One question that we regularly consider as a business is the impact of our industry on the environment around us. There have been significant strides forwards in making spray painting more eco-friendly. Here are a few examples of the ways to use spray painting in the most environmentally friendly manner possible.
To use spray painting to create sustainable and eco-friendly finishes, you should consider:
- Choosing low-VOC or water-based spray paint. VOCs are volatile organic compounds that can be harmful to human health and the environment. Low-VOC and water-based spray paints emit fewer VOCs than traditional solvent-based spray paints. Read more about these paints here.
- Using a spray gun with a high transfer efficiency. This means that more of the paint will be applied to the surface and less will be overspray. Overspray is wasted paint that can end up in the air and environment.
- Spraying in a well-ventilated area. This will help to reduce your exposure to VOCs and other fumes.
- Cleaning up any spills or overspray immediately. This will help to prevent the paint from contaminating the environment.
Using spray painting sustainably for your own projects
Whilst all of the above are steps that we take for our commercial spray painting, there are more tips that can be used if you’re considering using spray painting commercially or for your own projects too. These include:
- Refreshing rather than replacing. You can spray pain many things (including ceilings, cladding or shop fronts) to give them a new lease of life. Whether you are looking to update the colours used or simply to clean up a tired surface, spray painting the existing is better for the environment than replacing with new. And it’s cheaper too… Win/win!
- Repairing minor defects. Spray painting can be used to repair minor defects in a surface such as chips or scratches. Our process always includes thorough preparation of the surface that requires spraying which is essential to giving a smooth finish. This can prolong the life of materials leading to less waste and less cost.
Sustainable options for spray paint finishes
When looking to choose sustainable and eco-friendly spray paint finishes for your own projects, here are a few options you could look for:
- Water-based spray paint. Water-based spray paint is a good alternative to solvent-based spray paint because it emits fewer VOCs.
- Low-VOC spray paint.
- Spray painting as an alternative to powder coating. Powder coating is a dry finishing process that does not use solvents but this can only be done in a factory. Spray painting is an on site alternative that can achieve the same results.
We aim to use water-based or low-VOC coatings wherever possible. You can read more about our commitment to sustainability here: https://www.sprayzone.co.uk/about-us/sustainability/
