Paints to Avoid

Your health is a key consideration when choosing an interior paint for your home. Allowable levels of VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, for paints and products such as aerosol air fresheners, carpets, and furniture have been toughened because VOCs contribute to ozone and smog formation and are linked to respiratory illnesses and memory impairment. Many people may not have heard of low-VOC paints, and it’s easy to miss out on high-performing & safe paints when low- or no-VOC isn’t the main thing you’re looking for. Generally, paints and finishes release low-level toxic emissions into the air for years after application. The source of these toxins is a variety of VOCs  which, until recently, were essential to the performance of the paint.

When choosing the best paint for your home, always check for emissions first. Paints that offer a lot of VOCs are bad for installers and bad for potential occupants. Even after the air clears these same compounds can be adsorbed onto fabrics and furniture in the interior and stick around. When finding the ideal paint, make sure it has both low VOC content (under 50 g/L), and has met emissions requirements in your place of residence.

Secondly, be on the look-out for added tints. Added tints, particularly darker colors, can be a major source of VOCs. A base paint that is marketed as low-VOC may not stay that way after being tinted. Even if the manufacturer has low-VOC tints in the product line, retailers may not be using them.

Make sure you’re getting what you pay for and ensuring that the paint performs.If you have to turn around and redo that low-VOC paint after a couple years.

These paints are among the highly ranked because they have low VOCs in both base and tints, offer excellent durability, and are naturally resistant to fungi.

• Advance Waterborne Alkyd from Benjamin Moore
• Benjamin Moore Natura Paint
• Keim Mineral Silica Paint
• Speedhide from PPG Architectural Finishes
• AFM Safecoat Interior Paints

No matter the home improvement or need for new paint, always put your health first.