Whether you're interested in working in a more environmentally friendly way or not, soon the interior paint you use–no matter where you live–may be a greener product. That's already true for a chunk of California and a large part of the Northeast, where stringent regulations over the last few years have ratcheted down the volatile organic compound (VOC) content permitted in paint and other coatings.
Southern California has led the country in lowering the boom on VOCs. "Everything seems to start in California," says Benjamin Moore senior marketing manager Jeff Spillane. "Of course, the L.A. area has the worst air quality in the country."
To bring its densely populated region into compliance with federal and state clean air standards, the South Coast Air Quality Management District creates rules to reduce ozone emissions. Paints and solvents are responsible for about 12 percent of ozone-forming pollution, the district says, so reducing VOCs eases pollution.
The logic is simple, but what it has required of paint manufacturers isn't. Not only do they have to comply with South Coast regulations, they also have to figure out how to deal with the rest of the country.
"One product may have three formulas, depending on where it's sold," Spillane says.
Currently, the South Coast district requires no more than 100 grams of VOCs per liter of flat paint; non-flats must have no more than 150 grams per liter; interior stains must have no more than 250 grams; and primers and sealers must have no more than 200 grams. In contrast, as of a few years ago, stains, for example, had as much as 700 grams of VOCs per liter.
In the heavily populated Northeast–where the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) sets the rules–regulations followed suit as of January 2005. About half the region's jurisdictions already have adopted the regulations; the rest are expected to.
For Better or for Worse?The million-dollar question is whether changing paint formulas has affected quality. Manufacturers can't just remove the offending chemicals. "If you just take the existing paint and reduce VOCs, there is a cost somewhere else in application or finish," says Leo Chippy, commercial marketing manager for Pratt & Lambert/Martin Senour.
Instead, companies need to either tinker with the formula or come up with a new product. Smaller manufacturers of natural and organic paints, meanwhile, simply go on doing what they've been doing for years (see "All Natural," page 92).
Fortunately, new really can mean improved. "Most of the bugs have been worked out," says Lynn Bicknell, owner of Bicknell Painting in Fairfax City, Va. "Manufacturers anticipated this whole issue." Bicknell's crews expressed some frustration a few years ago with the leveling of reduced VOC paints but don't with newer products.
Moreover, a special-use primer made by Zinsser does an even better job than oil-based primers, says Rod Zane, an estimator at Bicknell. Gardz can go on the wall right after stripping wallpaper, Zane says, and dries much more quickly than comparable oil-based products. Oil-based formulas tend to be higher in VOCs and have been targeted for replacement.
Although Florida imposes no restrictions, customer complaints about odor motivate painting contractor George Dean to use low-VOC paint. The owner of George Dean and Co. in Auburndale, Fla., says he's seen no noticeable differences in application.
Most painters who apply low-VOC products do so because that's what was speced, sometimes at homeowners' request, says Dulux Paints senior brand manager Dave Maurer at ICI Paint Stores. "But once they adjust to the new technologies, they're not likely to switch off."
Painting subcontractors for Bath & Kitchen Creations in Dulles, Va., report no concerns with the newer products, says Tiffany Keaton, director of market management. "And homeowners seem more concerned with whether the color will match their tile and towels."
Less and LessMore change is in the works. As of July 1, South Coast regulations call for non-flat coatings to drop from a maximum of 150 to 50 grams of VOCs per liter and for primers and sealers to go from 200 to 100 grams.
"Major research and development work had to be done," says Spillane. "There's a snowball effect. The OTC already is talking about going to [the new] South Coast regs."
With both coasts leading the way, the Great Lakes area is following suit. Chicago battles ozone-based pollution, too, and the Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium is working on regulating VOCs.
Manufacturers see regulation as nearly inevitable. "More states will adopt limits on VOCs for paint and cleaning products," says Steve Revnew, director of marketing for architectural products at Sherwin-Williams. "We anticipate the South Coast of California will continue to take the lead in stringent regulation."
With tighter regulations proliferating, ICI probably will sell its low-VOC products everywhere, rather than offering different formulations in different areas. In addition, Maurer notes, indoor air quality standards may be added to the mix. "How long that will take remains to be seen."
–BUILDING PRODUCTS
Color Cues
Trends in paint colors take their cues from the runways where fashions by names like Versace and Dior appear. While it used to take as long as five years, now that transition happens in 18 months or less.
