Non-Toxic Chalk Paint – Low-VOC Brand Comparison

Chalk-style paints are often non-toxic and eco-friendly compared to other synthetic paints. These are paints high in calcium carbonate and other minerals and low in synthetic binders.

The water-based formulas can be extremely low in odor, however, there are also solvent-based options that are not low-VOC nor non-toxic.

I tested and compared two brands for myself. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is the lowest odor formula and is much lower in odor than a regular zero-VOC acrylic (latex) wall paint. It could easily be preferred to regular acrylic paint by those who are sensitive to chemicals. This is about as non-toxic as you can get in a synthetic paint.

Chalked Paint is slightly higher in odor but is still a rather low odor formula.

A couple of other brands list themselves as zero-VOC though one brand that is water-based manages to neither be low-VOC nor low-odor.

This post is not sponsored. It contains affiliate links to products on Amazon. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

1. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (on the Wall) Review

Annie Sloan is well known for its Chalk Paint® which is popular as a furniture paint and can also be used on walls.

Chalk Paint for Walls

They do have a separate paint that is labeled as wall paint. Right now it is not available in North America (only Europe), I tested their regular Chalk Paint on paperbacked gypsum wallboard. In short, it works on walls but is not super durable to stains unless you add a wax topcoat.

Unique Benefits of Chalk Paint

The most interesting aspect of this paint is its self-priming ability over a wide range of surfaces. You don’t need to prime or sand most surfaces.

The finish is an ultra-matte, chalk-like look. It also works as a non-toxic chalkboard paint (to write on).

The known and suspected ingredients in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint are listed here.

Where to Use it

Like clay paint, it has a matte finish that is not scrubbable.

The company does not recommend using Chalk Paint on walls in kitchens, bathrooms, and anywhere else that requires a tougher, scrubbable finish.

Like with clay paint, you can use wax over it to provide more protection and durability to use it in high-impact areas.

This is one of few non-toxic paints that can be used on radiators (more info on that here).

If you are in Europe they do recommend the wall paint for kitchens, bathrooms, and walls that require a tougher, scrubbable finish. (The wall paint does not require a wax and is not considered breathable).

What I like About Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (Pros):

• Very Low VOC.
• Extremely low odor, will be suitable for many chemically sensitive folks (but not all).
• Very versatile – it can be used on walls, floors, wood, cabinets, concrete, metal, matte plastic, earthenware, brick, stone, over waxed shellac, and more.
• Rarely is sanding or priming the surface first necessary.
• Breathable.
• Unique matte, chalk-like look.
• One coat (in many cases) and no primer needed makes this the fastest to apply.

What I don’t like about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (Cons):

• Not enough hints to any of the ingredients other than it’s high in calcium carbonate (25-50%), and high in titanium dioxide. I expect some acrylic in it as the binders. I would expect talc as well. The SDS lists two alcohols and ammonia.
• Some extremely sensitive folks may not tolerate it, or may need to leave the room until it’s cured.
• The dark red that I used did need a second coat to be totally even.
• I didn’t tolerate the wax by Annie Sloan as it was high in odor.

Tips for Applying Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to Walls

For most purposes, one coat of paint is enough (it wasn’t for me and the dark red, though the coverage was very impressive compared to every other paint I have ever used).

You don’t need to prime walls.

You can apply it with a brush, make sure you use a natural or natural/ synthetic mix brush, You may want to try Purdy White Bristle (natural bristle) or the softer Purdy Ox Hair Brush.

Annie Sloan prefers brush application with random brush strokes to a roller application. But you can use a roller to apply it to the drywall.

It seems that most people use a roller, as it is easier for most people. You will want a high-density foam roller.

I used a natural bristle chalk paint paintbrush for a 2 x 2 drywall sample and I was happy with the look of the brush marks. For a bigger area, you will want a larger brush than the chalk paint brushes used on furniture.

I recommend painting a sample on a piece of 2 x 2 drywall to test out your brush type, technique, and texture. As well as testing to see if you only need one coat.

It’s 30 days for a full cure. For bedrooms and low-impact wall rooms, you don’t need to wax it.

If you are waxing it, this large wax brush can be used to apply it to the walls. Remove excess with a cloth. Their wax was not tolerable for me, and I would not recommend it for most chemically sensitive folks.

