like it will be impossible without removing the Lath and boards against the joists, which I really don't want to do. I do hope however that the paint is heat resistant because a wood cookstove will be under all of this, The drop ceiling could help with the aesthetics of the whole room, however I also want to have a very large drying rack. It will be best to secure a drying rack to the sturdiest support in the ceiling. Pic related is similar to the goal, but this video is more of what i'm going for:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6DnQL4E2L0

Pearl Sutton wrote:Personally, I'd put several good thick coats of elastomeric paint over it. That makes things waterproof, I expect it would constrain the lead paint.

I hate sheet-rocking over my head. It's heavy!  I'd use wood paneling on 2x4 studs rather than sheet rock. But if I were doing that, I'd still give it elastomeric paint before I did. Lead dust is not a thing to skimp on, and it will continue flaking if not glued in by something evil (like that paint) and the flakes will wander out cracks.

So my vote would be a glue it down hard layer of some sort, followed if desired by a ceiling smoothing layer of some sort. But I would NOT skip the glue down layer, and regular cheap paint won't be mean enough.  

according to chat GPT putting elastomeric paint above a woodstove with a drying rack between the paint and the stove is a bad idea, as it may leech toxic fumes into the drying food... SO SCRAP THAT IDEA... A cheap solution i just thought of is using aluminum foil like you get at walmart and somehow sealing it to the drywall ceiling.

Chat GPT wrote:
Using elastomeric paint above a wood cookstove is not a safe option, particularly when there's a food drying rack between the stove and the ceiling. Here's why:

🔥 Why It's a Risk
1. Elastomeric Paint Isn't Heat-Resistant
Elastomeric coatings are designed for exterior walls and roofs for flexibility and waterproofing—not high heat.

Most are rated only up to 150–200°F (65–93°C). A wood stove can radiate heat to ceilings well above this, especially directly above it.

Off-gassing risk: When overheated, elastomeric paint may release toxic fumes, especially problematic near food.

2. Proximity to Food
A drying rack between the stove and ceiling means food is directly in line with:

Heat

Rising fumes

Potential off-gassing from paint

Even if the paint doesn’t visibly burn, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could contaminate drying food.

✅ Better Alternatives
For Ceilings Above a Stove:
Use heat-resistant paint specifically rated for high temperatures (e.g., Rust-Oleum High Heat, or stove/fireplace paint).

Use a metal heat shield or cement board above the stove instead of paint if protection is needed.

Maintain clearances per stove manufacturer specs—often 36" or more to combustibles.

For Food Drying Areas:
Ensure food drying is done in an area with:

Clean, food-safe surfaces

Good air circulation

Protection from smoke/fumes

Avoid drying food in areas exposed to any kind of non-food-safe coatings or adhesives.

Summary
Do not use elastomeric paint above a wood cookstove, especially where food is drying. It poses a heat and toxicity hazard. Use heat-rated paint or a non-combustible barrier instead.

Let me know your ceiling material or layout if you'd like specific safer options.

r ranson wrote:The biggest risk of lead is breathing dust (like from sanding).  Please take precautions. Asbestos is also a worry as that was used in houses long after lead paint was banned. Asbestos causes more harm, over shorter time, with less exposure.  This is also most risky when breathed.

Next risk come ingestion, and the least (but still not safe) is from absorption through the skin.  But these are infinitesimal compared to the risk from sanding and breathing dust.

The simplest way is to leave the old paint and create a barrier.  Most old houses I've seen deal with this by building a false ceiling below the old one using modern materials.

Added advantage is this adds an air gap that helps with insulation.

Another barrier is to put new paint on top, but if it's pealing, that needs dealing with first (we are back to risky sanding) and it's probably oil paint which usually needs specific paint to stick to it long term.

The added layer of insulation is grand! but in my experience it gives rodents a place to hide where my cats can't reach them... I also may struggle to find a way to place a drying rack with a less sturdy ceiling between the rack and the sturdy ceiling.

Hi Joshua,
You have had many good suggestions to cover it up. Honestly, if it were my house, I would want to get rid of the lead paint completely, but that is a big job to do safely. I wonder how bad it would be to remove just the parts above your stove? Could you remove all the plaster from that area (and the lead paint with it), replace that part of the ceiling with something else? That way you no longer have to worry about anything falling down onto the drying rack, and you would get a nicer ceiling over that spot?

You mention a drying rack above the stove. I just want to mention that this sort of thing works well for some kinds of food, but others (such as herbs) will turn brown, due to the higher heat above a wood stove.

I wonder if some type of aluminum sheeting (not foil) could slip in between the existing ceiling and the water pipes?
when I looked for embossed aluminum sheeting there were several options...here's one   https://embossedaluminum.com/embossed-aluminum-sheet/

I didn't check out prices though.

I've seen it used for ceilings and it looks nice and might also seal in the flaking paint.

Joshua Plymouth wrote:
according to chat GPT putting elastomeric paint above a woodstove with a drying rack between the paint and the stove is a bad idea, as it may leech toxic fumes into the drying food... SO SCRAP THAT IDEA... A cheap solution i just thought of is using aluminum foil like you get at walmart and somehow sealing it to the drywall ceiling.

Chat GPT wrote:
Using elastomeric paint above a wood cookstove is not a safe option, particularly when there's a food drying rack between the stove and the ceiling. Here's why:

🔥 Why It's a Risk
1. Elastomeric Paint Isn't Heat-Resistant
Elastomeric coatings are designed for exterior walls and roofs for flexibility and waterproofing—not high heat.

Most are rated only up to 150–200°F (65–93°C). A wood stove can radiate heat to ceilings well above this, especially directly above it.

Off-gassing risk: When overheated, elastomeric paint may release toxic fumes, especially problematic near food.

Did you tell the AI you were covering lead paint?
If I thought that the AI was right about all of that and was looking at foil, I'd think it's NOT going to keep the lead for dusting and flaking out. I'd do the elastomeric to hold the LEAD down, and then put foil on it.
And actually, I'd go for roofing metal, but that's just me. Thicker metal is more of a fireblock than foil. Foil would stop outgassing of paint, as long as it it totally intact. It doesn't tend to stay that way, it damages easily. If I had to do foil, I'd use the heaviest I can find and I'd spread it on the last coat while it's still wet so it seals tightly and is harder to damage.

In that case, it might be time to have a professional HAZMAT team remove the paint.  

The technology has improved dramatically over the last few years and they can contain the dust and asbestos (because the more dangerous asbestos was used LONG after lead paint was banned) without risk to you and yours.  It also usually includes disposal in a way that doesn't damage waterways and waildlife.