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Natural Paints
Are you worried about the health effects that may result from using standard paints in your home? Natural paints are a great alternative, and the best part is that you don’t have to sacrifice colours or finishes in order to use them. Read on to find out more about the advantages of natural paints.
The Problem with Standard Paint
All paint contains three major things – a pigment for colour and hiding power, a binder that holds the pigment to the surface, and a carrier to maintain the pigment and binder in liquid form. Chemicals are often used to perform these functions, and these chemicals may include petrochemicals, solvents, mercury, formaldehyde, and benzene. The distinctive paint smell is actually dibutyl and diethyl phthalate, two volatile compounds.
All of the well-known standard paints contain high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Problems that can arise from a short exposure to VOC-based paints include eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment. Long term exposure can result in respiratory diseases and cancer.
The Benefits of Natural Paint
Natural paints are a great alternative to traditional paints because they:
- Are low allergy
- Are not poisonous
- Allow the walls to breathe
- Contain no dangerous solvents
- Contain naturally occurring pigments
- Use natural ingredients to act as preservatives
- Are very durable and have great hiding power
- Are environmentally friendly
- Are cost effective
- Do not contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
If natural paints are correctly applied to the wall, it will not lift or peel. This is because the molecular structure of the plant oils is fine enough to penetrate into a surface and tree resins remain elastic as they do in nature. The paint is also water resistant and allows air to exchange through the surface, ensuring that there is always fresh air in the building. Natural paints allow the building to regulate its moisture content making it hard for mould to form. This is called a breathing surface.
Natural paints also do not outgas. Outgassing is where a surface emits dangerous chemicals into the air. All plastics, glues, and petrochemical based products outgas and, if the walls are sealed with synthetic paints, these dangerous chemicals remain trapped within the home, resulting in indoor pollution which can be ten times higher than outdoor pollution. Natural paints do not have any of these dangerous chemicals, and they breathe, making the home a healthier place to live.
Natural Paints Ingredients and Choices
Natural paints use materials that come from plant or mineral origin. The paints may be derived from milk proteins, lime clay, earth pigments, linseed oil, beeswax, talc, carnauba wax, chalk, lemon oil, iron oxides, and so forth. There are thousands of colours available in a huge range of finishes. In fact, you have just as much choice in colour and finish with natural paints as you do with standard paint!
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