Healthy Interiors

The most common home gym flooring type is rubber. This is unfortunately one of the highest offgassing flooring types out there. Another popular option, vinyl sheet, is also up there as one of the highest VOC floorings.

Rubber is very durable and can take a lot of weight, impact, and abuse, so it may be needed in some gyms.

But for most home gyms, healthier and less toxic choices can be used. Rubber mats can be used only in high impact areas, if necessary.

Let’s look through all the options for a healthy low-VOC home gym floor.

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

1. Marmoleum

Marmoleum, a natural linoleum sheet, can be used as gym flooring.

Marmoleum is made from linseed oil, binders, wood flour, limestone, and dry pigments with a jute or polyester backing. It’s got a UV cured sealer on top.

It has a light linseed odor, but it is otherwise a very safe and healthy flooring.

The product itself is soft like vinyl sheet, and like vinyl, it’s rather thin on its own. Andy from Green Design Center advises using the Forbo cork underlayment under the Marmoleum sheet to give it more cushioning and shock absorption in a home gym.

2. Rubber Flooring

Synthetic rubber floors come in various types and thicknesses. They all have what I would consider fairly strong to very strong offgassing.

I’ve tried looking at many different kinds of rubber flooring types and I will go over which ones are the healthiest.

Because rubber can sometimes be the only option under heavy weights and equipment, it could be used in some areas of the gym, but it should be minimized as much as possible.

Recycled rubber might be marketed as eco-friendly because it’s recycled, but otherwise recycled rubber flooring is not what I would consider healthy. There are better rubber floors.

Synthetic Versus Natural Rubber Flooring

Synthetic rubber is more durable than natural rubber latex.

In theory, you can make rubber flooring out of natural latex. I have seen brands that are part natural rubber and part synthetic, like Mondo Sport. I don’t believe any brands are 100% natural rubber.

What is Rubber Flooring Made of?

Rubber flooring can be made with recycled SBR rubber (most often tires), new rubber (synthetic or a synthetic/natural mix), and EPDM virgin rubber color chips.

Anything labeled rebonded rubber uses a polyurethane adhesive to hold the flooring together. Polyurethane glue does have noticeable offgassing.

Vulcanized and virgin rubber are usually heat pressed. Vulcanized is preferable from a toxicity and offgassing standpoint over polyurethane bonded rubber.

Some manufacturers use sulfur in their binding agents. And some rubber gym floors are mixed with vinyl, like the brand Roppe, which I do not consider an improvement at all.

A rubber and cork mix like those from Ecore can be quite good.

All of these components contribute to the offgassing. The odor does go down, but may never fully go away.

The Lowest VOC Rubber Flooring

Look for these attributes when choosing a healthy rubber floor:

• Virgin rubber, not post-consumer recycled (especially not tires)
• Vulcanized rubber, not rebonded
• No PVC (not mixed with PVC)
• Calendared rubber as the top layer (on top of vulcanized) reduces offgassing somewhat. This is the best out of all the rubber floors I have seen (Ecore Aurora)
• Thinner rubber sheets are preferable to thicker rubber (less to offgas)
• A mix with cork can be fine (like Ecore brand), it is similar to the pure vulcanized rubber
• A mix with natural latex can reduce offgassing
• Turf on top of rubber can reduce the offgassing of the rubber layer (Ecore FIT turf)
• Time does help rubber to offgas. If you can air this out for a few weeks or a few months before installation that is a great help.
• Greenguard Gold certification can be reached by some brands

VOCs/Offgassing of Rubber Flooring

A study by California’s Public Health Institute revealed offgassing of xylene, butylated hydroxytoluene, ethylbenzene, toluene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde from recycled rubber flooring.

Benzene and carbon disulfide were above the health threshold in one or two samples.

Some brands do meet GreenGuard Gold VOC levels (like Mondo) which is a fairly low level of offgassing and in my view makes it suitable for those who do not have health conditions.

Metals and Other Contaminants in Rubber Flooring

Toxic contaminants can be used in the manufacturing process and can be found in the final product. Hazard­ous flame retardants, metals, VOCs including styrene, nano carbon black, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons are just a few (Source).

If you do go with a rubber flooring you can ask to see testing of heavy metals as well as PAH’s (polyaromatic hydrocarbons). However, the Healthy Building Network does not find this testing to be comprehensive enough.

