Paint Makes History

Prehistoric cave dwellers completed the first interior painting projects more than 40,000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans also used paint to beautify their homes. Each of these early societies used plant and animal-based ingredients to create colorful dyes. The earliest “ready mixed” paints were not developed until 1867, with the trend really catching on in the 1880s. New binders, additives and other ingredients were constantly discovered and refined, and soon painting became a part of every homeowner’s to-do list.

The latest advances in formulation are bringing paints back to their natural roots by reducing and, in some cases, eliminating ingredients that could negatively affect air quality. Formulated to meet, and even exceed, strict indoor air quality standards, the latest low-VOC paints are safer to use and easier on the environment than past incarnations. They are also more durable. While the first generation of low-VOC paints may have lacked durability and other performance characteristics, more than 30 years of industry research and testing have improved these issues. Today’s low-VOC paints resist dirt, fading and other failures. These, and other advances from the paint industry, are helping consumers turn their homes into true “green houses.”