If you’re considering a fresh paint job for your home, you might be looking into solutions that modernize and reimagine your space. There are plenty of popular products and recognizable brands to choose from, and your local hardware store will have plenty of paints. But before you go the traditional route, you might want to consider how these paints will affect your environment, your family’s health, and your ecological footprint.
Environmental impact is a popular consideration these days, and for good reason. Restructuring your lifestyle to be more eco-friendly doesn’t have to be a hassle, and eco-friendly commercial painting solutions are an easy way to take a step in the right direction.
Eco-friendly paints are becoming more available, not to mention that they are higher quality, more durable, and prettier than ever. These eco-friendly paints can revolutionize and refresh your home, and they are changing how homeowners think about personal home maintenance.
What Is Environmentally Friendly Paint?
Eco-friendly paint contains far fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs), biocides, and fungicides than regular paint. Eco-friendly paints also have more natural pigments and ingredients and are made ethically.
While the EPA has stated that paint with VOCs in the range of 5 grams per liter can be branded as “zero VOC,” these products can still contain harmful chemicals, colorants, and biocides. Low-VOC paints still contain these harmful contaminants, so savvy homeowners may want to be on the lookout for eco-friendly paints that don’t contain any VOCs at all.
Eco-friendly Paint vs. Conventional Paint
It’s pretty easy to find the difference between eco-friendly paints and conventional paints—pop open the lid and ask yourself what the paint smells like. Conventional paints have a familiar odor that’s created from a blend of greenhouse gases and environmentally harmful chemicals. Eco-friendly paints should have little to no odor, because they are not made with unsafe materials or VOCs. High-quality eco-friendly paints should be made with as few VOCs as possible, and will not have that “traditional” paint smell.
Conventional paints contain a blend of adhesives, plasticizers, pigments, hardeners, biocides, drying accelerators, and other chemicals and additives that might make painting easier but have a harmful effect on the environment, which includes those who live in your household. While VOCs might help paint remain in its blended state, they contribute to unhealthy indoor air and these hazardous pollutants and affect your family’s quality of life.
Benefits of Eco-friendly Paints
Eco-friendly paints are made in a more environmentally friendly way, and their manufacturing process produces fewer fumes, emits less toxic waste, and creates a biodegradable product. Using eco-friendly painting solutions improves the air quality of a building and protects its inhabitants.
Types of Eco-friendly Paints
The best eco-friendly interior paints will have low to zero VOCs, utilize natural ingredients, and are manufactured based on rigorous environmental standards. Here are a few eco-friendly paint options to consider when tackling your next DIY project or hiring painting professionals.
Limewash Paint
Limewash paints are very affordable and have been around for centuries. This is an environmentally friendly option that contains only two basic ingredients—lime and water—and you can add natural pigments to change its color. It finishes with a strong matte appearance, making it perfect for adding features and dimension to the walls of your home.
Low-VOC Paint Brands
There are a few proven low-VOC paint brands, such as:
- Sherwin Williams
- Harmony
- ProMar 200
- Behr Premium Plus
- Benjamin Moore’s Natura and Aura lines
These paints are manufactured with less toxins and lower VOCs.
Clay Paint
Clay is a healthy alternative to finishes, especially for walls and ceilings. Since clay contains all-natural ingredients, it has an earthy pigment that’s free of additives. Clay paints add a warm look and are perfect for greener interior painting designs.
UL GREENGUARD-Certified Paints
This certification program tests the emission standards of paints to ensure a lower indoor air pollution level from VOCs. Choosing any product with a GREENGUARD certification is one of the easiest ways to know that you’re applying eco-friendly paint based on strict safety standards.
Green Seal-Certified Paints
This is one of the leaders in environmentally friendly paint standards, and these certified paints are second to none in terms of household products. Green Seal-Certified Paints are VOC-free, and they ban twenty-five potentially hazardous ingredients based on their rigorous standards. This is one of the safest paints for your home.
Milk Protein Paint
There is a milk protein called “casein” that’s an eco-friendly replacement for those paints that contain mildewcides. True milk paint is made from milk casein and lime, low-cost ingredients that are eco-friendly. You can add pigments to this paint, and it has a matte appearance similar to limewash paints.
Zinc Phosphate Paints
Exterior paints always contain fungicides and biocides to prevent mold and mildew from growing on the outside of your home. These unavoidable ingredients can be more environmentally friendly, which is why eco-friendly paint brands use zinc phosphate as their active fungicide ingredient. Zinc phosphate also helps increase paint adherence and reduces the chances of corrosion. It’s much safer than VOC alternatives.
ProServ Eco-Friendly Painting Solutions
Eco-friendly paints are an attractive option for many homeowners who are trying to be more environmentally conscious. Not only do eco-friendly paints benefit the environment, they also make your home safer for your family.
ProServ utilizes eco-friendly painting options for homeowners who are looking to be more conscientious about their buying habits. By utilizing eco-friendly paint, you can uphold the natural beauty of your area while maintaining that gorgeous finish your home deserves. All ProServ solutions are simple and affordable—you never have to sacrifice color or quality for the more environmentally friendly option.