Manufacturer:  Benjamin Moore

Paint: Natura Interior Waterborne Paint (color – White)

Cost:  $49.99 per gallon retail (online)

Composition: Water based acrylic latex. Contains acrylic latex, titanium dioxide, nepheline syenite, kaolin, silica (amorphous), diatomaceous earth

VOCs: 0 g/l (grams per liter)

Certifications: GreenSeal, Greenguard

Color range: All Benjamin Moore colors available.  Tinting will not affect VOC level.

Coverage: Estimated by mnf. at 375 – 425 sf per gallon

Testing results

Paint odor in can – Typical latex paint smell, but undetectable beyond 3″ from can opening.

Consistency of paint – Even after repeatedly shaking can, paint remained separated, and had to be vigorously stirred to create a smooth texture.  Once homogenized however, paint was fairly thick and smooth.

Coverage – It took only 1 coat to cover existing dark tan paint

Drying time – 30 minutes till dry to touch.  Did not need to apply second coat.

Odor after one day – Undetectable

Adhesion after one day – Virtually no residue viiable on tape after removal.  Tape did not affect painted surface.

Note:  Paint provided by Benjamin Moore for our use in test.

Conclusion:  Very low odor and excellent hideability.  The average room would only need a single gallon to cover most walls, making the $49.99 price tag a lot more affordable overall.  It is also a plus that the paint can be tinted without changing the level of VOCs.  However, the paint does require a great deal of stirring to achieve a smooth consistency.

Note: We chose not to apply paint under ideal conditions, including the use of a primer, so your results may vary.  To read more about how we approached our review process, please read this post.

If you have any experience with this paint, please feel free to add your comments below.  The more people who share their knowledge, the more useful these reviews will be.

Manufacturer:  Sherwin Williams

Paint: Harmony Interior Latex Flat Paint (color – Extra White)

Cost:  $36.99 per gallon retail

Composition: Water based acrylic latex. Contains titanium dioxide, nepheline syenite, vinyl polymer, calcium carbonate, kaolin, mica.  Formulated with no silica.

VOCs: Less than 2g/l (grams per liter)

Certifications:  Greenguard, Good Housekeeping

Color range: Most colors are available.  Sherwin Williams’ “Blend-A-Color” tinting can add to VOC level.

Coverage: Estimated by mnf. at 350 – 400 sf per gallon

Testing results

Paint odor in can – Smells like the tempera paint we used as kids.  Odor undetectable more than 12″ from freshly opened can.

Consistency of paint – Smooth, slightly thin, light splatter

Coverage – 2 coats just covered existing dark tan paint

Drying time – 45 minutes till dry to touch.  Waited recommended 4 hours before applying second coat.

Odor after one day – Very faint, almost undetectable

Adhesion after one day – Applied clear tape to paint.  Some residue showed on tape, but did not affect surface of painted wall.  Tape was hard to remove at first.

Note:  Paint provided by Sherwin Williams for our use in test.

Conclusion:  This paint is definitely low odor, and has the added benefit of being anti-microbial.  Other than the vinyl polymer, the paint basically consists of water and ground minerals and rocks (see composition above).  Because it is slightly thin in consistency, I imagine this would do very well in a sprayer, which coupled with it’s relatively low price point, might make it ideal for larger projects and painting contractors, as well as those looking for an affordable option in no-VOC paint.  However, I would advise using primer before trying to cover a darker color of paint.

I really like the fact that Sherwin Williams took the time to redesign their can as well as their paint.  The can is 100% post consumer recycled resin (plastic), with a label made of 75% recovered fiber and 25% post consumer waste, printed with soy ink.  You can read more about their GreenSure environmental program here.

Note: We chose not to apply paint under ideal conditions, including the use of a primer, so your results may vary.  To read more about how we approached our review process, please read this post.

If you have any experience with this paint, please feel free to add your comments below.  The more people who share their knowledge, the more useful these reviews will be.

