The Inside and Outside Story of Green Paint Options

There are hundreds – perhaps thousands – of paint and stain products on the market. But the good news is that we have done the research, so you know that we only offer paints that meet our rigorous standard for minimum VOCs.

VOCs, which means Volatile Organic Compounds, are ingredients in paint (as well as other household products like cleaning chemicals and carpet) that have been proven to cause cancer or create unhealthy indoor environments by “off-gassing” during application and for several years beyond, which can cause or aggravate headaches, dizziness, fatigue, asthma and other illnesses.

All of the products we use are GreenGuard certified, Green Seal™ approved and qualify for LEED points.

Our standards for VOCs are the same for interior and exterior paint. Even though on the exterior the VOCs can dissipate rapidly, they are still contributing to environmental issues for years.

What You Get When You Use A True Green Painter

There’s a saying “that nothing green can come out of a brown (polluting) factory.”

The same can be said for our business practices: we start with top quality environmentally friendly materials, and we treat every step in the process to minimize environmental impact. Everything from brushes to tarps are purchased
for maximum utilization, so there is little waste on the job. And excess paint is stored for touch up projects or disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner (recycled and re-reprocessed.)

But we don’t stop there. Every project, no matter how large or small, begins with an in-person consultation. This way, we gain a better understanding of your plans and goals. It is a perfect time to discuss expectations, the type of paint finish (from matte, to semi gloss to gloss…which can have a dramatic role in the final appearance
and ongoing maintenance), cost, timing and so forth.

We’re often asked if our GreenBrush approach costs more than doing things in a conventional way, and the answer is: “Certainly not. Our processes, the high quality of the paint we recommend and the quality of every painter on the team means that you get a result that is beautifully executed, and green.”

Another green practice that we encourage: when you are selecting colors, we like to order a small sample size so we can paint a decent section of a wall to make sure you’re going to be happy with the choice (paint can seem to change based on the surroundings, light, time of day etc.) It takes a little extra time, but sure beats ordering gallons of a color that just doesn’t look like what you thought it would. It’s just a much greener approach.