# Paint smell



## TERRY365PAINTER (Jul 26, 2009)

Trying help out a client, get rid of the paint smell. Start out with low voc Olympic paint which left a pickle smell to the room. Had the room repainted twice since then . Primed and paint now leaving the room in a heavy paint smell. 3 weeks later . I know somebody on here was talking about a paint smell remover .


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

That was Mark from Bio Zapp, he is a member here. Tommy talked to him here on BP.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

This guy is posting a lot about paint odor

http://www.painttalk.com/f3/hello-bio-zapp-laboratories-17080/

I have also heard over the years to add a little vanilla drops into the paint, never tried it but have heard it for years. 

Even with rotten paint the smell should be gone long before three weeks. Typically with low voc paints the smell is slight and gone within a couple hours for the sensitive. 

When dealing with pregnant women and sensitive clients I offer low voc and try to ventilate the room with extracting fans.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

Workaholic said:


> Typically with low voc paints the smell is slight and gone within a couple hours for the sensitive.


Not with Olympic One. The smell is pretty strong and it last up to a week.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

ReNt A PaInTeR said:


> Not with Olympic One. The smell is pretty strong and it last up to a week.


Never used it before and if I tried a low voc paint like that I would never use it again.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

We used the Olympic once, it did have a terrible smell.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

I made the mistake of painting a room at my home. I usually try products I might consider use in the future. I like how it covers but the smell is terrible. During my career I've used many wall paints not consired Low or Zero VOC but so far I think this is the worst.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

The biozap stuff is to add to the paint at the time of application, so your needs are going to be a ventilation system with a charcoal filter, maybe add in some of those odor eliminator discs. Three weeks is crazy to me, you may have an overly sensitive customer or defective material. May want to consult a rep as well. 

Was this a room or an entire home? What are your plans?


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

BM Regal Select .


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

ReNt A PaInTeR said:


> I made the mistake of painting a room at my home. I usually try products I might consider use in the future. I like how it covers but the smell is terrible. During my career I've used many wall paints not consired Low or Zero VOC but so far I think this is the worst.



Weird I will use low voc paints from PPG and SW without problem. I know the tints are not low voc so it will still have odor but is less. 

You said it lasted a week though, so three weeks would be unusual?


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## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

This is where promising zero VOC then adding universal colourants is deceiving.
Olympic (PPG Pure performance) Lifemaster, SW Harmony and others
should never label their tinting bases as zero VOC
and then label them: do not use untinted (with universal colourants).
There was a judgement on that issue.
The smell is not bad to most, but if you promise zero VOC, deliver that.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

George Z said:


> This is where promising zero VOC then adding universal colourants is deceiving.
> Olympic (PPG Pure performance) Lifemaster, SW Harmony and others
> should never label their tinting bases as zero VOC
> and then label them: do not use untinted (with universal colourants).
> ...


I use the term low voc when dealing with the PPG and SW products.


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

And zero VOC does not mean zero smell. 
Thats part of the shell game, although in general low or no voc have less than older paints, it does not mean "harmless indoor air quality".


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## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

BrushJockey said:


> And zero VOC does not mean zero smell.
> Thats part of the shell game, although in general low or no voc have less than older paints, it does not mean "harmless indoor air quality".


 
Agreed!
Zero VOC paint is not safe. It may just be safer.

There are some compounds found in paints that are very harmful and they are "VOC exempt". Acetone, for example is zero VOC and does not count as VOC. It is proven to be very harmful and in addition can contaminate ground water. Yet it is allowed to be in paint. 

http://www.ecopainting.ca/abou_zero_voc_paints.art.html


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

George Z said:


> Agreed!
> Zero VOC paint is not safe. It may just be safer.
> 
> There are some compounds found in paints that are very harmful and they are "VOC exempt". Acetone, for example is zero VOC and does not count as VOC. It is proven to be very harmful and in addition can contaminate ground water. Yet it is allowed to be in paint.
> ...


No kidding? I did not know that.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I'd be concerned that the vehicle (inorganic or organic solvents) have not evaporated efficiently, thus the entrapped solvents are emitting fumes. This can be caused by not allowing dry time in between coats, poor ventilation, or higher build of coating then recommended by the manufacturer. Water borne paints require coalescence of the paint film through solvent evaporation in order to cure properly.

