When I was pregnant, I found the most gorgeous crib for our baby…except it was the wrong color.
It was a lime green and didn’t go with the soft blue pastel colours of the other furniture in the nursery.
So I decided to give it a paint job, however I wanted to ensure that the paint I used was safe for our baby and nmaintained a chemical-free environment.
Why some paints may not be safe for your baby?
Most paints designed for walls and furniture contain “Volatile Organic Compounds” or VOCs.
These are organic compound chemicals that are emitted as gases when certain products are used. As well as paints, VOCs are present in other everyday products such as varnish, glues, cleaning solutions, cosmetics, correction fluids and paint thinners.
VOCs can cause health issues such as nose and throat irritaion, headaches, nausea and dizziness, however for most adults this will only be if they are exposed to high levels.
Of course, nobody wants to take any chances with their baby so finding natural, water-based paints that are non-toxic and zero-VOC is the best solution for cribs, walls and other furniture in the nursery.
Which paints are safe for your baby?
As explained above, natural, water-based paints that do not contain VOCs will be the safest choice for painting walls and furniture in the environment where baby will be located. But it is also important to ensure that the paint manufacturer has the color that you need.
Here are three of the best and safest paints for your baby.
1) Renaissance Furniture & Cabinet Paint
Renaissance furniture paint is my top choice for baby-safe paint and is the one I used on my own baby’s crib.
It is available in several colors (around 90) – I chose a soft light blue, which Renaissance calls ‘Innocence“.
It has zero VOCs and zero emissions, is hypoallergenic and has almost no odour at all. It took two coats to apply and left a beautiful silky finish.
2) ECOS Furniture Paint
ECOS Paints have been developed from the ground-up to be superior zero-VOC paints that are safe for babies and adults alike.
In addition, all ECOS Paints are water-based and odorless.
There are several colors available, so you should be able to select the shade you need.
Two coats are advised although sometimes you can get away with a single coat and it provides excellent coverage.
3) Rust-Oleum
Rust-Oleum’s range od non-toxic paints are another great choice if you want to paint cribs and other furniture because they are zero-VOC and low odour.
In addition there is a large range of colours to choose from.
Verdict
Although the ECOS paint is perhaps the safest paint overall for your baby because it has absolutely no odour (the other two have an almost undetectable low odour), I chose the Renaissance paint because I managed to purchase it at a much lower price point – and everyone that has had a baby will know that having a baby is a serious drain on funds! In addition, I think the silky, chalky finish of the Renaissance paint is lovely.
Now, my baby’s crib has been painted in the colours that match the rest of the furniture and colors in his nursery and it looks beautiful 🙂