By 1990 mercury-containing rubber was discontinued, but you could still find it in older homes. Recycled rubber can still be contaminated with metals including lead.

Recycled rubber flooring may contain more contaminants than virgin rubber. Many chemicals in the rubber, such as vulcanizing agents, accelerators, plasticizers, remain in recycled rubber, as well as contaminants it picked up in its life as vehicle tires.

The Healthy Building Network does not recommend the use of recycled tire
flooring in interior applications, especially where children may come
into direct contact with the flooring.

3. EVA Foam

High-density EVA foam is soft, cushiony, and provides good shock resistance. It works well for those doing floor-based workouts.

But it’s not ideal for heavy weights or equipment, as those can leave dents over time. And it’s not glued down, so it may not work for intense workouts.

But it is cheap, easy and fast to install. You can easily add a workout area to a room that has wood, vinyl, or another hard surface.

EVA is generally a safe plastic. Almost all brands now claim to be formamide free. Though they do have a slight offgassing odor that I can pick up.

Well liked brands include BalanceFrom (1 inch mats) and Prosource Fit (3/4 and 1 inch).

7/8ths or 1 inch foam tiles are usually used in gyms.

4. Artificial Turf

Artificial turf is usually used outside but it could also be used for interior work out rooms

Sorbus Mats are EVA foam tiles. They are durable enough to withstand foot traffic and are considered waterproof (though the seams of EVA foam are not waterproof).

This type of turf is like the EVA tiles in the section above. EVA foam is the base, which provides cushioning, and polyethylene turf makes up the top layer. Both are considered safe plastics. The EVA should be listed as formamide free.

Types of Artificial Turf for Gyms

If you are using this for traction and resistance, the foam tiles are not suitable. Glue down turf would be used instead.

Some turf comes without a backing, some types have a polyurethane foam backing, which is a little higher in offgassing than EVA. And the most robust types have a rubber backing which takes us back to the rubber section of this article.

The grass layer is made from either polypropylene, nylon or polyethylene. I consider these all safe plastics, though nylon often has chemical treatments added to it.

The combination of nylon on top and polyurethane underneath is essentially a regular carpet made to look like turf.

Some types of artificial turf are made for very intense workouts. Consult with a gym flooring vender to choose the right kind of turf for your needs.

5. Wood Flooring

Real solid wood is used in many professional workout spaces as well as home gyms. Maple is typically used because it’s both dense and has some shock absorbency.

To add more shock absorption without flex, cork underlayment might be specified under solid wood flooring. Extra dense grades of foam can work under wood floors, but they are not as durable as cork, says Rubber Flooring inc.

Rubber is also used as an underlayment under wood gym floors in professional settings. Consult with a gym flooring expert for commercial and professional spaces.

The downsides of using wood are that it can scratch and splinter if heavy weights are dropped and the durable water-resistant coatings can make it slippery when wet.

Wood can be ideal for aerobic exercise, kickboxing, and dance.

6. Cork Tile

Cork is known as an eco-friendly flooring because it’s made of a renewable bark.

It’s a relatively healthy option. Cork is pressed with a polyurethane glue which does offgas VOCs. It may not work for those with moderate to severe chemical sensitivities.

It’s healthier than rubber and vinyl, not as good as Marmoleum and real wood.

It’s natural shock-resistant and cushiony characteristics mean it works well for high-intensity workouts and weight training.

Gym flooring experts recommend glue-down cork tiles over floating cork flooring to provide support for heavy loads.

However, cork is not a super durable material. Dragging equipment on either type can tear or scratch the surface and heavy equipment will leave dents.

7. Carpet

You can use carpet in a home gym. I like low-VOC brands. A low pile commercial grade is recommended in gyms for traction and stability.

Not many low-VOC carpet brands fit this requirement.

Synthetic Carpet

FLOR carpet tiles are low-VOC and could work in some home gyms. This brand does have a backing that provides a little bit of cushioning, but not as much as the typical carpet pad.

Carpet tiles are taped down and may or may not provide enough stability.

Natural Carpet

Wool carpet, which is discussed in more detail in the carpet post, holds up very well to foot traffic but not to objects dragged across it. A low pile wool may work for a home gym, depending on which types of workouts you do.

Other Options

The alternative is something more conventional (which would be higher in offgassing than FLOR) with a polyurethane or rubber pad underneath to provide shock absorption.

