Valspar recently debuted a full lineup of GREENGUARD Gold certified zero-VOC* interior paints for residential, commercial, school and other use. (The GREENGUARD certification is used by the LEED Building Rating System and other organizations.) The paint company now offers four interior options: Reserve, Signature, Ultra 2000 and Ultra 4000. Reserve has been VOC-free since its launch over two years ago, while the Ultra series was re-launched last year as zero-VOC. But what do these improvements mean for the end user? Michael Fancher, Valspar’s senior manager of product development and innovation, discusses the impact that zero-VOC paint can have.

In layman’s terms, what is the significance of zero VOCs in paint? Why should designers and customers be concerned? 
While the science is slightly complex, the reasons are simple: Zero-VOC paints mean better air quality, health and performance. 

Paint is more than just a coat of color, it’s also chemistry—achieving the perfect color and performance requires the right mix of ingredients that create the perfect paint. For a long time, the “perfect paint” used to be defined as having better color and performance, but achieving that performance meant using various chemicals that, studies have shown, may have carcinogenic effects and negatively impact human health, namely VOCs. “VOC” stands for “volatile organic compound”—simply put, it’s a chemical that helps paint spread and evaporates as the paint is exposed to air. It can also have performance-enhancing effects, such as making a paint more scrub- or stain-resistant. 

As VOCs evaporate, however, they release fumes and odors that can negatively impact air quality and our bodies as we breathe in that air, not to mention leave a lingering smell in newly painted spaces that simply makes living in them unpleasant and annoying. Why should picking the right color come with the risking these types of consequences?

Removing VOCs from paint matters for that reason. Paint consumers buying Valspar Zero VOC paints can breathe easier knowing they’re using paints that are minimizing the impact to indoor air quality without worrying about health effects, so a fresh coat of color is just that. Plus, fewer odors and harsh fumes mean consumers can get back to living in freshly painted spacers faster.

Finally, Valspar’s advancements in technology mean that achieving high-quality performance in paint no longer requires the use of VOCs, giving our consumers the assurance of quality without compromise. So the “perfect paint” isn’t just about being better in the can anymore. It’s about taking a better approach to how paint plays a part in the lives of our consumers, their families and the environment.

How did Valspar decide to offer these new products?
Valspar is driven by the pursuit of innovation to deliver the best-performing products that satisfy what matters most to us: our customers. As we continually talk to our consumers, we’ve learned over and over again that the health effects of products being brought into their homes is always top of mind. 

This means we are committed to offering consumers better-quality products, with fewer chemicals, for more performance. Valspar’s zero-VOC lineup delivers an exciting new innovation in paint: one that helps us all breathe a little easier without compromising Valspar’s long-standing reputation for great performance. Responsible product choices benefit our communities and the environment, and we are thrilled to add Valspar paint to the Lowe’s roster of greener product choices consumers can make when tackling their next home improvement project.

Learn more about GREENGUARD certification and about Valspar's sustainability initiatives.

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* Contains 0 g/L VOC as calculated within the margin of error by EPA Method 24.