Pros and cons of low and no VOC paints

Posted on Mar 13, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Products

Even with few Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), paint is synthetic and may contain other harmful solvents and additives.

paint1Green Living reports on natural and eco paints.

Synthetic Paints: Low-VOC and Zero-VOC

Latex paints are the most common house paints on the market. The glue that holds the paint together is acrylic, a synthetic polymer. Most major brands have begun to produce low- or zero-VOC lines, though zero-VOC is actually a misnomer, since acrylic paints still contain trace amounts. And the tinting process usually adds some VOCs back — the darker the colour, the more VOCs. The most eco-friendly acrylics contain no extra solvents or additives and 5 g/L or less of VOCs.

Pros: Generally low odour; quick to dry; good coverage; hard-wearing; can be applied to most surfaces; large choice of colours.

Cons: Even with few VOCs, paint is synthetic and may contain other harmful solvents and additives; attracts dust; paint must not be washed down the drain.

Some brands:

Zero-VOC: AFM Safecoat, YOLO Colourhouse.

Low-VOC: Farrow & Ball Water-Based Eggshell, Benjamin Moore Aura, Sherwin-Williams Duration Home, CIL Dulux Natural Whites, C2 LoVo

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Thanks, Linda!

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4 Responses to “Pros and cons of low and no VOC paints”

  1. Leslie

    15. Mar, 2009

    I dont think i would ever try a low VOC anymore, and would only use specific brands of No VOC- not the popular paint company’s version for sure.
    I used the safecoat brand no VOC paint in my house about 4 years ago… my boyfriend at the time painted the entire interior the day before I arrived in the house and i had no reaction at all and couldnt smell anything. Other products that were low VOC did bother me some, especially before they were dry.One place i lived was being painted with a low VOC paint and it gave me intense migraines & dizzy spells.
    My MCS is alot more severe then it used to be but I have looked at tons of paints and Safecoat is the only traditional paint i have found that seems really trustworthy. Personally i think it would be cool to explore other types of paint which are more natural like milk paint, clay paint, and egg paint.

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  2. Mokihana

    15. Mar, 2009

    Using low VOC or no VOC paints has been an ongoing debate for us while building VARDOFORTWO. We went with painting with Milk Paints because the content of any synthetic paint ups the odds against me during the drying time/changes with the weather conditions and my ability to adjust internally as the ‘exposure factors’ dance up and down with time.

    Milk Paint has it’s challenges as an exterior paint because it needs a sealant. If a person with MCS can tolerate and live with the pollens inherent in beeswax, milk paint and beeswax works … you have to be willing to maintain it … it’s alive!

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  3. Kate

    16. Mar, 2009

    This is really helpful, thank you! We have to do some painting on the house this summer so I am stocking up on notes and information about what will work and be safe.

    Reply to this comment

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  1. Paint: Low Volatiles and Zero Volatile Types « HEIRS Ecohomes and Interiors - Mar. 14, 2009

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