Of course for some people, carpet will not fit the requirement of being easily cleanable and super hygienic, but it can work in some types of home gyms.

8. Vinyl Plank

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is a very popular flooring in residential construction right now. It’s easy to install and relatively inexpensive. It’s also fairly low in offgassing.

Brands like CoreTec Plus have a cork backing attached, giving it some shock absorption that most vinyl is lacking. Though the vinyl top layer of LVP is not as soft the vinyl in vinyl sheet.

It’s not repairable when it’s scratched or dented, but it could work for some gym types.

Vinyl offgasses very low levels of VOCs, gives off some plasticizers (phthalate-free is preferable), and can contain metals (virgin vinyl is preferable).

My general flooring post goes more into depth on LVP, what’s in it, and which brands I like best.

9. Non-Vinyl Sheet Flooring

Sheet flooring is also called resilient flooring. The most common type of resilient flooring is vinyl sheet. Vinyl sheet is high in offgassing – one of the highest offgassing flooring types.

The following brands give the same look, feel, and performance of conventional sheet vinyl floors without the high VOCs.

UPO by Kahrs makes three really great options. Xpression and Zero Tile are made of safe plastics – TPE and polyolefin (polyethylene and/or polypropylene). It contains no plasticizers and no PVC.

Quartz tile, their stiffer flooring has a base of the mineral quartz and PVC, with no phthalates and no DHEP. It’s virtually odorless, even lower odor than LVP. But it is a rather hard flooring, too hard for most gyms.

Another new option in the commercial category is Shaw Contract’s bio-based polyurethane. It’s made of 90% natural oils (but not linseed) and minerals. It’s almost odorless. The backing contains polyethylene and fiberglass.

These floors are all glue down. Underlayment might be added in gyms, consult with your contractor and the companies for technical advice.

10. Portable Mats

If you use a hard surface floor like wood or LVP you can always add exercise mats as area mats.

You may also want to put mats down under equipment if you go with a carpet or cork flooring to protect the floor.

Gorilla Mats are popular. They claim that their products are made from high-density natural rubber and PER foam (I don’t know what PER foam refers to though.)

They claim it is odorless and free of phthalates, latex, silicone, and toxins. 

Note that it’s made of natural rubber and claims to be latex-free but natural rubber is latex. I don’t find natural latex to be odorless though some others in the Amazon reviews did think it was.

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 6 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

Did you find this post helpful? If so you can buy me a coffee to support the research behind this blog. Thank you!

You may have heard that there is no natural non-toxic sealer for real stone countertops. This is because most of the granite countertop slabs in North America are glossy or already come with a sealer. But if you choose the stone yourself, you can choose a slab that can be sealed with a natural and totally non-toxic sealer.

I tested all of the natural (and one low-VOC synthetic!) stone sealers on many different stone types.

The testing went on for many months!

My top pick is definitely a walnut oil wax mix which has long been used successfully on real stone. There are some caveats – there are some stones and some situations where this will not work well.

This all-natural, healthy, and food safe “drying oil” works as an effective sealer for real stone and is usually the best choice for most applications. Drying oils polymerize, forming a durable finish on the surface.

Because stone countertops do need re-sealing fairly often, this becomes an area of priority to have something low tox.

There are some stones that would do better with one of the other natural or synthetic sealers. I will discuss those as well.

This post is not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned. All of the stone sealers I found that were candidates have affiliate programs, so all the links to the products here (the ones I liked and the ones that didn’t perform as well) are affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission.

My Test Results – Walnut Oil Wins

Products Tested

I started by testing many different oils, waxes, as well as MetaCreme. I tested walnut oil (with wax), tung oil, hemp oil, and MetaCreme on a few different stone types. I tested dark marble, creme marble, slate, and later – white marble, grey limestone, and dark grey soapstone.

MetaCreme is a synthetic sealer, not a natural oil, but it is marketed as low odor and low-VOC. This is the main alternative to the natural oils for those who are chemically sensitive or avoiding toxins.

I also threw in OSMO oil and shellac for comparison because I had those around. (OSMO and shellac are not meant for countertops. Shellac might be used on stone but only in usual applications like artwork).

Oil Versus Water Based Sealers

I found that the “drying oils” – hemp, tung, and walnut all held up well as countertop sealers.

