Lady painting a wall — The best low VOC paint

You might have come across the term “VOC” before when shopping for paint, but what does it actually mean, and is it really all that bad? We’re going to explore the invisible world of Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) and look at the best low VOC paints on the market right now.

Read on to learn all about the best low VOC paints

Volatile Organic Compounds

Put simply, volatile organic compounds are chemicals that are released into the atmosphere by certain materials. Once these chemicals are in the air, they can potentially cause both short and long term health issues.

But how do they get into the air in the first place? Unfortunately, they’re found in all sorts of places — from building materials like varnish and glue to household goods like air fresheners and deodorants. When we paint a wall or spray a puff of scent in our homes, these chemicals are released into the air we breathe.

VOCs in Paint

One of the worst offenders when it comes to VOCs in paint are oil-based products. Although VOCs are found in small quantities in water-based paints, it’s oil-based paints that contain the lion’s share of potentially harmful VOCs.

Chemicals in oil-based paints act as a “thinner”. These solvents thin the consistency of the oils in the paints and help them to spread around and cure. Some VOCs are found in paint tints as well.

All paints contain “liquefying agents” — the thing that makes the paint wet and able to spread on your walls or ceiling. Water-based paints contain colour pigments and other additives are bulked out with water. oil-based paints, on the other hand, use chemical solvents instead of good old H20.

Why? For some use cases, oil- or solvent-based paints are much more effective than their water-based counterparts. If you’ve ever tried to paint with a water-based paint on bare metal, very shiny surfaces, or when it’s very hot or very cold outside, you’ll understand!

Unfortunately, most paints, whether water- or oil-based ones, contain some form of VOCs.

Are VOCs in paint harmful to us and the environment?

They can be. The downside to using paints with high levels of VOCs is that they can lead to an array of health issues. Exposure to harmful VOCs may cause mild irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, as well as breathing issues and dizziness. Overexposure to these harmful chemicals over time may even cause serious health issues, with some evidence pointing to certain types of cancers.

It’s not just us that feels the impact of these harmful VOCs either. The manufacture of oil-based paint is a significant contributor to harmful CO2 emissions. Also, disposing of oil-based paints is difficult. If not done properly, this hazardous waste can harm the environment.

The Five Best Low-VOC Paints

If you want to use oil-based paints, but you don’t want to expose yourself to high levels of potentially harmful VOCs, then you need to check out these fantastic low-VOC products. They have all the benefits of solvent-based paints, but without too many nasties inside.

1. Isomat Premium Color Eco

Greek paint experts Isomat are at the cutting edge of low-VOC paints, and their Premium Eco range is a great example of how environmentally friendly paint can still perform well and look great on the wall. A fantastic matt emulsion paint for interiors, it’s hard-wearing and almost completely odourless.

A Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort GOLD certification winner, this paint conforms to the most stringent VOC emissions regulations. This level of environmental protection doesn’t mean you’re left with drab paint colours either — the huge range of shades available in the Isomat Color System are just as impressive as their green credentials.

2. Isomat Zero

A step further than their Premium Color Eco range, Isomat’s Zero paint is a really impressive step away from harmful VOCs. This flat matt paint for interiors is free from preservatives and plasticisers. It’s the ideal choice if you or your loved ones suffer from allergic reactions to traditional paints. The extremely low levels of VOCs found in Isomat Zero help to improve indoor air quality during painting and even afterwards.

Although only available in white, if you’re looking for the best low VOC paint option, this has to be it. It’s not a weak paint either — a couple of coats with a sprayer, brush or roller will leave an excellent and hard-wearing finish.

3. Caparol Indeko Plus

The paint brand with the elephant on the tin, Caparol, is famous outside of their native Germany for excellent quality products, and the brilliant Indeko Plus range of low-emission paints. Proudly bearing the ultimate in German inspection certificates, the TÜV, this is a versatile paint that dries incredibly fast and leaves almost no odour whatsoever.

You can team up Indeko Plus with Caparol’s huge colour range too, which makes this eco-friendly paint an interior decorator’s best friend. And even if you’re not worried about the ultra-low VOC content, the double covering power of this paint means it’s usually good to go with just one coat, and it’s scrubbable too.

4. Tikkurila Optiva Nature

Finnish brand Tikkurila takes their paints seriously, and the evidence of their hard work is obvious in their Optiva Nature collection of partly bio-based matt paints. Painters and decorators already love the Optiva range of paints for their quick drying and scrubbable qualities, so the same excellent paint with fewer VOCs is never going to be a bad thing.

Available in a dazzling array of 20,000 different colours, Optiva Nature has zero VOCs and can be applied with a sprayer, roller or brush on interior walls and ceilings.

5. Tikkurila Optiva Clean Air

If Tikkurila’s Optiva Nature paint doesn’t go far enough, then the impressive qualities of their Clean Air paint is the right stuff for you. Not satisfied with simply containing fewer VOCs, this latex-based paint actually captures harmful formaldehyde from the atmosphere inside your home.

And what’s more, the packaging that Optiva uses is made from partly recycled materials and it’s tintable to a huge range of Tikkurilla’s colour chart. So, if you or anyone else you live with wants to reduce the levels of harmful VOCs in your home, this matt finish paint is the right choice to make.

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See also:

Air purifying paints

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The Top 5 BEST Low-VOC Paints for your home