5 No VOC Paint Picks

VOCs or volatile organic compounds are high vapor pressure chemical compounds that include some greenhouse gases. VOCs can not only contribute to global warming, but also are just plain bad for your health.

While some VOCs occur naturally from cows and trees, many come from manufactured products such as paint thinners, paints and varnishes and dry cleaning solvents. These VOCs can contribute to human illnesses and have been determined to be a cause of ‘sick building syndrome’. The EPA has found concentrations of VOCs in indoor air to be 2 to 5 times greater than in outdoor air due to paint and other products.

Using low emission or non-volatile organic compound (aka VOC) paints is common in LEED projects, but identifying a quality, affordable option can be daunting. Below are five picks for no-VOC paint buys that won’t break the bank.

According to IEQ credit for Low-Emitting Materials in LEED v4, interior paints and coatings that are applied on site must meet, by volume, at least 90% of emissions criteria and 100% for VOC content criteria per general emissions evaluation. In combination with other emissions mitigating tactics, like purchasing only low emitting furniture or insulations, non-VOC paints can assist in achieving the 1-3 points available for all project categories.

Miller Paint Co.’s Acro Pure: Available in flat, eggshell, satin and semigloss finishes, Acro Pure tends to layer nicely and has certainly overcome the initial coverage challenges they faced when the paint first arrived on the market back in 2009. Cost: $27-$30/gal.

Mythic Zero VOC: Mythic Paint is a zero-VOC, Zero-carcinogenic, premium quality line of latex paints. Mythic provides and requires a Zero-VOC colorant system that maintains zero-VOCs and provides bright and beautiful colors. The product line contains no formaldehyde, no crystalline silicates, and is free of other toxins, allergins, and carcinogens – and is considered safe for the chemically sensitive. $49-99/gal.

Olympic Premium Interior (available at Lowe’s): A self-priming paint that offers thorough coverage and consistent color, reviews for this paint widely tout its ease of application and cleanup. Olympic offers more segmented types than others including bath semi-gloss and flat ceiling, as well. $23-$27/gal

Rodda Paint Co.’s Horizon Paint: This “perfect green paint” is available in 42 varieties and as a primer, as well as in flat, satin and semi gloss paint finishes. Particularly nice is that it’s both mold- and mildew-resistant, and well known for its scrubbability and washability performance. $35-$39/gal

Glidden Freshaire Choice (available at Home Depot): Unlike the other paints listed above, Freshaire Choice has a unique no-VOC tinting for 65 colors, as well. In other words, while most no-VOC paints subsequently introduce some VOCs through the color saturation process, this paint does not. This, in addition to a quick dry time of 30-60 minutes and quality coverage, makes it a worthwhile purchase. $35/gal