MetaCreme may be preferred on light-colored stones but it did not hold up as well in my experiments.

MetaCreme is low in VOCs but it certainly has a synthetic chemical odor that not everyone will do well with.

Walnut and hemp are very light in odor and in natural VOCs. Tung has a slightly stronger natural odor.

Water Repellency

They all repelled water perfectly. After a water test, none of the stones were left with a mark indicating that water had soaked in. 

Resistance to Dye and Acid

I then thew mustard at all of them, both for the pigment and for the acidic vinegar in it, and left it on for a few short minutes.

The dark stones were all marred by the vinegar which broke through all of the finishes I tried. 

The oil-finished stones were much easier to touch up. To fix those white spots all it took was adding a little oil and right away it looked back to normal. And because these oils are so safe to work with you can do that yourself with a small rag.

The MetaCreme, interestingly, was not as easy to touch up. Those white spots were not fixed by adding another coat, so I was not as happy with the results. 

I would pick walnut oil with wax as my top choice for most stones, with some exceptions…

Which Stones Will Walnut Oil Seal?

Any honed stone can be sealed with walnut oil, though very light-colored stones can have some unwanted yellowing. This is the main drawback.

In my first round of testing, I was not happy with any of the natural drying oil finishes on white marble. It did work just fine on a creme colored marble pictured above.

On a light-colored grey limestone, it was iffy. Definitely test this out first if you are going with any light-colored stone including limestone – this might look totally fine or it might alter the color too much.

On really light stones that are white or cool tones, you may want to go with MetaCreme. Make sure you do well with that product if you are sensitive to chemicals, as you will be resealing the stone every few years or so. 

Did the Oils hold up to Tougher Stains? (Plus More Oil Comparisons)

Walnut vs. Coconut vs. Jojoba

After I narrowed in on walnut oil as being the best all-around oil out of the first batch, I started another round of testing with lighter stones.

I also wanted to see if refined coconut oil could deliver the same results without any yellow or green color change. 

I threw in Jojoba oil since that is a great finish on many natural surfaces like wood. (It turned out that worked much better on my skin and hair!)

Refined coconut oil is not a “drying oil”. Unlike walnut, hemp, and tung which polymerize forming a durable coating, coconut oil does not polymerize to form a topical coating.

Using a formula with wax makes it a little more durable and it did succeed in not yellowing any of the stones, but it did not hold up very well when actually put to the test. And it won’t hold up for as long.

Light Grey, Dark Grey and White Stones

I tested two very similar samples of limestone that are cool-toned light grey, as well as white marble, slate, and dark grey soapstone.

Pure refined coconut oil can be used on soapstone and other stone counters (as well as cutting boards), just keep in mind it does not polymerize to form a durable film. I also tried the version with wax.

Results

I put them all to a serious test with palm oil. Coconut and jojoba certainly failed, with walnut offering the most protection.

Palm oil will be one of the hardest substances for natural oils to hold up to since it stains red and it’s an oil which other oils can’t hold up to.

Drawbacks to Walnut Oil as a Stone Sealer

The main drawback, once you choose a stone that is color compatible, is probably the time it takes a natural walnut oil finish to cure.

You should wait 5-7 days before using the surface, with a full 15 days before you start scrubbing it and using it to full capacity. 

When it comes time to re-seal, simply add the oil in sections so that you can still use part of your countertops, or do it before going on vacation.

What is great about walnut oil is how safe it is to handle, even for most chemically sensitive folks. It does not have additives – you can get it on your skin and you don’t need respiratory protection. So touching it up should not be a daunting task. Just be sure to follow the instructions.

Which Countertops Can be Sealed with Natural Oil

Honed Stones

Generally, any honed (not polished) stone that is porous enough to need a sealer can be sealed with the walnut oil/wax mix.

Marble, granite, soapstone, limestone, and slate can all be sealed with this oil.

Just test it for color change if it’s a white or light cool toned stone.

I can certainly see why this is sold as “Soapstone Sealer“, since it creates a perfect black finish on soapstone.

While mineral oil is the most common sealer for soapstone, it’s not totally non-toxic and benign. Walnut oil is just as good as a finish.

Paper Composite Counters

Walnut also works well on Richlite and Paperstone countertops. I tested it on that as well and was really happy that it left it looking quite natural. There was no noticeable color chance as these countertops only come in warm colors and dark colors.