Manufacturer:  Dunn-Edwards

Paint: Enso Interior Flat Paint (color – Tintable White)

Cost:  $55.48 per gallon (some discounts available, please inquire with store)

Composition: Water based acrylic latex. Contains titanium dioxide to boost hiding ability of paint. MSDS indicates no reportable hazardous ingrediants.

VOCs: Less than 2g/l (grams per liter)

Certifications:  MPI Extreme Green

Color range: Virtually entire standard range of Dunn-Edwards colors, with the exception of several deep reds.  Pigment can add to VOC level.

Coverage: Estimated by mnf. at 300 – 400 sf per gallon

Testing results

Paint odor in can – Typical latex paint smell, but unnoticeable if more than 8″ from can

Consistency of paint – Smooth, medium flow, slightly gummy.  No spatter experienced.

Coverage – 2 coats to cover existing dark tan paint

Drying time – 30 minutes till dry to touch.  Waited recommended 2 hours before applying second coat.

Odor after one day – slight latex paint smell when less than 2″ from wall.  Otherwise, no odor noticeable.

Adhesion after one day – Applied clear tape to paint.  Only faint residue visible on tape after removal.

Note:  Paint provided by Dunn-Edwards for our use in test.

Conclusion:  This is still a very new paint on the market, and as such it is hard to get a gauge on what is happening in the field.  Based on our try out, this is a good choice for the casual painter who is looking for a no-VOC option that is fairly affordable and readily available.  I’m happy that this new line is available in (virtually) all of their colors.

Note: We chose not to apply paint under ideal conditions, including the use of a primer, so results may vary.  To read more about how we approached our review process, please read this post.

If you have any experience with this paint, please feel free to add your comments below.  The more people who share their knowledge, the more useful these reviews will be.

A green finish that meets today’s standards set by petroleum-based finishes can be a bit of a conundrum.  Mainstream furniture and cabinets are normally sprayed with nitrocellulose lacquers, varnishes, and the like.  Icky and stinky as they are they really protect the wood by basically coating it with a layer of plastic.

A few years back, water based polyurethane finished came out as a green alternative but, like anything new, they were slow to be accepted.  There were complaints that they were hard to work with and the color was off but the manufacturers listened and solved these problems while at the same time making these water based finishes even more safe for the environment.  A finish that I’ve wanted to try is Vermont Coatings Poly Whey, available locally in Southern California at Livingreen.  Polyurethane finishes do require some work to apply nicely so they add some cost to a project

That being said, my favorite finishes are natural plant based oil finishes, which in my opinion, are the greenest finishes one can have next to no finish at all and are really easy to use.  Usually tung or linseed oils are the base, sometimes both.  These oils naturally dry and seal without nasty chemicals.  Spray finishes leave a film over the wood while oil finishes treat the outer layer keeping the texture of the wood intact.  Add a little bees wax and you have a silky soft finish with a great natural wooden feel.

There are a lot of environmentally safe oil finishes available now.  To keep things simple I wanted to choose one and make it my go to finish.  When I lived in San Francisco the folks at Eco Home let me sample every can of green finish that they had open by wiping some on strips of wood that I had brought in.  I took them home and did everything I could to mess up the finish by spilling wine, scratching, keeping glasses of iced water on them overnight, and so on.  None were impervious to my abuse but one stood out as very durable and also had the best color, AFM Safecoat Naturals Oil Wax Finish.  It has a warm amber tone, soft feel, workability, and dries fairly fast.  I also like matte finishes. Too much shine and you can’t see the grain of the wood.

Oil finishes can be vulnerable to moisture damage from spills and such but fortunately an oil finish is easy to repair.  Just lightly sand the problem area, apply some oil, and wipe off the excess.  Easy.

So, in conclusion, I think the best finish for kitchen cabinets or furniture that will be exposed to food and drinks is a water based polyurethane.  For everything else I recommend saving money and use a plant based oil.  They are easy to repair and look the best.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about eco friendly finishes for your furniture.