Joinery paints & stains compared
Key issues
Paint has 3 major components:
1 A pigment for colour and hiding power.
2 A binder that holds the pigment to the surface
3 A carrier to maintain the pigment and binder in liquid form (water
or solvent).
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are the main concern with paint. VOCs
are usually solvents that have the capacity to rapidly evaporate. Once
airborne they cause chemical or photochemical reactions in the atmosphere
leading to the formation of smog containing, amongst other things, ground
level ozone. According to the US EPA, 9% of the airborne pollutants
creating ground level ozone come from the VOCs in paint. According to
Environmental Data Services (ENDS) report no 240, decorative paints
alone account for 3% of the UK’s total VOCs emissions.
Petrochemical smog causes damage to the environment and health. VOCs
themselves can produce a number of physical problems such as: eye and
skin irritation, lung and breathing problems, headaches, nausea, muscle
weakness and liver and kidney damage. VOCs concentrations are consistently
ten times higher indoors than outdoors, with numbers rising to 1,000
times higher after a new coat of paint.
Greenwash alert: Some paints that are marketed
as ‘zero’ VOC mean that the manufacturer is using a definition
of VOC as one that creates a photochemical reaction. This is misleading
since a technical definition of a VOC is simply a compound that has
a carbon atom in the molecular chain. The manufacturers definition can
therefore exclude other non-smog forming VOCs. Check the contents!
Types of paint:
1 Natural paints
‘Natural Paints’ are made from plant extracts and plant oils along with simple minerals. They are less damaging to the environment though VOCs are still present, but at much-reduced levels than their synthetic equivalents. They also tend to be more expensive.
 |
Low embodied energy |
|---|---|
|
Very low toxicity |
|
Made from renewable resources |
|
Very low VOCs |
|
Biodegradable |
 |
Unavailable for external use |
|
Made from renewable resources |
|---|---|
|
Low embodied energy |
|
VOCs less toxic than for synthetic paints |
|
Biodegradable |
|
Turpentine, a common ingredient, is a smog producing VOC |
2 Synthetic paints
‘Synthetic Paints’ are made from petrochemical and mineral resources. The main problem is the high level of VOCs present. Water-borne synthetic paints are generally safer for the user with less VOCs but that reduction is usually balanced with an increased load of other toxic chemicals.
 |
Acryl-styrene resin | |
Phosphoric Acid Amino Salt |
|
Monostyrene | |
White Spirit |
|
1,2-Propaneidole | |
Xylene |
|
Ethylene Glycol | |
Fatty Acid Ester |
|
Disobutyl Esters | |
N-Methylole-Cholracetamide |
|
Diruethane Butanole | |
Isothiazolinone Compound |
|
Butoxiethylacetate | |
Formaldehyde |
|
Derived from petrochemicals |
|---|---|
|
Moderate VOCs |
|
High level of hazardous waste during manufacture |
|
Toxic during manufacture |
|
Toxic during application |
|
High embodied energy |
|
Non bio-degradable |
|
Waste is paint treated as chemical waste |
|
Derived from petrochemicals |
|---|---|
|
Moderate VOCs |
|
High level of hazardous waste during manufacture |
|
Toxic during manufacture |
|
Toxic during application |
|
Non bio-degradable |
|
Waste is paint treated as chemical waste |
We would specify:
Internal paints:
First choice: • Water-borne plant based (‘natural’
paint)
Second choice: • Water-borne plant based (‘natural’
paint)
Avoid: • Solvent-borne synthetic
External paints:
First choice: • Solvent-borne plant based (water-borne
isn’t yet available)
Second choice: • ‘Zero’ VOC solvent-borne
synthetic
Joinery paint & stain products:
Further information:
• 'Ecoartisan' - a superb introduction to natural and synthetic
paints www.ecoartisan.org
• Harmful Emissions from Paint and Safer Alternatives (California)
www.aerias.org
