Acrylic paint

Acrylic paint, also called latex paint, is water soluble, but becomes water-resistant when dry. As a binder not only acrylic is used but also vinyl or PVA. Acrylic paints are better resistant to moisture and cleaning, have fewer tendencies to grow mildew and have more elasticity then vinyl and PVA. Since vinyl and PVA are much cheaper than acrylic, companies make combinations of them to match the market.
Acrylic paints have many advantages over oil paints. They offgas much less organic fumes (VOCs) because they don’t need an organic solvent. Acrylic paints are however not free of harmful substances. They can contain agents that can emit VOCs, such as antibacterial, anti mildew, quick drying or conservant agents.
Acrylic paints dry more quickly and are more elastic then oil based paints. They are more suitable for application on wood because they allow the wood to shrink and expand without letting cracks occur. Generally they need more layers to be fully opaque compared to oil paints.

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The life cycle	Pro	Con
		High energy Acrylic paints have a high embodied energy, due to the presence of energy intensive polymers, but also pigments like TiO2, among the ingredients. Show Alternatives » Alternatives finishing Low Energy Beeswax Chalk paint Clay and loam paint Edge band wood Flour paint Lime paint Wood filler (putty) High footprint Acrylic paints are better than oil based ones but still quite resource intensive to produce. Extracting pigments such as TiO2 is a polluting process. Show Alternatives » Alternatives finishing Low footprint Beeswax Clay and loam paint CNC engraving Flour paint Laser engraving Tung oil Veneer (wood) Wood filler (putty)

	Non toxic It contains low amount of VOC's. Check ingredients. In US, VOC's level under 50 g/l is considered low; under 5 g/l, is considered zero (1). Alternatives: Whoever wants to choose VOC/toxic free paints must choose natural paints (linseed, chalk, clay). Quick Dries fast.

	Non toxic It contains low amount of VOC's. Offgassing is minor compared to oil based paints. It is always better to check the amount of VOC in the ingredients. Under 50g/l it is considered low, under 5 g/l it is considered zero.		Tips When evaluating offgassing it is important always to consider also the amount used, the surface painted, and the other surfaces where the same paint has already used in the same room. Low VOC does not mean ‘non-toxic’ but a lower quantity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that create smog in the environment. (1). If a low VOCs paint is choosen, it is important to check the ingredients. If for instance, the same low VOCs paint is used for several fornitures, floors and walls in the same room, the total amount of VOCs can be hazardous in that environment. Latex or water-based paints labeled ‘quick drying’ can emit formaldehyde (2).

		Difficult recycling Even if it is not a hazardous waste, it cannot be disposed as regular trash. If there's less than one-fourth of the paint in the can, take it outside, place it where kids and pets can't get to it, remove the lid and let the paint air dry. When the paint is hard (it is turned into solid waste) you can put the cans out with the rest of your trash (1). Show Alternatives » Alternatives finishing Easy recycling Milk paint (casein) Wood filler (putty)