Jun 01 2010
Why is Odorless Paint a Good Thing?
Odorless paint has been around since the ’70s, but producers and users have never given it much attention until recent years. The smell of fresh paint is recognizable immediately in freshly redecorated homes or buildings and comes mostly from the solvents used as thinning agents for the paint and from ammonia – a substance often used in the industry as a buffer.
Odorless paint is obtained by eliminating chemical solvents and ammonia and replacing them with natural solvents, obtained from plants. Throughout the industry, smell free paint is also known as VOC – free paint, VOC standing for Volatile Organic Compounds.
One reason why odorless paint has been constantly overlooked is price. The addition of advanced organic compounds and raw materials results in a price per gallon which most of the times is higher than that of traditional paint. If it may not raise problems for small scale jobs as home repainting, for industrial size projects the use VOC – free paint used to be a real issue. And there was also the issue of overall quality of color and persistence, where specialists argued that smell free paint simply cannot do the job of traditional painting.
This is not the case anymore. Producers have improved their line of products constantly since the ’70s and nowadays odorless paint is quickly growing into a new industry standard, especially for the home use. Moreover, authorities all over the world have taken a new improved interest in green technology and ecological buildings. State organizations have been set up to evaluate new buildings and bestow tax credits for environmental friendly buildings. With its reduced impact on the environment, odorless paint can be an important component in the construction of ecological structures.
There are several types of odorless paints – the most common three categories are clay-based paint, milk-based and limestone-based paints. The latter category – also known as lime wash – may be used for painting the exterior of home as well. Odorless paint is also more efficient than traditional solutions in protecting the human health. Its low concentration of chemical solvents makes it the best choice for painting nurseries and hospitals, as well as for rooms used by people suffering from respiratory deficiencies.
Don’t get used to the idea that Paint stinks; change your home using Crown’s wide range of colors and ideas.