How Did it Hold Up?

The unsealed Chalk Paint held up OK to mustard – there is a limit to how much you could wipe it and get it wet but I would say it did hold up to my test. It did not hold up to mayo.

With the Annie Sloan wax on it, it held up extremely well to mustard and mayo.

I also tried the BioShield Glaze on it and that helped it hold up perfectly to mustard and mayo as well. It is a clear wax that only darkened the color slightly.

AFM Penetrating Waterstop did not help it hold up to mustard or mayo even though I had great results using this over clay plaster.

2. Rustoleum Chalked v Annie Sloan

I have tested Rustoleum Chalked as well. It is similar to Annie Sloan with a few key differences:

• Higher odor when wet (more akin to a regular acrylic paint)
• Appears to be overall more similar to a regular acrylic paint (acrylic is listed as the only binder on the SDS)
• More wipeable (not technically washable but more wipeable than Annie Sloan)
• Not quite as much coverage out of each coat compared to Annie Sloan (though not that far off)
• Not as versatile, the company doesn’t claim that it works on almost every surface
• Less expensive, a quart is about 15-20$ compared to about 35$ for Annie Sloan

Note that the Chalked Spray Paint formula is solvent-based as compared to the paint in the can which is water-based. it’s significantly higher in off-gassing and took a good amount of time to fully become odorless. I review the spray formula and alternative non-toxic spray paints in this post.

This is still a chalk-style paint and so it still has the characteristics of all chalk/ed paints:

• The ultra-matte look
• You can distress it
• The need for a top coat to make it durable to water and stains
• Low odor
• Adheres well to many surfaces without priming like wood, metal, ceramic, glass, canvas, and more.

Final Verdict on Chalked Paint

I would consider using Chalked Paint mainly for the lower price. If you don’t mind the initial odor being a bit higher than Annie Sloan, it will still reach odorless in good time.

If you have a particularly hard-to-paint surface I would check with the company to make sure it can go over that surface without a special primer.

You can buy it on Amazon which is a plus.

Non-Toxic Topcoats to Seal Chalk Paint

I tried the Annie Sloan Wax which smelled strongly like petroleum, that wax would not be low VOC.

Non-toxic low odor waxes include options from The Real Milk Paint Company that are made with safer solvents.

• Soft Wax in Clear: Goes on super easily, dries clear, flat/satin finish. It doesn’t turn white if it gets applied too thick. It gives off no noxious fumes since it’s made with highly refined odorless mineral spirits.
• Clear Carnauba Wax: Very similar to the Soft Wax but it will be more durable and have a higher sheen. It also will turn hazy if it gets too thick like in a crack or hole. Also made with odorless mineral spirits.
• Wood Wax: This wax also works well over Chalk Paint. It is made with walnut oil and carnauba wax. It’s VOC-free, food contact safe. The biggest downsides are that it does need some curing time (10-15 days) and since it contains an oil it darkens, richens and slightly yellows the color of the Chalk Paint.

I also tried the BioShield Glaze and that helped it hold up perfectly to mustard and mayo as well. This formula is non-toxic. The ingredients are alcohol ester, cellulose, clay, preservative, silica, water, and carnauba wax.

AFM Penetrating Waterstop did not help it hold up to mustard or mayo even though I had great results using this over clay plaster.

Other Non-Toxic Brands of Chalk Paint:

Renaissance Retique it Chalk Paint

Renaissance Chalk Paint is non-toxic. It has zero VOCs and is very low in odor. The binder is acrylic. The formula will be similar to Annie Sloan and Chalked.

Dixie Belle Chalk Paint

Dixie Belle Chalk Paint is non-toxic. It is zero-VOC and low odor. They claim it’s a latex paint so it has an acrylic or VAE binder.

Krylon Chalky Finish Paint by Sherwin Williams

Krylon Chalky Finish brush on paint is a water-based paint but the VOCs are not listed. On the Lowes website, it indicates that it is not low-VOC nor low odor.

Spray paint formulas are almost always higher in VOCs and odor. Lowes does not list the spray paint as non-toxic.

BEHR PREMIUM Chalk Decorative Paint

According to the SDS sheet it contains 17 g/l VOCs. The cancer warning is for quartz, but that is only if you breathe it in in dust form.

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 8 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.