Low odour paints

Lemoncurd

Does anyone have any experience of these? Are they as good as normal paints/as easy to apply/good finish etc. Are they really any 'better' for you? Any good brands? Are they a lot more expensive?
We've got to completely redecorate our new house and as I'm pregnant I thought it was best not to expose myself (or the baby when it is born) to too many nasty chemicals.

heatherw_01

I have used a few different brands that don't smell as much and I found that crown paints are pretty good. They feature breatheasy
http://www.crownpaint.co.uk/colourexp/products/index.html

They are not more expensive than other paints I don't think.

Jeannine

I've just been using the Crown Breatheasy paint (emulsion) and it is practically odourless - I was quite impressed!

Pink.

I've just painted three rooms with Crown Breatheasy too, and there is virtually no smell..........the downside for me is I love the smell of a freshly painted room.

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy Lemoncurd......don't wear yourself out painting

Pink

crankup

Hi Lemoncurd,
Well done on the forthcoming baby - better get painting quick, the baby'll be here in no time!

I have no experience of low odour options, but plenty with the smelly ones. Avoid eggshell - that is the strongest.
If you gotta paint pipework, ensure they are cold. Warmed paint really brings out the whiff.

Regards,
Crankup

Lemoncurd

Thanks everyone, just read the stuff on the Crown website about the breatheasy paints, interesting that although it says they don't smell they don't actually claim they are better for you, maybe I'm confusing "low odour" paint with something else!
Certainly do need to get painting quickly - baby is due in less than 6 weeks!

J_Tous

Hi, I am pregnant and we have been decorating our flat too. We have been using the Crown breatheasy paint and I have found it to be much better than normal paint, and I have asthma so often react badly to paint smells. The thing to look out for on paint is low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), as this is the nasty stuff that you breathe in.

The Crown paints seem to have got the go ahead from Greenpeace anyway:

http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/Products/Toxics/chemicalhouse.cfm?producttypeid=20

As you are pregnant though I'd avoid any type of paint as much as possible - for example when we had painted our bedroom, we slept in the spare room for a couple of nights.

There are a lot of completely environmentally friendly paints around now, which would be the ideal solution, but they are more expensive especially if you are decorating your whole flat. I've used ECOS paint in the past and it was great, but we have had so many expenses in our new flat that I simply can't afford it now especially with a babby on the way.

And being pregnant is also a good reason to get the OH to do the decorating - you need to be relaxing!! (if I had any complaints I would say - "well, you might be decorating but I am busy making a baby here" - and there's no answer to that...)