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Boston Green Painting: Green. It’s The Color of Odor Free Paint

Posted by Nigel Costolloe
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Odor free paint?

It's hard to imagine painting indoors in winter without proper ventilation. Even some of the highest quality paints pollute the air. The powdered pigment that covers and provides color has to be applied in a liquid that dries hard. Solvents are then added to thin them, make them spreadable. After application, the solvents evaporate and linger in the air in the form of gases called volatile organic compounds or VOCs. They cause eye, nose, and throat irritations, headaches, and dizziness. And surprisingly, paint can release VOCs for months after it dries

Recently, manufacturers have limited VOCs by using water as a solvent. Nonetheless, these typically latex paints contain small amounts of harmful chemicals, and oil-based paint is still common in the Northeast.

Luckily, there are companies answering the need for a "greener," healthier product. LEED certified paints are those that meet criteria developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to promote its mission of "producing a new generation of buildings that deliver high performance inside and out." These paints are guaranteed to emit the smallest amount of VOCs while still performing at the highest level.

Catchlight, Inc. uses LEED certified paints, guaranteed to eliminate harmful fumes and odors. It's the ideal solution for those who want their homes to be healthy as well as beautiful.


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COMMENTS

Hi Nigel, Thanks - very interesting info. I had heard that VOCs were released long after the paint dried, but wasn't sure if that meant weeks, months or years. Is there one brand of paint that is better than another? What do you think about Benjamin Moore's new line of paint - I think it is called Aura? Is it worth the extra $$?

posted @ Monday, September 24, 2007 12:21 PM by KB


KB: thanks for your comment.

Most VOCs are released during the active drying and curing stage; with acrylics this can be for 30 days.

Most paints aren't LEED compliant but have adopted a more accessible platform which still results in reduced VOCs and so healthier air and working conditions.

The Aura product is still rolling out and yes, I do believe it is worth the extra money. It is an effective time saver, especially with the colors that traditionally required multiple coats. I also support any R&D that manufacturers invest in improving and refining their product, not cheapening it with discount fillers and colorants to increase their market share.

Kudos to Benjamin Moore for doing this; better paint means less painting which means less VOCs and more attention to the calibre of both the paint and of the applicator, which is us!

Nigel

posted @ Tuesday, September 25, 2007 12:36 PM by Nigel Costolloe


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