Going green, in more ways than one
I've been intrigued by Boomerang Paints for a while: an eco-friendly, and ecologo certified, low-VOC recycled paint, which retails for about $15 a can.
It's made using leftover paints and stains, which are donated through Rona stores and other retailers. (Find a drop off near you here). They use about 1 per cent new material in the paint to try to keep colour, thickness and drying times consistent.
It sounds promising, but I've always wondered, does it work? How does it stack up to regular brands?
Luckily, I had the chance to give it a test run, using a pretty shade of green called "moss", in my mud room.
My first challenge? Getting the lid on the new, eco-friendly plastic pail open. It took some help from Mr. Speedy and a roofing tool, but, eventually, we outsmarted it.
Once we actually got to the painting part, it worked pretty much like all the other paint I've been schlepping home from the hardware store. I did, however, find it a little runnier, and needed to stir it more vigorously, than the paint and primer combo I've been favouring lately.
Painting over a seriously banged up beige took two coats, plus touch ups.
And,be warned, the colour choices aren't huge - 16 shades in the eco-certified latex line, with earthy names like "wheat" "shore" "moonlight" and "cotton."
Read more about Boomerang, and find local retailers, at the company website.
Do you have any comments on the durability or wash-ability of the paint. I've thought about using eco-friendly paints but I've never been convinced that they'll stand up like traditional paints.
Posted by: rob woods | October 06, 2009 at 01:25 PM
I've only had it done for a few weeks, so far it's wearing well, but we'll see how it is in a few months! I'll keep you posted
Posted by: Jennifer Wilson-Speedy | October 07, 2009 at 09:28 AM