It also allowed the Paperstone to retain its matte finish.

It’s a great alternative sealer to the other not as safe options used to seal paper composite countertops.

Wooden Counters

Walnut works well on wooden/butcher block countertops as well. Hemp oil also works well on wood, as the color change that happens with hemp looks natural on wood.

Concrete Counters

Concrete countertops can also be sealed with walnut oil or tung oil. Tung works better on concrete than stone because of how porous it is. On stone it forms too thick of a topical coating, making it hard to touch up.

If Stone is Sealed Already

To tell if the stone is sealed already, do a water test – put a big drop of water on the stone and see if the stone changes color. If the color does change then it is not sealed. If it does not change it is likely already sealed.

The walnut oil sealer can seal over an already sealed area. It’s not going to soak in or be quite as effective, but it will dry and polymerize. Also, it will need to be kept very thin so as to not build up too thick of a film.

My countertop post goes over stones that are dense enough to not require a sealer. So if water does not soak in, that can also indicate that it is one of these very dense stones. If you want to skip the whole sealing stage altogether, go with one of those stones.

Can You Use Hemp or Tung Oil on Stone?

Tung Oil

For dense stones like slate, you can thin tung oil (I don’t do well with the citrus thinner though, and many won’t because it’s so strong in odor).

I tried tung oil without thinning it and wiped off the excess. It worked just fine, but it may form too thick of a layer to be able to be touched up easily in the future. 

If you put it on too thick it could also get frosty/gummy when used outside or go white when used inside. You might have to sand it down to fix it. And when you go to re-seal it you may have a problem if the first coat was too thick. 

But because tung oil forms a thick more robust finish, if you want to seal a slate shower pan or an exterior stone – tung would work better and is more durable than walnut oil. 

Tung oil can produce a more amber tone and that is another reason it won’t work on all stones. Even on a dark stone like soapstone, because it has a bluish hue, tung oil can make it look green. You will see this change immediately. 

The Milk Paint tung oil is sourced from China and is amber-toned. I noticed this brand has a lighter odor than others I have tried (which I liked). Tung oil from South America can be more greenish. 

Hemp Oil

Hemp oil as a stone sealer is not as tough of a finish but it can work well. I tried it and it did work in my experiments on stones where it is color compatible.

Walnut oil is usually the best choice for all stone countertops. The color change is very subtle and it’s easy to re-do and touch up without build-up.

Some may prefer hemp oil. If you have an allergy or aversion to walnut oil, hemp oil is the next natural oil to try.

But hemp oil has more of a hue to it than walnut oil and it can produce a greenish tone on light-colored stones. On white stone, you would see the color shift. 

The color change will show up immediately, as opposed to yellowing over time says Dwayne, the owner of Real Milk Paint. On stones where I saw a color change to yellow, I did see it right away and it did also worsen a little bit over a few days or weeks.

Natural Sealers for Concrete Countertops

Tung oil can be used on concrete countertops. You can also use a Milk Paint stain to add color to it. Here is a video about applying it to countertops.

You can use tung on concrete floors as well, some folks have not had to redo them for 8 years or more. It provides a durable coating without making it slippery and slick.

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 6 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

Did you find this post helpful? If so you can buy me a coffee to support the research behind this blog. Thank you!

Which Paints are Truly Safe?

There is a myriad of paints claiming to be “green” or zero-VOC, but most don’t list their ingredients, others list the main components, while some only list what has to be legally disclosed on a safety data sheet (SDS).

We know that 0-VOC is a legal term and does not always mean it’s 0-VOC (chemically). Generally, I find this is the best place to start when choosing paints.

Though keep in mind there are products that are higher in VOCs that will “flash off” and cure quickly, while other low, or even 0-VOC, formulations can take longer to cure.

Exempt VOCs, meaning those that are not counted in that term, include ammonia and acetone.

Those who are chemically sensitive should test multiple brands for tolerance after looking through the ingredients and reviewing what works best for the most severely sensitive folks.

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

There are two main categories of safe and healthy paint:

1. Acrylic Paint (often called latex paint)

This is the most common type of paint used in homes. The main binder is of course acrylic. This is widely used due to the ease of application and durability against water and stains.

I list my top picks in the acrylic-latex category with a price comparison. They are divided into brands that contain mildewcide and those that do not.

