ALLERGY TO BUILDING AND DECORATING MATERIALS/WHAT TO USE: GLOSS PAINTS
Water-based gloss paints for indoor use are produced by Dulux (who also produce a water-based satin paint), by B & Q, and by Green Paints. The first is available from DIY shops, the second from B & Q stores, and the third can be ordered through the trade or direct from Green. None of these firms provides small samples for testing. Water-based primers are available for all water-based gloss paints.
Indoor water-based gloss paints do not generally achieve a high gloss finish like solvent-based paints and they are less sturdy in use; they chip and wear more readily. They dry very fast, however, and, although they give off fumes at first, from the acrylic resins that form the permanent coating, they are well tolerated. Other advantages are that brushes can be cleaned, and the paint thinned, with water; organic solvents such as turpentine or white spirits are not needed at all.
Crown Paints make a low taint, solvent-based gloss paint which has the high gloss finish and wear advantages of solvent-based paints, but which has a low level of fumes. This is often acceptable to chemically sensitive people. This can be ordered through the trade or via DIY shops. They do not provide small samples.
For outside woodwork, water-based gloss paints are also available, made by Sandtex (Exterior Gloss Paint), Sigma (Sigmatorno), Solignum (Solocote AQ), Jotun (Demi Dekk) and Sadolin (Superdec). Some of these are only available to order through the trade (the manufacturers’ addresses are given below). The Sandtex exterior gloss water-based paint has, according to Which? surveys, consistently out-performed other paints, including solvent-based ones, over five-year tests.
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