If you've perused any paint isle recently, you've probably seen at least one brand advertising no- or low-VOCs on their label.  If you've wondered whether their performance is as good as conventional formulas, you're not alone. After all, with all the prep work involved and labor hours spent painting, you want it to last a long time.

So why should you be concerned with low or no-VOC paint? The short answer is indoor air quality (IAQ). As paint dries, VOC gases are released into the air. These gases can cause acute symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, asthma attacks, respiratory problems, and some VOCs are known or suspected carcinogens. According to the EPA, the air inside a home is, on average, two-to-five times more polluted than the air outside. Paint is a large contributing factor to poor indoor air quality and can emit VOCs for years after application. The federal government caps the VOC content in paint at 250 grams per liter (g/l) for flat finishes and 380 g/l for other finishes such as low-luster and semigloss. The Ozone Transport Commission, a multi-state organization created under the Clean Air Act, limits flat coatings to 100 g/l and non-flat coatings to 150 g/l. And even stricter limits of 50 g/l for all finishes have been set by California's South Coast Air Quality Management District. There are also voluntary standards manufacturers can adhere to through Green Seal and GreenGuard certifications. A “Green Seal” is given to paints with a VOC content less than 50 g/l (for flat sheens) or 150 g/l for non-flat sheens. Total VOCs allowed under GreenGuard is .50 mg/m3.

To find a low-VOC paint, you should look on the label for a disclosure that the VOC content is under 50 g/l. Remember that there are almost four liters in a gallon and an average room can require up to two gallons to cover properly. Another important factor to consider is that the tint or pigment is a major source of VOCs. On average, up to 150 grams of VOCs are added back into paint once the color is mixed. So you can have a low-VOC paint around 50 g/l that could actually be in the neighborhood of 200 g/l once color is added (except for naturally pigmented paints). VOCs aren’t the only chemicals you need to watch for. Some no-or-low-VOC paints may contain potential carcinogens. Look at the ingredients for anything that is construed as a petrochemical or formaldehyde to avoid those products.

Your best bet to avoid “greenwashing” is to go with a well reviewed product. In the zero-VOC category, there has been ample internet coverage on Mythic, Freshaire Choice, and BioSheild. All three use zero VOC color pigments. Mythic has over 1200 colors available, and is priced at about $35 to $45 per gallon. Freshaire Choice, which is GreenGuard certified, has received a good amount of attention since its debut at Home Depot. It is limited to 65 colors, but at $35-$38 a gallon, it is a good quality paint that provides good coverage with only one coat. BioShield allows you to mix your own casein paints from dry powder and pigments. The paint usually sells for between $35-$40 depending on which of the 60 dry pigments are added. This paint does require two coats, but acts like its own primer. There are other zero-VOC brands that are worthy of looking into, including Degussa, Yolo, Livos, that I may cover at a future date. One note is that none of the three products has been tested by Consumer Reports, but Popular Mechanics did review Freshaire and Mythic, and can be read here.

In the years past, low-VOC paint had a bad reputation for poor performance. But over time, manufacturers have improved their formulas for durability and quality. According to a February 2008 Consumer Reports (CR) study on interior paints, Benjamin Moore’s Aura, True Value Easy Care and Glidden’s Evermore low-luster paints contained less than 50 g/l of VOCs. Benjamin Moore offers 144 colors. Popular Science named the Benjamin Moore Aura paint one of the best new products of 2007, dubbing it “a no-stink, one-coat paint”. Its VOC content is less than 50 g/l and it is Greenguard certified. The price may be a little hard to swallow at $55 a gallon, but because of its high quality, it doesn’t require a primer and covers with just one coat. Factoring in the time savings of an entire coat of primer- this paint will pay for itself! I found very little information on True Value Easy Care, but Glidden has been reviewed extensively. In fact, all Glidden Evermore paints emit less than 50 g/l and include semi-gloss sheen. Priced at $15-$18 a gallon, this is a quality low-VOC product for the budget conscious.

Ultimately, a higher quality paint will cost more. But your payback will be long lasting coverage that will not need to touched up for several years, and that will not contribute to poor indoor air quality.

There is also the option of making paint yourself. For a basic flour paint recipe, visit Mother Earth News.