Do your bit for the environment!
Typically, the term enamel paint is used to describe oil-based covering products, usually with a significant amount of gloss in them, however recently many water-based paints have adopted the term as well. For over 30 years most oil-based paints are being phased out and replaced by water-based paints. If you are still using oil-based paints, it’s time to find out why you need to change.
Bad news about oil-based enamel
- Consider that oil-based enamel paint takes up to eight hours to dry, depending on the humidity, and that’s only for the first coat. You then have to wait that long for a second coat.
- Any paint that is oil-based produces fumes that can be harmful and even toxic if the area you are painting isn’t well ventilated. The most common solvents used in oil-based enamel paint includes toluene, benzene; and xylenes – all of which can have harmful effects on our health.
- Oil-based paints contain high levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). As oil-based paint dries the VOCs vaporize, harming not only your home environment but also contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer.
- Oil-based enamel paints tend to discolour over time. Whites become yellow.
No thinners required to clean brush.