2. Mineral Paint

This category includes paints that have a more natural base. This category is very diverse. Mineral paints include silicate paints, clay-based paints, lime-based paint, chalk paint, and milk paint.

Top Picks for Interior Acrylic Paint

What is “latex paint”? This is a general term that means acrylic paint. Paint used to contain styrene-butadiene rubber (synthetic latex). Standard use acrylic paints do not contain this ingredient today. Though only some paints are made with a 100% acrylic binder and some contain polyvinyl acetate (PVA).

Acrylic Paint Without Mildewcide

1. ECOS Paints

ECOS primers and paints are 0-VOC and are certainly the most popular paint for the chemically sensitive. Like most paints, they are 0-VOC after 14 days of curing under normal conditions.

They removed mildewcides from the formula in 2017, however, they do use 1-hydroxy-2-pyridinethione as a preservative. 

This paint is highly tolerable and is my go-to pick for both healthy and chemically sensitive folks in 99% of cases.

This is the only synthetic paint I know of that releases its ingredient list in full, so they are the most transparent.

Both Lullaby Paints and Quiet Home Paints are both ECOS brand paint. Though Quiet Home is $12 more per gallon because they have “curated colors”. This is the exact same product as ECOS paint (and ECOS claims they can match any color).

It’s rare to find someone who doesn’t do well with ECOS, though the extremely sensitive need to air it out longer and may want to test out a number of brands as well as the more natural mineral options to see which one works best.

The paint performs well, has good pigments (great ability to color match), and good coverage.

Cost and Where to Buy:

You can buy it online from their website. It’s $65 a gallon with free shipping over $100 in the US. They sell samples, 3 for $10, including shipping.

They ship to everywhere in the US as well as Canada and Mexico.

In the UK this brand is called Lakeland Paints.

2. AFM Safecoat Zero-VOC Paint 

Tintable to thousands of colors. Safecoat is 0-VOC with 0-VOC colorants. (Though the primer is low-VOC).

This is a well-known brand that has been around for longer than most others.

It does not have as good coverage as ECOS.

They make it a focus to have no hazardous air pollutants (HAPS) – since “0 VOC” means it can still contain some hazardous substances.

This brand makes fantastic products, but the paint is not usually my top pick, especially for the severely sensitive. Though you may want to use AFM Transitional Primer and their paint to seal in offgassing since it does a better job at sealing in offgassing than other brands.

No mildewcides. I don’t know if there is a preservative, as the company does not release all ingredients.

This is an acrylic paint. The Pearl sheen also contains PVA.

Cost and Where to Buy:

You can buy this online. It’s $64 a gallon +  shipping. You can buy samples here for $6 each. They ship to the US and Canada.

3. Mythic Paint

This was the fan-favorite before they went out of business in North America. This paint is still available in the UK with some use in Asia.

In attempting to track the sale of this formula in North America I looked at a few possibilities:

A commenter believes American Pride (by the same parent company as Mythic) may be similar, though the company was not responsive to attempts to contact them.

ECOS, the new fan favorite, is tolerated as well as Mythic was. This is definitely my pick for a replacement paint. I have heard from multiple industry sources that the same scientist was involved in both brands, but there is sufficient evidence that they are not the same formula.

Much Smarter Paint claims to have Mythic matched, but that appears to be a marketing statement, it is not a statement about the formula. I don’t know that this company has any basis to say that they matched the formula.

It is my understanding that none of these companies bought the formula.

Costs and Where to Buy:

You can buy American Pride in select stores in the southern United States.

Much Smarter Paints you can buy online. The smallest quantity is a quart for $17. It’s $50 a gallon + shipping (only ships within the US).

These two are smaller brands and I’m not convinced they have ECOS beat, but everyone is different, so you may still prefer them. You can buy ECOS paint online.

4. Envirosafe

0-VOC with 0-VOC pigments. I haven’t tried this brand myself.

No biocides.

Cost and Where to Buy:

Contact them for dealers across the US. You may find this at local green building or specialty paint stores.

Cost is $44 and up.

5. Durasoy

This paint is a little different. Although it’s an acrylic paint, the acrylic is naturally-derived (and not from petrochemicals). No biocides.

Green Planet Paints is a similar type of paint, also made with a bio-acrylic binder.

Costs and Where to Buy:

You can purchase Durasoy online through their website. It’s $45 a gallon plus shipping.

