The bunk beds.
They are definitely old school, like you would see on The Brady Bunch. Brought into our household through marriage, my husband’s siblings reminisce about the wrestling matches and one unfortunate upset stomach incident that took place on them. My husband recalls a different story: picking them up at a rummage sale shortly after he bought his house. Regardless of their origin, these classic beauties wear the battle scars of many moves along with the artwork of his niece who used them for her bed for many years.
We had been talking with our daughter for quite some time about the day she could have the bunk beds in her room. Once we knew we would be moving, we decided to wait to make good on that promise.
Oh, what a glorious day when our daughter FINALLY got her bunk beds! We made up her bed on the bottom bunk and set up a fun reading nook on the top, complete with bookcase, lamp, lots of comfy cushions and pillows, and of course, stuffed animals. Time to start dreaming about having her first sleepover.
One night, as I sat on the floor next to her bed talking with her about her day, I noticed quite a bit of corrosion along with bubbling and peeling paint on the metal bed frames. My heart sank. These bunk beds are pretty old–could there be lead in that paint?
The next day I went to a hardware store and purchased a lead paint test kit. My suspicions were confirmed – the bed frames had been painted with lead-based paint and my daughter was being exposed to lead through the corroded, bubbling, chipping, scratched and peeling metal surface. As soon as my husband came home from work, we took apart the beds and hauled them out.
Danger!
For many years, we have known about the dangers that lead-based paint poses to our children. In fact, the use of lead-based paint for consumer products, including house paint, was banned in the US in 1978. If you own a home built prior to that year, or own old painted furniture or decor, you have a risk of exposing yourself and your children to lead. As long as painted surfaces are in good condition, your risk is lower. However, once lead-based paint begins to deteriorate, immediate action should be taken to protect your family.
So, what is the problem with lead? Lead is a toxic heavy metal that can cause severe health problems in both children and adults. Young children are particularly sensitive to lead exposure which can impede the development of the brain and nervous system. Learn more about the health impacts of lead from the World Health Organization.
Where might lead be hiding where you live? With the latest vintage craze and love of all things “chippy” we might unintentionally be bringing it into our home. One safer way to satisfy your vintage urges is to purchase new items made to look old or display your vintage ware in places unaccessible to children. This is also a good strategy for family heirlooms that may harbor lead.
Lead-based paint can take many forms and is found in areas you may not expect. Read a list of where lead can lurk in your home or environment as well as how to make these areas lead-safe on the EPA’s website.
Our lead story has a happy ending. The beds were only set up for about a week before I noticed the problem and thankfully, the wooden bunk bed ends could be removed from the metal frames and attached to new wood framing. My daughter has her bunk beds back, which is a good thing because she already has had 3 sleepovers!
