[Greenbuilding] Natura Paint - Any thoughts

[Jason Holstine]

Home Hardware sounds like a local hardware store...they may be a Ben Moore
dealer and selling the same Natura paint. Ask them for MSDS and technical
data sheets. 

Also ask about their tinting systems‹most lines add VOCs and Alkylphenol
Ethoxylates (APE), which are surfactants (detergents) that can be
oestrogenic (hormone disrupting) and bioaccumulative (they don¹t break down
in the environment and increase concentration up the food chain).

You have to look beyond the VOC label. This is an old issue but still quite
relevant. Many paints still have exempted VOCs (b/c they don¹t react with
sunlight to cause ozone smog they aren¹t regulated and so aren¹t part of the
label¹s VOC number), acetone (nail polish remover), crystalline silica,
ethylene glycol (antifreeze), or formaldehyde precursors (in the can they
don¹t do anything but when their applied the chemicals react with the air to
form formaldehyde)...you have to check the MSDS for disclosures and even
then they can still be hidden. For example, BM Aura still has 35 g/l VOCs
and ethylene glycol.

And of course there¹s the junk factor ‹ is the paint actually a good paint
and does what paint is sposed to do. All good paints will tell you 2 coats
are recommended, and often a coat of primer for best hiding and adhesion.
Some of the waterier paints will need 3-4 coats, especially for darker
colors.


Now, b/c we sell paints, the following has bias in the answer...

We sell 4 lines of wall finishes: American Pride (aka Mythic), AFM Safecoat,
American Clay plasters, Bioshield paints. All are ZERO VOCs and zero of the
above junk and there are no VOCs or APE in any of the tints. About as
healthy as it gets. Costs: $20s-40s a gallon, so about 40% less then
BenMoore and a BMW less than Farrow and Ball. Don¹t take that crap that
great paint has to be so expensive.

We have had a number of customers come in and complain about both Aura and
Natura odors and reactions, and have covered them with our American Pride or
AFM Safecoat lines to fix it. These lines are extremely popular.

In terms of quality of the finish, the Smithsonian uses our American Pride.
Their curators do some serious testing.

Hope this helps,


Jason Holstine

Amicus Green Building Center
³Sustain Your Space²
Member - USGBC, GreenAmerica, NARI, NAHB
e: jason at amicusgreen.com
w: www.amicusgreen.com
p: 301-571-8590
tf: 866-587-9140
f:  301-571-8597


On 1/30/11 1:58 PM, "Lynelle Hamilton" <lynelle at lahamilton.com> wrote:

> I am searching for a No-VOC paint for my house.  I know that Farrow and
> Ball is great, but can't swing the $$ to prime and paint with it.
> 
> I am looking at Aura and Natura, but am confused about Natura.  Both
> Benjamin Moore and Home Hardware sell "non-VOC" paints under this label.
> I can't find any information on whether they are indeed the same paint,
> or not.
> Home Hardware's is much cheaper, but I don't know anything about quality
> and coverage.
> 
> Can anyone shed light on this?  Or, is there a better one out there for
> new walls.  I'm painting on my own, so need something available to
> consumers.
> 
> Many thanks!
> 
> Lynelle

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