Natural Paints

Why use Natural Paint?

Natural paint is good for people. It does not contain paint solvents which are mankind’s 2nd cause of climate changing emissions (VOCs), and does not include hazardous air particles (HAPs) such as formaldehyde (Source: European Solvents Association). These paint chemical emissions can last for months inside our homes.

Natural paint is also good for buildings. You can undo all the good work of making a building “breathe” by applying just one coat of synthetic paint.

The Sustainable Building Resource Centre has details of some of the best ranges of truly Natural Paint. All paints and tester pots can be ordered through the centre and delivered direct to your home.

Auro

Auro UK paints are manufactured in Germany but are 100% natural. Linseed is the main ingredient and they contain other plant oils and waxes. Auro use low-tech production methods and any waste materials are compostable.

In 2003 Auro was voted 'Favourite Ethical DIY Product' by readers of 'Ethical Consumer' Magazine. Several Auro products have also been recommended by the German environmental 'Oko Test' magazine.

Green Paints

Previously named "Novocoat" Green Paints won the best on test in April 2002 Which Magazine, the full range is now just called Green Paints. Produced in the UK to exacting industrial standards, they can be used in virtually any situation to replace conventional emulsion and gloss paints. Although modern technology is employed in their production, they contain no petroleum solvents, vinyl, or other toxic components. Instead they are based on a resin made from soya bean oils, water and renewable raw materials.

Nature Paint

Made in the West Country, Naturepaint is 100% natural made from minerals, plants and milk extracts. Easy to use, simply mix with water and it will absorb Carbon Dioxide as it cures. Free of noxious fumes, rooms can be safely reoccupied immediately after painting. The packaging is 99.9% recycled, recyclable or reusable. Any leftover paint can be biodegraded with garden compost. A truly sustainable product!

See www.naturepaint.com/ for further information.

Osmo UK wood treatments

Osmo UK wood treatments are imported from a German manufacture, Ostermann and Scheiwe, who originally developed them in response to a need for high quality, durable finishes for their own timber products – so they were designed with the needs of wood in mind. The resulting finishes are micro porous, and will not crack, peel, flake or blister because they penetrate and become part of the surface of the wood rather than laying an impermeable plastic like film, coating the surface. In most cases, Osmo products should be applied very thinly, to bare wood (or over other micro porous stains) and generally go two to three times further than traditional wood finishes because they are high in solids and low in solvents.

The binders are based on sustainable crops: sunflower, soya bean and thistle oils. Waxes are derived from plant sources, and parafins from the processing of petroleum. The solvents used are aliphatic hydrocarbons, i.e. benzole free, disaromatised white spirit. Osmo finishes contain no biocides or preservatives (unless stated) and once dry, are completely safe for man, animals and plants.