We use paint in all sorts of applications. To coat the outside of our house. To create our thoughts upon a canvas. To doll up our face for a nice date. It’s one of the foundations of human expression, but one that can still harm when not used carefully. Wood coating is a common form of paint used to protect our porches and floors against the elements, standing strong against moisture, insects and everyday foot traffic. A clear coat for wood can go a long way…for better and for worse. If you’re wondering about environmentally friendly spray paint for your next homeowning project, check out how you can have the best of both worlds below.
Bringing Back The Classics
Unleash your inner artist. Why not give your home a makeover while you’re at it? A 2017 interior design trends survey saw over a third of all respondents saying they preferred a neutral color palette when decorating their home. Neutral colors are soft and basic, lending an air of peace to just about any set-up and blending well with any brighter or heavier colors introduced. Brown, black, white, cream, beige and more desaturated blues and greens all count as neutrals. An interesting study provided by Zillow also found homes with blue bathrooms selling for $5,000 more than expected.
Check The Age Of Your Floor
Exterior floor paint or exterior porch paint, the first thing you need to do is check how old your floor is. Your clear coat for wood isn’t meant to be a fix-it-all and can actually do more harm than good if you’re not careful. Flooring that is more than a year old, most of your VOC’s will have likely disappeared already. If you’re installing a brand new floor, however, you can choose an organic option that’s free of conventional VOC painting materials. What’s a VOC? This is short for ‘volatile organic compounds’, known for being very dangerous for your health.
Determine Your Day-To-Day Function
What do you need from your clear coat for wood? Are you trying to keep your porch from warping and wrinkling under the onslaught of constant weather patterns? How about keeping your flooring intact from your pets running in and out of the house? Gloss varnish not only makes your floors look delightfully shiny, it will give your materials a fighting chance against all the pressure put upon it daily. Low odor paint is especially important for indoor environments, as indoor air pollution has been found to be more than three times as bad as outdoor air pollution.
Watch Those Allergies
Sensitive constitutions are no fun at all. Your eyes water at the slightest provocation and you’re constantly dealing with abused sinuses when spring comes around. Should this describe you to the T, it’s more than likely you’re sensitive to chemicals, too. The CBC Marketplace determined that VOC levels over 500 ppb could cause significant health problems for people with chemical sensitivities. A ‘Dampness In Buildings And Health’ study also saw children with multiple allergic symptoms showing a higher-than-likely probability of reacting strongly to PGE-exposure.
Creating An Environmentally Friendly Painting Project
Homeowners don’t just want a pretty home. They want a pretty home that will do its part to help create a happier and healthier environment for their neighbors to enjoy. Breathing in good air and enjoying a beautiful space is important for both your physical and mental health, something you should keep in mind every time you pick up a hammer and get to work. A recent study found participants who spent a full six work days in an environment with reduced VOC levels had 100% higher cognitive scores than those in more conventional workspaces. Imagine how you could improve your own life with an eco-friendly clear coat for wood.