I'm trying to work out what sort of paint to use on a new house. As well as minimising cost and being pleased with how it looks, I want to
- minimise health problems the paint may cause during painting and when the house is lived in
- maximise the time before it needs painting again
- minimise any environmental and health problems the paint's production has caused.
This topic seems to be a complicated can of worms. Is there a website that details health and environmental problems of paint as well as the quality/longevity of the paint, and which also rates different types of paint made by different firms? Or, failing that (a big ask), has anyone got any knowledge or experience that might help me decide?
(A red herring I sometimes come across is whether the paint is made from natural ingredients. I don't care. If one regards humans as part of nature, then everything humans do must be natural. Alternatively, if natural is defined as "not made by humans", I can think of natural things that can harm people (eg hemlock, arsenic, E coli bacteria) and human-made things that can help people (eg bikes, acts of kindness, music).)
The urgent decision I have to make is what top coat to put on some window reveals (which will include quite deep window sills, which will be like shelves, and have things put on them, and need to be wiped/washed every now and then). They're internal, but will get sun on them.
I first considered Wattyl oil-base Finish Doors & Trim (c$52/4L), which smelt pretty bad, and I was told should last c 5 years before needing repainting. That didn't seem long. Then I considered Haymes water-base Ultra Trim gloss ($80/4L), which the salesman said should last 15-20 years before repainting was needed. (I wondered if he overlooked the wear the window sills might get.) Then I considered Bio Paint oil-base Gloss Enamel ($117/4L), on the assumption that it would be less harmful to health and environment. I was told that it would only last half as long as conventional paint (which should last c. 10 years on a window sill), but a rep from Bio Paint said that's a myth, and it should last just as long as conventional paint. But the window reveals have water-based undercoat on (Haymes Tricoat), and the rep wondered if the different rates of expansion of the water-base and oil-base paint might cause very fine cracking like you sometimes see on cars.
What to do?
I also realise that colour adds complications. I considered an orangey yellow, but then realised that conventional paints would possibly use chromium for this colour, and was also told that the tints often have more volatile organic compounds than the paint.
Comments welcome.