Whether you are moving into your new home or renovating the one you are in right now, choosing the colour scheme for your different rooms is one of the most exciting parts. Painting your walls is a quick and easy way to unleash your creativity. With many new developments in the field of construction and home décor and due to an increased awareness in the consumers, companies began manufacturing ecofriendly paints.
Eco Friendly Paints Overview
Eco friendly wall paints are not only safe and non-toxic for your homes but are also beneficial for the environment. The toxic chemicals and lead in the paints that were produced earlier were said to be a contributor to global warming, so ecofriendly paints are definitely a need of the hour.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), chemical fumes, biocides, and some harmful colour pigments have been significant ingredients for the paints available in the market. VOCs are what give the paints that strong staple paint smell. Exposure to VOCs for prolonged periods can have adverse health effects. Some short-term effects of these paints can be irritation in the eyes, nose, or skin, persistent headaches, or frequent nausea. In some instances, adverse health effects like respiratory diseases, kidney damage, or even cancer, are observed in some people, exceptionally professional painters.
How to Select Eco Friendly Paints?
When looking for ecofriendly wall paint, look for a paint that has extremely low or zero VOCs to protect your health. Paints that have less than 5 grams per litre of paint can be safely considered as zero VOC paints according to international standards. Also, only use paints with VOCs inadequately ventilated areas that have all the doors and windows open.
When painting interior walls, you can also look for natural paint colours that derive their pigments from naturally available minerals. Clay, milk, citrus, and other minerals are often used to make these eco-friendly house paints. Since they are made from natural ingredients, you do not have to worry about any toxic chemicals. These eco-friendly paints also have a very minimal smell that does not linger for a long time. But keep in mind that these paints are not suitable for your exterior walls.
Biocides and fungicides found in paints protect your walls from the moss and mildew that is formed due to moisture and is an essential component in the exterior paints. Using an eco-friendly paint that does not contain these chemicals will unfortunately not withstand the environmental aggressors when applied on an exterior wall. So, when working with paints that contain high levels of biocides and fungicides, restrict them to your exterior walls only. When shopping for eco-friendly colours for painting, always remember to carefully read the labels and check each ingredient on the list. The paints you use, especially for your interior walls, should not contain metals and compounds like mercury, lead, and cadmium.
Another thing to look for on the labels is a green seal, logo, or certification from a trusted and verified source. Eco mark is a certification mark from the Bureau of Indian Standards that is only given to those eco-friendly paints and solvents that satisfy all requirements and meet the standards laid down about quality and performance. Since there is no standard definition of eco-friendly paint, use your discretion and research well before making your purchase.
Benefits of Using Eco Friendly Colours
If you are fairly new to the world of eco-friendly paints, here are some key benefits that might convince you to make the switch to the green side –
You are protecting you and your family – As discussed above, eco-friendly paints are non-toxic and thus do not have any adverse short-term or long-term health effects. And if you are in a household with young kids, senior citizens, or people with breathing problems and other health conditions, switching to eco-friendly paints for your interior walls can be a simple way to safeguard their health.
You are saying goodbye to strong odours – Devoid of VOCs, and the eco-friendly house paints do not emit the strong “new paint” smell that often lasts for days with the other paints.
You are doing a small part for the environment – Even though one can of the traditional paint you use will not single-handedly harm the environment and deplete the ozone layer, but by switching to eco-friendly paint, you are doing your bit and reducing additional toxins from being released in the environment.
You are increasing awareness and demand – When you spread the word about the benefits of using eco-friendly paints and natural paint colours for your home, you are educating more people. You are probably inspiring them to use eco-friendly colours for painting their own houses. This chain reaction, in turn, will increase the demand for more eco-friendly paints, and more and more companies will start manufacturing these paints, which in turn will play a huge role in protecting the environment.
Eco friendly Colour Painting Tips
Just like with traditional paints, eco-friendly paints also have to be applied a certain way. Always clean and scrub your walls to get rid of the old paint and smooth out the surface. Follow the instructions that come with your particular brand of ecofriendly paint to get the right mixture. Apply the specified number of coats and leave to dry.
The one major downside of eco-friendly paints is that they are still not mainstream, and it can often be hard to find eco-friendly paint in the shade or texture you are looking for. They also tend to be slightly more expensive than traditional paints due to their low production and availability. But with more and more people becoming conscious about their choices and how it impacts the environment, eco-friendly paints will soon become easily accessible across the country!
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Things to know if you are designing your house walls for the first time