Low VOC paints and no added VOC paint

Are Resene paints VOC Free or non VOC?

Since 2018, the Australian Paint Manufacturers Association has required all paint manufacturers to cease use of the terms 'VOC free' and 'non VOC'. This is because VOCs may be present in very trace amounts in raw materials, so no paint can be guaranteed to be free of VOCs.

Resene does make 'no added VOC' paint and tinters, which means that apart from any trace elements that may be in the raw materials, Resene does not add any VOC to the product when it is made. These products are below 1% VOC. Resene also makes a range of no added VOC and very low VOC paints which also have Environmental Choice approval.

What are no added VOC paints?

No added VOC paints are formulated without adding any VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) into the paint. These are products like Resene Zylone Sheen Zero low sheen waterborne paint, designed for interior areas (non wet areas) and the Resene range of colour tinters.

What are low VOC paints?

Low VOC paints are lower in VOC than traditional paints. Solventborne paints are usually very high in VOC and waterborne paints are much lower. Within the waterborne paint category, VOCs can be reduced even further as the paint chemists formulate the product.

VOCs help to give the paint a longer wet edge, so you have more time to paint before the paint dries. When VOCs are reduced or removed, the paint needs to be formulated in a new way to ensure you still have enough time to apply the paint before it dries. Waterborne paints are usually much faster to dry than solventborne paints, because they have lower VOCs.

In very hot weather, paint can dry out much faster. Where possible paint out of the sun and avoid painting in the hottest part of the day outside. You can also add Resene Hot Weather Additive to your waterborne paint to help give you a little extra wet edge time in summer so you have more time to get a quality finish.

Avoid spreading your paint too thin – the thinner the paint film the faster it will dry out.

Why is it best to minimise VOCs?

Ever felt dizzy from paint fumes? The effect is magnified when painting indoors and is even worse if it is a child that is exposed.

Indoor air quality is important and lowering the VOCs will help improve air quality while the paint is being applied and curing.

Not only do you want to minimise the fumes while painting, but you also want the paint odour to disappear quickly so you can start using the area faster without putting the occupants at risk. Improving indoor air quality can also help prevent headaches, asthma, nausea, dizziness, respiratory complaints, allergic reactions and improve general well-being and provide a better working environment for all decorators.

How to choose low and no added VOC products

Resene has an extensive range of Environmental Choice approved paints, wood stains, clear and specialty finishes that meet strict VOC requirements, so you can choose a low VOC or no added VOC option for your projects inside and out.

Resene Zylone Sheen has always been a popular choice for commercial and residential projects as well as those sensitive to environmental concerns. Celebrating 10 years of Resene Zylone Sheen being an environmentally preferable Environmental Choice approved finish, Resene chemists developed a no added VOCs version. Resene Zylone Sheen Zero (see Data Sheet D302) combines the popular low sheen of Resene Zylone Sheen without adding any unwanted organic compounds (VOCs).

Today just 8% of the decorative paint Resene sells is solventborne, while the average per litre VOC levels of Resene decorative paint sales have dropped by over 90% in the last three decades. Innovations, such as Resene Enamacryl, Resene Lustacryl and Resene SpaceCote waterborne enamels, now mean that it is possible to select a Resene Environmental Choice approved waterborne product for most applications, where once only solventborne products were available.

Any colour you want, with no added VOCs

To enable you to get the Resene colours you know and love, Resene makes an exclusive range of Resene Decorative Colourants with no added VOCs, so you can get a full spectrum of colours to be tinted into Resene decorative paints without adding any unwanted VOCs.