My Chemical-Free House

A Guide to Creating a Healthy Home

Non-Toxic Metal Paints & Primers

Published: December 7, 2021 |

Many paints intended for metal are higher VOC enamel paints or oil-based spray paints (which are very smelly and are not non-toxic).

The following is a comprehensive list of low and zero-VOC primers that can be used on raw and previously painted metals.

Some are for interior use only and some are for both interior and exterior use.

All of them are considered non-toxic and are safe for humans and pets.

This article contains affiliate links, upon purchase I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

1. AFM MetalCoat Primer

This is the top pick for a durable metal primer for bare metal. Interior and exterior.

AFM MetalCoat Primer is a low-VOC formula that can be used on interior and exterior metal including galvanized steel, aluminum, and non-ferrous metal.

It can also go over: lead, nickel, tin, titanium, iron, zinc, brass, gold, silver, platinum, cobalt, tungsten, bismuth, cadmium, and zirconium.

It’s not recommended for copper, cast iron, or any metal that has rust. All rust must be completely removed so that you are down to the bare metal.

This primer cannot take high heat like that of a radiator or range hood. If you’re looking for a non-toxic paint that can handle high temperatures for a radiator this post has options.

This primer is for bare metal and can be followed by any of their paints. If the metal is already painted use AFM Transitional Primer, followed by their paint.

It is safe to use on pet cages, like bird cages, parrot aviaries, dog crates, etc.

Buy MetalCoat Primer from Green Design Center.

Buy Here
A close up of a person painting green paint on metal

2. ECOS Universal Primer

This is the best (and only) zero-VOC primer on the list, it’s a good pick for primed metal and some bare metals.

ECOS Paints makes a Universal Primer that can be used on metals like bare iron and steel (not cast iron) and metal that is primed from a factory. Metal doors usually come pre-primed and so do some metal furniture items like some cribs. This would be ideal for those surfaces.

It is for both interior and exterior use.

I like ECOS because it’s zero-VOC and their products are high quality as well.

Buy ECOS Paints Universal Primer through their website.

Buy Here

3. Tung Oil

This is the best simple all-natural option to rust-proof some metal, like garden tools.

Tung oil is an all-natural oil that can be used to rust-proof some types of steel. It is often used to rust-proof garden tools.

More on tung oil in a dedicated post.

If you prefer an all-natural solution, this might work for you. You can’t paint over this though (except with linseed oil paint below)!

Buy Tung Oil from Amazon or The Real Milk Company. You can use code mychemicalfreehouse for 10% off.

Buy Here

4. Chalk Paint

Chalk Paint is the lowest odor option when wet. It’s not durable enough for exterior use and usually needs a top coat inside. It’s a great option for crafts and decor inside the house.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint can be used over some metals as a primer in interior applications. It’s an extremely low-odor option.

Painting over Chalk Paint is not that easy though.

If you want a clear sealer for Chalk Paint this post covers those options. Otherwise, Farrow and Ball Primer followed by their paint is the best way to paint over Chalk Paint in my experience.

Rustoleum Chalked also works over metal and you can find it on Amazon and Home Depot. It’s slightly higher in odor than Annie Sloan (but cheaper!).

I discuss Chalk Paint in more detail in the mineral paint post.

  • Buy Chalked on Amazon
  • Buy Annie Sloan Chalk Paint here.
Buy Here

5. Linseed Oil Paint

If you need to paint over rusted metal, or want a natural option, linseed oil paint is a good pick.

Allback linseed oil paint can be applied to most metals that are clean and dry with very little preparation.

Galvanized metal needs to be cleaned with soap and water (or other cleaning products) prior to painting. 

You can even paint over rusted metal as long as you do some minimal cleaning and brush off any loose bits.

If painting metal hardware, treat all sides with linseed oil paint and dip the mounting screws in linseed oil before installing. 

Buy via the Allback website.

Buy Here

Corinne Segura is an InterNACHI-certified Healthy Homes Inspector with certifications in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes. You can book a consult here.

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  1. Sarah

    Fantastic info! I’ve wanted to paint a silver-toned hanging light fixture that came with the house a warmer tone, but it’s metal and I had the erroneous impression that paint options for metal would be toxic and smelly. Then it dawned on me to check this site and, voila!: options!!!

    I like AFM products and hope using them for this application will be ok (heat from several old school incandescent light bulbs which do heat up). If you happen to know about this specific application for that product, I’m all ears. Otherwise, I’ll just call AFM tomorrow and inquire.

    Reply

  2. Tracy

    Corrine, Hello and thank you for all of your help.

    We have a bare steel plate going on the floor under a wood stove, confirmed to reach no higher than 160 degrees F by the stove manufacturer.

    Our plan was ECOS Universal Primer on the bare steel, then ECOS radiator paint. However, two places on the ECOS website state bare metal is compatible with the primer, then under ECOS “pro tips” it states an additional, non-ECOS primer is needed on the bare metal for their “paint”. (And also before the ECOS primer? We are awaiting clarification from ECOS on this.)

    After initially contacting ECOS, we learned some of the typical additional non-ECOS primers needed are high in VOC content, and include a list of pretty scary chemicals.

    Do you know of any successful personal experiences with ECOS Universal Primer on bare metal? If so, we will likely proceed, even if the primer isn’t rated at 160 deg, and just see what happens.

    We can always repaint around the stove later, or cover the steel with something else if it ends up being a disaster. We would rather do that than introduce toxic primer into our home, then heat it.

    The scheduled wood stove installation date (they have no other openings) is rapidly approaching and we are reaching out to as many sources as possible to try to get an idea what is likely to work before we proceed.

    Thank you

    Reply

    • Corinne Segura, Building Biologist

      yes most options on this list would work as well as other paints, depending on what kind of paint is already on the metal, what it’s use is and where it is.

      Reply

        • Corinne Segura, Building Biologist

          if already primed and painted with a conventional water based paint that was appropriate for metal you may not need a primer

          Reply

  4. pascal

    I have an outdoor portable cast iron stove that I want to protect from rust. Do you have any recommendations for a non toxic metal coating that can withstand the high heat from a gas stove without offgasing?

    Reply

  5. Holly Andrews

    Hi!
    Are there any metallic paints you would recommend? I plan on using AFM metal coat primer but I don’t believe they sell metallic paint in their brand. I’m wanting to make a gold metal base for an ottoman 🙂
    Thank you for your incredible work,
    Holly

    Reply

  6. Beth Harkavy

    Thanks for all this great info. It is an amazing guide for some many people. I am wondering about a primer for a bathroom . We were told we need an oil based primer because of wetness. Is there an oil based primer that you would recommend (low voc) or is there a water based product you are familiar with. I am happy to provide more background, but did not want to clog your in box.

    Reply