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Biofa Natural Paint FAQ
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Celtic Sustainables
Unit 9
Parc Teifi
Cardigan
SA43 1EW
A collection of frequently asked questions about Biofa Natural Paints.
What is natural paint?
A natural paint is made from renewable raw materials such as natural oils (wood oil, linseed oil), wood resins, heavier produce (chalk, marble earth, clay), solvents (water, citrus peel oils), etc. Our ingredients are clearly listed in full on every pot.
Why should I use natural paint instead of commercial paint?
Conventional (chemical) paints, even when dry, still give off volatile fumes for several years. Manufacturers use marketing such as “odour free” or “children-friendly paint”; however they still contain toxic fumes that can harm you and your family.
The paint is manufactured without any plastic copolymer, which means none or a lot less electro static charge. This means there will be far less dust in the house, a savvy choice for asthmatics.
Our natural paints and varnishes allow buildings to "breathe", as they are micro-porous. By allowing a surface to breathe properly, this discourages the build-up of condensation, which can result in mould. It will provide the end user with a clean environment.
I have seen other companies selling ‘organic’ paint. Why is Biofa called ‘natural’ paint and not ‘organic’ paint?
Biofa and other natural paints are not ‘organic’ for two reasons:
No certification exists for ‘organic’ paint. Natural minerals cannot be certified as ‘organic’ as they are not grown or produced from an animal or plant. Minerals tend to be the main ingredients of natural paint.
The second reason is more complex. ‘Organic’ is also a term used in chemistry when chemicals go through complex processes to produce a new synthetic substance. This process is used in petro-chemical paint production whereby the chemicals are combined to produce a volatile organic compound. Look on a paint tin you will see this listed as VOC. The VOC content is listed as high, medium, low or minimal. VOC emissions pose a serious health hazard and are to be used with care.
Biofa paint is a natural paint and not an organic paint. Some companies are obviously trying to capitalise on the organic trend by calling the paint they sell ‘organic’ when this is not strictly true. Biofa Cymru is being ethical, telling the truth by clearly listing all our ingredients, and not making false claims.
Biofa is a ‘natural’ paint because all of the ingredients are products that are present in or produced by nature, i.e. chalk, linseed oil.
What are the health benefits of natural paint?
Most Natural paints and varnishes allow buildings to "breathe", as they are micro-porous. By allowing a surface to breathe properly, this discourages the build-up of condensation resulting in mould. It will provide the end user with a clean environment.
The paint is manufactured without any plastic copolymer, which means none or a lot less electro static and less dust in the house, a savvy choice for asthmatics.
The absence of toxic fumes means that there are no long or short-term health issues for humans using the paint. Last but not least the odour coming from Biofa paints are from natural essential oils and plants, making it the ideal product when working with or around children.
Any left over of water based wall emulsions are fully compostable, increasingly important at a time where our planet eco-system is suffering badly and billions liters of chemical paints end up in land fills.
What are the other benefits?
Natural paint has many, many benefits which stretch from the manufacturing process through to the actual effects of the paint on your health.
Environment - The ingredients all come from sustainable sources. Paints are manufactured using the least amount of energy possible, for the heating and mixing of products. Waste water at the Biofa plant is filtered before being recycled.
Quality - The product is of high quality, designed by professionals, to be used to professional standards. We believe Biofa paint is one of the best paint products on the market.
Long lasting - The colour and finish will last for years. The Sistine chapel was not painted with conventional paint, but rather with natural paint...
Washable - The matt finish allows you to wash the walls with soap and water without damaging the paint finish.
Easy to apply - after giving the paint a vigorous stir, you can either thin the first coat with 10% water or apply the paint as it is. Apply two coats for a good depth of colour.
Real chalk matt effect - the natural chalk content in the paint gives a slightly matt, textured finish.
What are the disadvantages of natural paint?
There are no disadvantages as such. However there are times where even the extensive 300 product range from Biofa does not provide a solution. Fillers, noting, glues or products such as Rubson have no current natural equivalents.
The drying time of the oil-based paint might need a painter or decorator to organise himself differently, but not so differently as any professional painter or decorator with common sense would do.
What is the Biofa paint made of?
Biofa paints and varnishes are based on chalk, cellulose, casein (a milk derivative), linseed oil, etc. Biofa natural oil based paints are made using renewable raw materials such as oils and use plant oil and plant alcohol as a natural solvent for the oil based paint.
Biofa natural paints and varnishes are based on minerals and plant based ingredients that are combined in a simple manner according to modern production methods. The production method produces very little waste and uses very little energy compared to conventional paint production.
The ingredients of Biofa natural paints are clearly listed in full on each container with a full technical disclosure.
Does Biofa contain animal products?
Some Biofa products contain casein (milk protein), beeswax, etc. Most are free of animal products. All ingredients are written in full on labels in order for vegan clients to choose animal-free products.
Does Biofa contain petro-chemicals?
Biofa uses natural materials wherever possible, however Biofa is using a small amount of aliphatic hydrocarbons as a solvent for their oil based products. These aliphatic hydrocarbons can be named as “clean” and do not giving off toxic fumes.
If you are concerned about this matter, only five products are affected and they are as follow: universal hard oil, wood matt paint, wood satin paint, wood gloss paint and the thinner.
What are the aliphatic hydrocarbons?
An aliphatic hydrocarbon is a mineral oil defined by the absence of a benzene ring. Benzene is known to cause side effects in human health. An aliphatic hydrocarbon comes from crude oil and has been refined removing all toxic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Do Biofa natural paints have a smell?
Yes, the natural ingredients in the paints do have an odour. Some paints do claim to be odour free, but the marketing can be misleading. Odour free doesn’t mean they’re free of dangerous chemicals.