Green Planet Paints also sells their paint online through their website. It’s $50 a gallon.

Top Picks for Interior Acrylic Paint With Mildewcide

Common mildewcides/biocides in paint include isothiazolinones and/or pyrithione zinc.

1. Benjamin Moore 

Benjamin Moore makes a number of 0-VOC paints, one of their oldest 0-VOC lines is called Natura.

It is high-quality, and comes in great colors but does contain a mildewcide.

It was not very tolerable for me while wet when I was extremely sensitive, but it was very good when dry.

Make sure they are using their 0-VOC pigments with it.

Natura is a tried and true pick and te fan-favorite next to ECOS for the chemically sensitive.

They have many more 0-VOC lines added now, like Regal Select and ben.

If you want something you can go out and buy from a store right now or on Amazon, this might be your best option.

Costs and Where to Buy:

Benjamin Moore stores are all over the US and Canada. You can buy samples online – samples only ship to the US.

Costs per gallon: Natura $80, Regal Select $70, ben $60.

2. Sherwin Williams Harmony 

Sherwin Williams Harmony is another easy to source 0-VOC paint with 0-VOC pigments. It also has a mildewcide.

Sherwin Willians ProMar 200 and their EcoSelect are other affordable lines that are 0-VOC.

In terms of a durable enamel paint, ProClassic Waterborne Interior Acrylic Enamel has been reported by moderately sensitive folks to offgas relatively quickly.

Costs and Where to Buy:

You can buy this at Sherwin Williams paint stores. Sherwin Williams color samples that you can buy online are not the real paint, you have to get this in-store to sample the paint itself.

Some SW lines have quart sizes, but Harmony does not come in quart size.

Harmony $60 per gallon (sometimes on sale online for $42), ProMar $70.

3. Dunn Edwards

Spartazero is 0-VOC with 0-VOC pigments.

With all the competition amongst 0-VOC paints, it’s hard to know what will set this one apart going forward. But if you like to buy local and you have this near you, you may want to test it out.

Costs and Where to Buy:

You can find this at smaller chain hardware and paint stores. The cost is $50 per gallon.

4. Valspar Simplicity

Valspar Simplicity line is the most affordable of the 0-VOC paints, and is wildly available.

Because it’s so affordable this could be a good option when you need to convince a property owner or management company to use a healthier paint.

Costs and Where to Buy:

It’s available at Lowes in the US and Canada. It starts at $26 USD/gallon in the US and is only $18 CAD/gallon in Canada.

5. Farrow & Ball

Despite being just slightly over the threshold for what is considered 0 VOC, Farrow & Ball in my opinion is the most tolerable paint in this section.

It is much lower in offgassing when wet than any other paint I have tried.

This is a good reminder that VOC levels don’t always correspond to how good a product is in reality.

This is partially because there can be exempt VOCs in paint, because the rate of offgassing can vary greatly, and because we are all different in which chemicals are the most triggering.

This to me, seems to be the safest paint when wet in the conventional category. And it also cured quicky.

The binder in this paint is a vinyl acetate/ethylene copolymer. It does contain isothiazolinones.

Costs and Where to Buy:

This UK based company has stockists around the world. You can order online with paint shipping out from the US, UK, France and Germany to most countries around the world. A sample pot is $8.

It’s pricy at $110 a gallon. No delivery charge.

Honorable mention: as of 2020 almost all big brands have a 0 or close to 0 VOC paint. Delux brand, available all around the world has a close to 0 VOC formula and Behr has one now as well. Clare is a new online brand of 0 VOC paint that sells peel and stick color swatches. Some of their paints contain mineral oil.

Non-Toxic Paint Price Comparison

Non-Toxic Exterior Paints

• 1. ECOS has a general exterior paint.
• I tested their Exterior Vinyl Siding Paint and Exterior Porch and Floor as well (for concrete, not for wood porches/decks). All exterior paints are usually more potent in their odors compared to interior paints, and these ones definitely are when wet.
• Their Low Luster Paint, another exterior paint of theirs, is lower odor than their Gloss Interior Paint. It’s common for a glossy paint to be higher in odor (with ECOS I estimate it’s double the level of odor). Air Purifying Primer is just a little bit higher odor than the Low Luster Paint. These were compared when wet, not when cured.

