Affordable Low VOC Paint?

We've used Eco-Spec extensively in our latest home remodeling project, and got a good deal by buying "in bulk" through the local specialty paint store. If you are doing a big job, make sure to ask about specials or "contractor discounts."
Also, as far as color goes - unfortunately, the pigment tints added to mix colors also (usually) add VOC's, in proportion to the "depth" of the color. Lighter colors will release less. In fact, I don't even think BenMoore makes an EcoSpec base for colors darker than a "2 base", which is about a middle tone. Beyond that, the tint would make its "eco" VOC status irrelevant.
Lastly, we recently discovered that Olympic Paint is making an interior latex paint with zero VOC's by label. It's not "green seal," but it definitely is "low odor" (the labeling on the can). We found it at Lowe's Home Improvement Stores. The price is about the same as standard mid to high end paint, so it's not really a deal if you have a specialty store around that sells the better "eco-paints," but if you live somewhere without one, it could be a good alternative. Plus, it can be purchased & mixed in quarts for small jobs, which many of the "greener" paints don't offer. Anyway.

For VOC free paints see the range from Sto of Germany. They have been tested to high standards and are not expensive.

Why Not Aquacoat? All The qualities and very safe too.... Drinkable as well. If you are daring

Try American Pride Paints and YOLO Colorhouse. They are all Zero Voc! They spread and look beautiful!!

At our stores in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, we carry AFM Safecoat, American Pride, and Yolo. These are all great paints, both Low and Zero VOC.

Regarding the issue of colorant, our store uses Zero VOC colorants (most paint stores won't). So you can still get a zero VOC paint even in a rich deep color.

I am a paint contractor and I have been using Olympic Premium no-voc paints for about 2 years now. It was recently rated in the top 5 paints by consumer reports and is only about $17-20, which is by far the least expensive no-voc paint that I could find anywhere. I have been using this do gain bids because I am using a high quality paint that costs less and is great for your health. I have used a few others such as Sherwin Williams low-voc paints which was of a much poorer quality and almost twice the price, even after my contractor discounts. The olympic paint is only available at lowe's I believe, but well worth the value given the no-voc and high ratings.

When we review a paints VOC's and quality, what we don't see is the actual environmental foot-print of the manufacture of these products.
I am intimately knowledgeable in the manufacturing processes of the top 50 coatings manufacturers, waste streams are publicly available for all of them. Compare the accountability of their Stewardship of our most precious of natural Resources, drinking water and VOC's, Buy quality of life with quality paint:
SAN CARLOS, California – March 17, 2008 – Kelly-Moore Paint Company received the 2007 Northern California, Large Facility, ‘Certificate of Merit’ from the California Water Environment Association (CWEA) as the runner up to ‘Facility of the Year’ winner Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Kelly-Moore Paints was recognized for taking proactive steps to meet current environmental pollution control standards.
http://www.kellymoorepaint.org

Olympic Paint is a Zero VOC paint that also "Green Seal" certified. It shows it on the label. I use the paint in all my paint jobs. They offer all sheens including a new latex Flat Enamel. It is great! A flat finish that my customers can scrub. My Lowe's store in my town has recently informed me that they now carry a Zero VOC primer to go along with their VOC paint. It makes me feel good I can continue painting without the health risk of traditional paints.

I used Yolo Colorhouse throughout my home, the quality and coverage was wonderful. I love that their cans are plastic, made from recycled materials!

I'm looking for a no VOC paint for a large project on a small budget... I can probably get a bulk discount as I'm going to need about 12 gallons probably by my calculations... I need it to bright colours (a bright blue and yellow) which makes it a bit difficult... BUt not impossible... Where the situation becomes a lot more difficult is I need a Metal Paint that is going to take a lot of wear. I've been searching everywhere and all I can find for Metal Paint is no VOc primers and white paint that can be tinted to light pastel colours... Does anyone have any ideas that may help me?

I would not recommend Yolo Colorhouse. I had to strip it off after it bubbled and peeled after a few months ( I also know another incident similar to mine involving Yolo paint). It also is not wearing or washing well on the areas that I did not end up stripping. This paint cost me ALOT of time and money plus I had to use chemical strippers to fix the problem which is what I was trying to avoid in the first place. I would recommend Aura paint for a low VOC instead.

I agree with tiffany i had nothing but problems with yolo. It flashed and was shiny in one area and flat in a nother. I did five coats on my ceiling, Thats right FIVE CoaTs, and it still dind't work, so i hired a painter and he uses benjamin moore ONE COAT and the pail of paint costed 69.99 for a pail yolo was like 48 a gallon whor the hell would use that crap. I am a benjaminmoore moore man now.

With the popularity of no/low VOC paints rising, so is the ability to get them on the über cheap via mistints! Mistints are cans that aren't 100% the color they were intended to be but pretty darn close, just not close enough for the original client's tastes. I recently bought 6 cans of low VOC paints, all of different hues, at $2.50/can! Most places don't have their mistints out in the open because they'd rather you shell out the $30+ a pop but if you ask, many paint store employees will be kind enough to show you where they are (usually in the back). You most likely won't find the exact color you're after but I'll compromise on color to save $35/can :)

We are a seller of AFM Safecoat products in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Green Seal Certification process only refers to methane and benzene offgassing. Ammonia, formalydehyde are also volatile organic compounds, but are not considered so for Green Seal. This is do to the fact that the certifications were lowered by the paint companies that lobbied the Green Seal Certifiers to make sure they could continue to produce unhealthy and dangerous paint, yet market it under "Green" paint. Please make sure you read the MSDS sheets for Aura, Harmony, FreshAire, and other "green" paints--you will be surprised by what is in them.

After calling up JC Licht, Sherwin Williams, Lowes and Pittsburgh Paints, only one employee revealed that the Lowes' Olympic brand is zero VOC only *without* colorant... adding color does add VOCs. Price varied widely between all these stores: from $18.99 - $56.99 per gallon. I'm weighing the cost of gasoline to drive to the closest store that carries other brands, like YOLO Colorhouse, versus buying as-close-to-zero VOC possible from a geographically closer store. Gotta consider all factors... driving an 40 miles isn't green.

Hi all,
just a quick little bit of info for everyone:
Most of your Paints that the labled as zero VOC are not truely Zero VOC. The base can alone may be zero voc, but once you tint that can to a color, VOC's are added. Tints are solvent based and load your can with VOC's. (the darker the color, the more VOC's added) I have found that the only paints which are truley Zero VOC are "Natura" and "Waterborne Eco Spec" from Benjamin Moore. Ben Moore is the only paint company on the market to have a zero VOC tinting system.

I didn't have any problems with YOLO. I actually have been using YOLO for some time now and just love the results. I used to use Benjamin Moore for everything, not anymore! :)

Olympic has a great zero voc paint. Even though when it's tinted the colorant has some vocs but nothing compared to what most traditional paints have. It's a great product and it's really inexpensive. I believe I paid $18 or so.

Hey there is also the FreshAire Choice available at the Home Depot. Check out thier site and take a look. I heard that they actually use a little bag with the color in a dust form to color the paint. Almost all "VOC FREE PAINTS" just add VOC when they pour the coloring back in. They might have a VOC free bas but when the color is added in store it just becomes another VOC loaded paint! i think this is the site http://freshairechoice.com/
and i believe it isnt that expensive