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What Does Green or Low/Zero VOC Paint Really Mean?

What Does Green or Low/Zero VOC Paint Really Mean?

Over the past 15 years people have become more concerned about their paints being “green” or low or zero VOC paint. In the beginning there were not a lot of choices, but today choices are abundant. Building codes have changed to require these products be used, in order to continue to reduce our carbon foot print. What does it really mean to have a “green” or eco-friendly paint? It all has to do with the VOCs (volatile organic compounds). There has been a lot of confusion around this question.

To be a low VOC paint, the VOC level must be 50 g/l or less for most products. While a lot of the paints were qualifying at this level, as soon as the colorant was added the paint exceeded these levels. Today paint manufacturers have switched over to zero VOC colorants. Now when a paint label says low or zero VOC paint, it truly is.

Why do people care about this? The chemicals, as the paints dry, evaporate into the air. This can lead to breathing problems for those with asthma, cause dizziness and skin irritation for just about anyone. In extreme cases they can even cause cancer. These types of issues come up more on interior paints, as the fumes stay trapped in the house. On the exterior paints the VOCs can lead to air pollution, and contribute to poor air quality. VOCs can continue to off-gas for years, so it is even more critical to use the low VOC products.

Making these lower VOC products has not come without its problems. As paint companies had to come up with new formulations to replace the toxic ingredients, problems arose. Such things as longer dry time, application problems, flow, colors matching, quality, and more. Painters were so frustrated with these products, they didn’t want to use them. Thankfully as time has gone on, the paint industry has made great strides in fixing the issues and they are truly quality products. Today low and zero VOC paints are easy to use, application is easier, quality is top notch, they come in all colors, and best of all they are healthier products for us all.

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3. We’ll do the job correctly

You deserve total transparency, accountability, and exceptional work. No skipped steps or opting for the “easy way.”

4. We’ll stand by our job

Because we know we’re doing it all the right way, we can confidently stand by our work. We’re picky, and we want you to be 100% satisfied.

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4.9 rating from 350+ reviews

Very professional, I appreciate the time they took to make sure everything was taken care of for my house! I really liked that Jaime stepped up and told me not to paint my front door like the house and then chose a color that worked great. Thank you!

Dale S.

We chose Brooks Painting based on their excellent reputation. It was an excellent choice! We had them do a complete exterior and almost complete interior painting of our two story house. They were done separately, while we were out of town. We are very pleased with the quality of the work. They even fixed up a few mistakes made by a crew that painted a portion of our interior ceilings a month prior (removal of asbestos popcorn ceiling), at no extra charge. Cleanup was great, also. They repaired some dry rot that was uncovered (extra charge, but worth it), and they even moved furniture back into place as well as put back the curtain rods that I had taken down, which wasn't expected. I highly recommend them, and will use them again for any future paint jobs.

Charlie Russell

I wanted to have my kitchen cabinets painted but knew that that was a job that required skill and expertise. I called Brooks Painting and the experience from start to finish was perfect! Everyone I dealt with was personable and good at their jobs. They spent time answering questions, explaining the exact process, and did the work precisely as promised. They even did a few other small jobs (repairing and painting 2 water damaged ceilings) to perfection. And everything was neat and clean when they left! And the cabinets – better than I could have hoped for. Esteban is a master craftsman who was meticulous in every aspect of his work. The finish is smooth as glass with no imperfections. I couldn’t be happier!

Christina Fotenos

I have always received excellent customer service and the crews are always very concerned about ensuring satisfaction!

Shawn W.

Eric and his crew were on time every day and did a very thorough job. I was thrilled that they were willing to paint my outdoor light fixtures which were getting rusty. I was particularly impressed how much time they spent going over their work at the end to catch spots that were missed. I’ll be using them again for interior painting.

C Lewis

Another great job by Brooks Paining. they did a great job on our trim painting and siding varnish. They were very timely and considerate of our home and property. This is our 3rd time in 19 years utilizing Brooks Painting. We haven't been let done. 👍👍

T Thompson

My experience with Brooks Painting has been outstanding, and, if it were an option on Google, I would assign 100 stars to their work. Mark and his crew were exceptional in painting both the inside and outside of my Central Davis home. They were considerate, careful, and respectful of my furnishings and yard. Kristen and her office staff were also responsive to my queries and were timely in scheduling the work. Thank you Brooks Painting for assisting in transforming my house into a beautiful home!

Hollis Skaife

We would recommend them highly. [They] painted and did a good job. Kept everything clean and cleaned up after, very polite.

Muriel Y.

Very professional. Painters were very accommodating on the little things.

Claude V., Dixon

Very professional, live up to their billing! [The] company was very cooperative, on top of everything. [They] followed through with their commitment.

Marylan T.

Brooks Panting Inc. just finished painting the exterior of our house. The crew did a terrific job. The house is a mid century modern with redwood paneling and an unusual amount of trim work. The Brooks crew was efficient, the quality of the painting was exceptional and the work was completed on time! Because of the age of the house several panels needed to be replaced. Brooks had the expertise to closely match the new paneling with the old paneling. I would not hesitate to recommend this company. They are professionals!

Daniel Dykstra

Brooks did a fantastic job on our exterior and interior paint jobs. Quality was high, price was reasonable, and the team was extremely professional and detail-oriented. Mark was our crew lead and the team performed a number of exterior wood repairs, a door re-stain, interior and exterior painting. Mark clearly takes a lot of pride in his work and went above and beyond to ensure the work was high-quality, including finding exact matching siding to fix dry rot, and performing minor repairs that weren't even included in the quote. He and the team were all consistently positive and personable, joking with each other throughout the day, while also genuinely complimenting each other on the quality of their work. It was great to see, and that positivity definitely showed through the work they did. We couldn't be happier with the end result.

Ryan Schauland

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Residential and Commercial Estimator Corey is a wonderful asset to our sales team! Whether you're seeking expertise for a residential interior, cabinet, or exterior painting project, or you're a commercial owner or contractor in need of a quote, Corey is your go-to expert!

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Book with Ryan Lowery

‍Residential Estimator Ryan is a fantastic new addition to our sales team! If you have a residential interior, cabinet or exterior project, book with Ryan!

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