What Does it Mean When Paint Has Low VOC

Have you ever been shopping for some paint for a DIY home project only to be confronted with a bunch of safety terms that you don’t recognize when you look at the labels? Paint products can often be labeled with instructions and warning signs, particularly if they are mass-produced. These labels are important because they can alert you to any possible safety or health risks that might occur when using said products. One abbreviation that you might have noticed when you’re shopping for paint is “VOC.” This article will help you know what VOC means and why you should buy paint with or without VOC included in it.

What Does VOC Mean?

In the paint industry, VOC stands for volatile organic compounds. Volatile organic compounds are materials that contain carbon, which becomes a gas or vapor once it is used, releasing chemicals into the air. These volatile organic compounds are released into the air and your surrounding environment from the moment you open your paint can. While your paint is drying on the walls, those chemicals can be absorbed into your home and even your body. Sometimes, VOCs are even continuously emitted into your home long after the paint is fully dried on your walls. Essentially, in all stages of the painting process, and even years down the road, VOCs can be absorbed into your home and body, with potentially harmful health consequences and side effects that might occur, such as respiratory issues. VOCs might also be invisibly contained in other products in your life while you’re completely unaware of it!

VOCs have traditionally been used in paint products and other materials because they help the paint dry successfully. While this is a necessary function for paint products, the negative consequences of including VOCs definitely outweigh the benefits. So, make sure you’re exclusively shopping for paint products that are low-VOC or VOC-free. Keep in mind, in order to qualify for the label of “low-VOC” compared to other paints, a paint product would need to contain less than 50 grams of volatile organic compounds per liter. Remember that 50-gram VOC limit when you’re researching paint products and looking at potential product options for your painting project.

How Should I Protect Myself and My Home Against VOCs?

If you’ve ever removed the paint from a surface in your home, you’ll know that it is possible to protect yourself (at least somewhat) by wearing protective equipment. When paint is sanded down or removed in any way, chemicals from the paint can be released into the air. Wearing goggles, gloves, protective clothing, and a face mask or paint respirator can save you from inhaling harmful fumes or chemicals. Using fans to ventilate the newly painted area can also help get those harmful and toxic fumes out of your home.

Unfortunately, not all paint products are completely transparent with their levels of volatile organic compounds, and if they do have VOC levels that are higher than the recommended level, that’s not usually something they would advertise. (Obviously, because that could affect their sales) But how does that make you feel, as a consumer of such products? You might feel lied to, particularly if you’ve been using a certain brand, like a big box brand, for many years. As a solution, you should turn to retailers that are legally qualified to sell paint that is VOC-free.

Ultimately, the only way to completely protect you, your home, and your family from volatile organic compounds is to use paint products that have zero VOCs. If you are trying to find a paint brand that you can trust to be completely transparent with their safety practices and VOC levels, you should shop for paint products at Vista Paint. They pride themselves on producing damage-resistant, high-quality paint products that are VOC-free. Vista Paint also produces vibrant, stylish paint colors that are always in demand among interior designers and home decorators. So, you won’t have to sacrifice style when you’re shopping for a safe paint option with zero VOCs. (More on Vista Paint below!)

Where Can I Find Paint with Low VOC Levels?

Now that you know what VOC is and are aware of the possible harm that it could cause to you, your family, or your home, you likely want to avoid it moving forward. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to sort through different types of paint and find the best brands that offer non-toxic, environmentally friendly paint with low VOC. Many mass-manufactured paint products aren’t created carefully or monitored for levels of volatile organic compounds or other potentially harmful chemicals. Even traditional paints that you might have used in years past have incredibly high and unsafe levels of volatile organic compounds or similar chemicals that might also be harmful.

Instead of putting your home, your health, and your family at risk by exposing them unnecessarily to volatile organic compounds, buy your paint products at Vista Paint instead. Vista Paint produces products that are carefully tested and expertly created to provide safety in your home and peace of mind for your family. With scratch-resistant qualities and excellent paint coverage, you’ll love the long-lasting result when you use Vista Paint products.

Check out our huge variety of paint colors by clicking here to view our color palette. You can also browse trendy and timeless paint color options by looking at our color family pages, such as this neutrals color family page. This page, along with our blog, will give you ideas of beautiful color combinations and current paint trends. Want to see some samples before you order your paint? No problem. Just order some sample paint chips, tape them up in your space, and choose the best fit! Make sure you view your paint chips over 24 hours, as different lighting throughout the day can bring out different undertones in the paint colors. You can quickly and easily order paint color chip samples by adding any color to your cart.