However, I've painted over interior walls that created an unusual odor with the same paint used elsewhere without the same smell problem. Which leads me to believe that a chemical reaction with a surface contaminant of some sort could be the cause.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

Workaholic said:


> Weird I will use low voc paints from PPG and SW without problem. I know the tints are not low voc so it will still have odor but is less.
> 
> You said it lasted a week though, so three weeks would be unusual?


yeah 3 weeks is too much.

Now why going with all the trouble with the bio zap additive. I mean here is how I work. top products I recommend is:

Aura being number one, 

Natura number two If paint smell is a problem.

Regal Select is my third recommendation. 

When painting on a budget Eco Spec WB is Zero VOC and low odor.

Now for some jobs I would give a try to BM Concepts @ 24.99 low VOC and low odor would be a good option. BTW is tint with the Gennex colorants.

So my question is why adding an additive? how much does it cost? do you need to special order? 

If a customer wants a SW Color I would use Duration Home, Promar Zero VOC are my way to go. Some NC projects can be done with Ecoselect Zero VOC when a light color is requested and flat sheen is not a concern.

I wouldn't add anything to my paints. But that my personal preference.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

ReNt A PaInTeR said:


> yeah 3 weeks is too much.
> 
> Now why going with all the trouble with the bio zap additive. I mean here is how I work. top products I recommend is:
> 
> ...


I have never used it, just been reading posts made by Mark the biozap guy recently. The only additives I use are extenders. EDIT: and thinners of course.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

Workaholic said:


> I have never used it, just been reading posts made by Mark the biozap guy recently. The only additives I use are extenders. EDIT: and thinners of course.


Same here. :thumbsup:


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## Wood511 (Dec 13, 2010)

VOC and smell are certainly different animals, and may be even less related than some of us probably think.

All the BM stuff I use seems to completely dissipate in about 8-12 hours at most. If ventilation is poor or conditions are less than optimal, you might get a slight whiff the 2nd day, but never the third.


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## TERRY365PAINTER (Jul 26, 2009)

This guy ask me to help him , wants to rip out all the sheet Rock and start over . I mean jus t for smell !! First time painted low voc Olympic paint .. Which started the problem , Bactria in the the paint causing the smell. Repainted and prime I think with 
Sw primer and low voc promar 200 . I guess then you could still smell the first paint Oder .? Then got mad and repainted it again with regular paint . Now it smells way to much like paint !!!3 weeks later. 
Option 1 rip out s/ rock or 2 . Repaint with mythic and or Bm low voc and use fans. 
It's really no big deal I haven't even seen the job yet . Hoping just to repaint it. Theirs got to be 10 or more coats of paint on those walls . This is crazy


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

IF you really want to get it- prime with BIN.


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## BioZapp Labs (Dec 30, 2011)

If you're still having issues with the paint smell, I'll be happy to help you out.
Call 860-673-7412

Mark


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## TERRY365PAINTER (Jul 26, 2009)

Well just wanted to follow up on how things turn out . First I sanded the walls real good , with a mirka sanding block and abranet sanding paper 150 , noticed a slight release of smell in the incurred top coat of paint . Bad application from the get 
Go . Second applied one coat of aqua lock 
Primer to seal everything up. Let dry over night . 
Next day applied mythic under coater for the pink color . Let dry no smell . After 2 hrs apply 1 coat of mythic eggshell pink 
Let dry applying third coat tomorrow .
Now a happy customer . Mythic also has a black label primer and paint anybody use that ? It's hard to say on how well coverage goes dealing with hot pink color . The flow of this paint is real good the under coater covered the white in pretty much 1 coat also ..


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## TNpainter (Dec 7, 2011)

Olympic is a cheap paint so the low vocal probally isn't near as good fume wise as the good stuff (s.w. ppg)


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## TNpainter (Dec 7, 2011)

Hit wrong button meant low voc


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## BioZapp Labs (Dec 30, 2011)

I'm in an interesting position as it pertains to this forum.
I represent Bio Zapp and our Odor Eliminating products,
therefore being a vendor I am unable to speak about or promote the products as a way to help members that may experience a problem with odors.
On the other hand I was an applicator of coatings for many years, and used Bio Zapp Paint Odor Eliminator in my coatings and can speak first hand how it helped my customers effectively deal with paint odor.


As always feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.


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