Made of acrylic resin, latex is a liquid plastic. While not as offensive as their oil-based counterparts (known for off-gassing), water-based latex and acrylic paints are not eco-friendly. Instead, consider milk paint, tinted plasters (such as Venetian plaster and Moroccan Tadelakt), lime paint, linseed oil paint, and mineral paint. Consulting the thorough research in our latest book, Remodelista: The Low-Impact Home, here are our top choices for latex-free paints.
Above: Interior designer Annie Sloan began making chalk paint for furniture application in 1990. A water-based plaster paint, chalk paint can be sealed with a protective layer of wax for high-traffic spaces. (We first posted about her paints back in 2012 in Instant Patina: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.) Above: From a shop in East Sussex, Simon March of Colour Makes People Happy hand-mixes paint with ingredients sourced from the South Downs: putty, linseed oil, chalk, and alabaster. For more see our post Colour Makes People Happy: A Renegade Paint Guru in East Sussex. Above: The environmentally-friendly, solvent-free products by Scandinavian brand Earth + Flax offers purified linseed oil paint. The three characteristics that guide Earth + Flax are simple formulations, a long history of use, and as solvent-free and petrochemical-free as possible. Above: Lime paint from Kalklitir is produced in powder form by an Icelandic family-owned group. It’s the paint that Justine Hand used when applying limewash to her own walls; see DIY Project: Limewashed Walls for Modern Times. Above: American Clay makes matte-textured clay plaster with moisture-absorbing and desorbing abilities making it a humidity regulator as well. They create a total of eight plasters in a palette of 239 standard and blended color options. Above: Domingue Architectural Finishes is a Houston, Texas vendor of plasters, limewash, and mineral paints. A natural, durable, and breathable finish, their interior paints are composed of lime putty, mineral pigments, and water.
Above: A Dutch line of chalk, lime paints, and plaster based in Belgium for the past 50 years, Pure & Original is made entirely of natural pigments and quick lime. The line is also available from The Primary Essentials. Above: BioShield Living Paints makes a ready-mixed paint of natural clay and mineral pigments. Above: Manufactured in Cornwall, Clayworks makes paint from a unique blend of unfired clay mixed with minerals and pigments for interior walls and ceilings. Above: Based in Hollywood, CA, Portola Paints & Glazes makes wall finishes from limewash and Roman clay.
Above: English company Edward Bulmer Natural Paint specializes in plant-based binders, linseed oil, and mineral pigments. Above: Beeck Mineral Paints makes mineral silicate paint for stucco, concrete, brick, and other masonry surfaces. Above: Sage Restoration carries pure linseed oil paints, which can be applied directly on the wood, no primer needed. Above: Australian brand Bauwerk Colour makes limewash paint with natural mineral pigments.
For more on paints and paint application techniques, see our posts:
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