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Understanding VOCs In Paint: What Every Winnipeg Homeowner Should Know

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a group of chemicals found in both indoor and outdoor air. Many VOCs have distinctive odours. Certain VOCs are known to have a detrimental effect on the health of humans and pets. A variety of manufactured products are known to let off VOCs in a process known as off-gassing; paint is one such product. Solvents are used in all paints; they dissolve binders and help the paint spread over surfaces. Water is the most commonly used binder, but oil and lacquer-based paints, as well as paints that are used as industrial coatings, use organic solvents; these solvents, like acetone, turpentine, toluene, benzene, and xylene, can emit a high concentration of harmful VOCs. VOCs are responsible for the paint smell associated with traditional paints, and unfortunately, some of these VOCs are considered harmful chemicals.  When hazardous VOCs are released outside, little harm is done; they disperse quickly into the air. Indoor air, on the other hand, circulates far less quickly, so VOCs can hang around for longer, impacting indoor air quality and potentially causing headaches, nausea, and other symptoms.  To prevent this, paint manufacturers have introduced lines of low-VOC and no-VOC paints for interior painting. 

Key Differences Between Low-VOC And No-VOC Paint

There is no regulation dictating the difference between low-VOC and no-VOC paints (sometimes called zero-VOC paints). As a rule of thumb, however, low-VOC paints typically have fewer than 50 g/L of VOCs, while no-VOC paints typically contain fewer than 5 g/L of VOCs. Why have VOCs at all in water-based paints? The answer is simple: Several organic compounds aid in the application, stability, and performance of indoor paints. As long as these VOCs are in a low enough concentration, they’ll be under the threshold to be hazardous to human health, while improving the quality of paint. Several such VOCs exist, including:
  • Texanol (for improved performance in latex paints)
  • Propylene glycol/Ethylene glycol (improves shelf stability)
  • DEGBE (for better flow and levelling)

Performance Comparison (Appearance, Durability, & Drying Time)

09 March, 2026

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Popcorn ceilings, once a popular choice for their texture, style, and sound-dampening qualities, can feel outdated in today's world. If you're tired of seeing textured ceilings every time you look up, painting a popcorn ceiling can be a cost-effective way to refresh the room without...

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