• 2. AFM Safecoat exterior paint is a high-quality paint and multiple sources claim this is as durable over time as a conventional brand for siding. They also make an exterior paint for concrete patios.

• 3. Envirosafe makes an exterior latex paint.

• 4. In terms of conventional brands, Sherwin Williams Duration Exterior is not as “eco” as the above brands but it has been reported to offgas quicky.

There is no specialty paint for repainting wood decks/porches. If it’s new wood, a wood sealer is best. If you really wanted the painted look you can use AFM paints with their EXT sealer on top.

The Best of Natural Mineral Paints

• My post on natural mineral paints compares the most popular brands – Romabio, BioShield, Annie Sloan and Lime Paint.

• 1. RomaBio is the only one that is technically called a “mineral paint”, which means it’s a silicate-based breathable paint. Although lime is the filler, this paint is still a mostly synthetic paint, which to my nose was even higher in offgassing than ECOS.

• 2. BioShield was my top pick in this more natural category. The binder in this paint is PVA. It has a high percentage of natural ingredients, the least amount of concerning additives, and the lowest odor. The extremely sensitive usually do well with this brand. All ingredients are disclosed.

• 3. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint was also surprisingly low odor. I really liked this paint and it seemed very non-toxic to me. It has great coverage and does not need a primer on most surfaces. Though in contrast to BioShield, we don’t know anything about what is in this paint.

• 4. Milk Paint is another one that should be in this category. A true milk paint is 100% natural. It comes in a powder and is made of casein, lime, other natural minerals, and pigments. Over new drywall, it does not require a primer. For durability, it needs a topcoat, which would be a natural oil, wax or varnish.

Non-Toxic Interior Primers

• 1. AFM SafecoatTransitional Primer – is low VOC, and is known for being particularly good at sealing in toxins (for a paint).

• 2. AFM New Wallboard Primer for new drywall (also low-VOC) can be used on new wallboard.

• 3. ECOS makes great 0 VOC primers (no mildewcide). Their general wall primer is used on new drywall, and wood primers. I like their Air Purifying Primer (APP) which is low odor. The APP primer has a similar level of odor to the low luster paint.
• This primer contains zeolite which absorbs VOCs, and I believe this is bringing down the odor of the primer itself (I doubt it can do anymore to absorb odors in the room). Their Stain Blocking Primer sample arrived solid when I ordered it, though it did seem higher odor than APP. This would be used on woods with high tannins, for example.
• Their Universal Primer is the one with the strongest bonding power. You can use this on more difficult to prime surfaces like vinyl, stained wood and metal. ECOS is my top brand here if you don’t mind ordering online.

• 4. Sherwin Williams Promar 200 is a zero-VOC primer (no mildewcide).

• 5. Benjamin Moore – Natura Primer is zero-VOC

Non-Toxic Metal Primers

• 1. 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.

• 2. ECOS Paints makes a Universal Primer that can be used on bare iron and Steel (not cast iron).

• 3. Mythic Primer can be used on metal (now out of business in North America, but available in the UK).

• 4. Auro Rust Protection Primer is another non-toxic metal primer for the chemically sensitive.

• 5. Tung oil can be used to rustproof some types of steel. More on tung oil in a dedicated post. If you prefer an all-natural solution, this might work for you.

• 6. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint can be used over some metals as a primer. I really liked this paint, despite a lack of transparency on what is in it. I discuss that paint in the mineral paint post.

Non-Toxic Kitchen Cabinet Paint

Painted Finish for Cabinets:

• 1. AFM Safecoat Ecolacq is an acrylic lacquer that works particularly well on cabinets. Ecolacq line has a primer and needs to be sprayed on to cabinets to get a professional look.

• 2. Regular paints with a clear finish on top don’t usually look great on cabinets – it will look painted with brush strokes. If you do want to use a conventional paint on cabinets Fusion makes acrylic paints with mineral pigments for furniture that claim 0 VOCs. They have some tips on how to paint with fewer brush marks and they have a product to help you paint over old cabinets.

• 3. Annie Sloan Paint works particularly well on cabinets – and it usually doesn’t need prep or primer. You do have to finish it with a top coat and although I found the paint very low toxin, their topcoat wasn’t. You would likely need to find another option as the final coat. I look more into Annie Sloan in my mineral paint post.

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner with 6 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

Did you find this post helpful? If so you can buy me a coffee to support the research behind this blog. Thank you!