Low-VOC Vs. No-VOC Paint

09 Mar Low-VOC Vs. No-VOC Paint

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)

VOCs are used to enhance performance, so it’s no surprise that low-VOC paints have a shorter drying time than non-VOC paints. Fortunately, when it comes to durability, both low and no-VOC paints come in formulations that can last for years; just be sure that you’re using these paints indoors, as outdoor paints tend to need more VOCs to function properly (especially in Winnipeg, where the freeze-thaw cycle can wreak havoc on paints that are not specially formulated for outdoor use).

When it comes to appearance, both low-VOC and no-VOC paints can work for residential painting, but there are fewer no-VOC paints on the market, and they usually come in fewer colours – it might be harder to find very deep colours in no-VOC formulations. When colour is added to paint, VOCs like glycols and dispersants have to be added with it, and the deeper the colours, the more VOCs are needed.

Fortunately, some paint manufacturers have introduced new dispersants and stabilizers that emit fewer VOCs, so no-VOC paints in deeper colours are becoming more and more available.

Health & Environmental Impact

Both low-VOC and no-VOC paints have a much gentler impact on both human health and the environment, with no-VOC paints having the least impact; they’re both well-suited to interior painting. 

Making The Right Choice For Your Winnipeg Home

Low-VOC and no-VOC paints are both excellent choices for homeowners in Winnipeg, especially in the winter, when going outside if VOCs are bothering you might not be an option.

For most people, low-VOC paints are fine, and the VOCs are barely noticeable (if they’re noticeable at all). Some of our clients know they’re particularly sensitive, however, or have concerns about babies, children, seniors, or pets. For those clients, and anyone else with VOC concerns, we are happy to offer no-VOC paints. 

Looking for house painting in Winnipeg? We have low to no-VOC indoor paints for interior painting, and paints that can withstand Winnipeg’s climate for outdoor painting. Get in touch with us today!