Sheri Thompson, director of color marketing and design for Sherwin-Williams, thinks that's because of the proliferation of television home shows and home décor magazines. Benjamin Moore senior marketing manager Jeff Spillane agrees. "HGTV and all the TV design shows you can watch 24/7 give people the confidence to go and try something new. Paint is the least expensive and most dramatic way to change a room."
Thompson credits another popular phenomenon, though, for making brown what she sees as the No. 1 color in paint these days. "One of the biggest catalysts is our fascination with coffee," she says. "Brown is versatile. Because of its flexibility, it's here to stay as a classic color."
Deep navy blues and teal–a lighter version than its 1980s predecessor–also are strong this year, she says. Golden-toned yellows will warm accent walls, she adds, and purples will darken to almost a black purple, while reds will take on an orange tinge.
Homeowners are becoming more daring with color, Spillane acknowledges. Even so, traditional white remains strong: It's still Benjamin Moore's biggest- selling color.
–Diane Kittower
All Natural
Bud Killam likes American Pride paint so much that he's selling the zero-VOC product. That's remarkable because Killam is not a professional retailer but a painting contractor.
"The more I did research, the more I understood about paint that even using low-odor paint was exposing homeowners and workers to toxins," says the president of Framingham, Mass.-based Painters Pride. "I like it and believe in the philosophy and the market trend."
American Pride is a Green Seal-certified product of Southern Diversified Products in Hattiesburg, Miss. It's among a growing number of natural or organic, low-biocide, and milk paints.
Natural and organic products don't contain synthetic ingredients. They can be water- or oil-based and may include oils such as citrus, castor, or soy. One product, Auro Natural Paints and Finishes, takes longer to dry than most conventional paints, but spokesperson Scott Egide says it offers better coverage. "And natural products have a life to them that makes them good to be around."
Low-biocide paints offer reduced levels of preservatives and fungicides. Furthermore, milk paints are made from milk protein and earth pigments, such as lime and iron oxide. They come powdered and require both mixing and tinting on site; historically, milk paint was commonly used before paint became commercially available.
–Diane Kittower
Southern Diversified Products
Southern Diversified Products. American Pride and its sister brand, American Pro, are Green Seal-certified latex paints, are usually solvent-free (zero-VOC), and contain no chemicals that are suspected carcinogens. The company not only has its own colors but also says it can match other companies' colors. The products were developed in cooperation with the University of Southern Mississippi. 601-264-0442. www.southerndiversifiedproducts.com.
Best Paint. The company has been manufacturing low-VOC paint since 1989, eventually adding a zero-VOC product. In addition, its Microsol product line includes no biocides, because the company believes that such pesticides are as likely to cause chemical injury as VOCs. It says it screens all ingredients for toxicity. 206-783-9938. www.bestpaintco.com.
Auro Natural Paints and Finishes
Auro Natural Paints and Finishes. These all-natural paints come in two forms: powdered–to be mixed on site–or liquid. They include no synthetics, biocides, or preservatives, the company says, and the only VOCs come from essential oils. The company offers color books, and the pigments can be added either at the distributor's headquarters or on site. The paint is available in flat, eggshell, and gloss. 888-302-9352. www.aurousa.com.
Sherwin-Williams. Reformulated last year, Duration Home interior latex paint is now low-VOC, has less odor than it used to, and is antimicrobial to resist mildew. Most stains wipe away easily with water or mild soap, the company says, leaving behind no burnish marks. It's available in matte and satin finishes in a wide array of colors. 800-474-3794. www.sherwin-williams.com.
ICI Paints. Dulux Lifemaster recently was reformulated, retaining its acrylic resins but getting rid of all solvents and designed to be more durable. The zero-VOC line comes in flat, eggshell, and semi-gloss finishes. It meets all current and anticipated VOC regulations, the company says, and also meets all LEED specifications established by the U.S. Green Building Council. 800-984-5444. www.icipaintstores.com.
Zinsser. Bulls Eye High Hide is an odorless solvent-based primer-sealer. Because of its bright white color, the company says users don't necessarily need a topcoat after putting on two coats. It dries in 30 minutes and can be recoated in two hours. The product can be used on drywall, plaster, and textured or acoustic tile ceilings and is compatible with both latex and oil-based paints. 732-469-8100. www.zinsser.com.
Benjamin Moore. The EcoSpec acrylic paint formula contains no solvents that release VOCs into the air and has been certified by Green Seal and Green Guard. The line consists of a primer and three topcoat finishes: flat, eggshell, and semi-gloss. It is offered in white and more than 1,000 custom colors. 800-344-0400. www.benjaminmoore.com.