Is there a wall in your home that is just begging you for a sensationally colorful and dramatic makeover? Or what about that little spot on your ceiling that has you looking for the best way to hide water stains? How many more times can you pretend that you don’t see it?
Whatever the motivation, you know that the time has come to do some painting. Whether you do it yourself or you engage the services of a professional, it will be up to you to make the ultimate decisions about choosing paint colors and priming walls.
Before you start, it might be a good idea to “brush” up on the most recent information about different types of wall primer and paints. In other words, get some information to help you think outside the paint can. Here are four things to keep in mind when looking for different kinds of paints and types of wall primer.
Look for Environmentally-Friendly Products
There is a lot of awareness currently about using produts that are not harmful to the environment. Try to find an eco friendly primer, since this will have the type of quality of ingredients that make the paint purer than traditional paints. And be sure to look for a low odor paint. Check the labels, talk to the professionals and know the ingredients in your paint.
Look for Products with Reduced Irritants and Chemicals
Traditional paints have been found to contain ingredients that could irritate individuals and cause various reactions such as nausea and headaches as well as dizziness. People with a different allergies, such as a latex allergy for instance, and/or a compromised respiratory system, would benefit from a low odor paint.
Look for Products with Less Solvents
Solvents are used in paints to make the amount of paint go further. A solvent, of course, is a chemical that is mixed with another material to make a solution. When solvents are mixed in with paint, a greater amount of paint is produced. (And more fumes are likely, too, so look for a low odor paint product.)
Look for Products that are Labeled Lo VOC or No VOC
As you inform yourself about the fumes, solvents and chemicals in many primers and paints, you will also probably encounter the term “VOC”. VOCs is an anachronism for Volatile Organic Compounds. Simply put, VOCs are compounds that turn into gasses that are discharged from certain items, such as cigarettes, cleaning supplies, paints and solvents.
Not a breath of fresh air, to say the least, so look to avoid VOCs in your paints and primers, and stick with low odor paint products.
Who wants to breathe those chemicals if it’s not absolutely necessary? Well, if your answer to that question is “Not me!”, then you are not alone. In fact, 59% of travelers would stay in a hotel that offered rooms that were allergen-friendlyallergen-friendly, according to a study by Cornell University.
To sum up, there is no underestimating the importance of irritants and chemicals when used in different types of paints and wall primers. Sometimes the solvents used in these products are so strong that they are overpowering to individuals.
However, with a little research you will be able to find eco-friendly, high quality, low odor paint products for your project. And whether your project is a modest touch-up or a full-blown rehabilitation, you will do it knowing that you have made an environmentally conscious choice in the products you are using.