Eco-Friendly Wall Finishes: 5 Choices That Preserve the Environment and Indoor Air Quality
Indoor walls, often overlooked, significantly influence a home's aesthetic and, surprisingly, indoor air quality. This aspect becomes essential when selecting sustainable finishes for each room, ensuring both environmental benefits and lasting appeal.
A diversity of sustainable wall finishes emerged, varying in their ingredients, manufacture, and eco-friendliness. These options range from paints, wallpapers, plasters, and unusual treatments intended for a sustainable home.
One crucial factor to consider in choosing these finishes is their contribution to improved indoor air quality, an aspect that impacts health and overall home sustainability. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are common indoor air pollutants, emitted by various building materials and furnishings. By reducing exposure to these harmful substances through careful material choices, we can protect the health of home occupants and make a positive impact on the environment.
Now, let's delve into some of the top sustainable wall finishes and their benefits that balance health, design, and sustainability.
1. Eco-Conscious Paint
Paint, when manufactured using synthetic ingredients or petrochemicals, can increase indoor air pollution. However, eco-friendly options employ natural ingredients and minimized VOC content. Brands vigilantly implement sustainable practices and ingredient transparency, as noted in Edward Bulmer — a paint company declaring all its constituents on tins and utilizing solely earth and mineral pigments. The firm's emulsion paint conforms to a VOC level of approximately 0.07%, while wood paints bear the lowest available VOC levels, as noted by Milla Elder, the company representative. This sustainable wall finish offers versatility, with emulsions fitting any room, while eggshell is recommended for baths with poor ventilation, and either eggshell or gloss is more suitable for high-traffic areas.
2. Venetian Plaster
Venetian plaster, an attractive and eco-friendly choice, can be utilized instead of traditional plasterboard or plaster. This organic material consists of hydrated ground limestone, baked at high temperatures to create a powder combined with marble dust for the finish. The resulting plaster is breathable, VOC-free, and a perfect solution for promoting better indoor air quality. It is adaptable for living and dining rooms but highly textured, making it ideal for adding interest to hallways and staircases where decorative options may be more limited.
3. Clay Lime Plaster
Another sustainable wall finish is clay lime plaster, using raw earth materials with a minimum 71% recycled content. Armourcoat's Clay Lime Plaster, for instance, comprises unfired clay, hydraulic lime, recycled crushed marble, and mineral pigments. This eco-friendly plaster is naturally breathable, biodegradable, free from solvents and VOCs, with zero emissions, as explained by Ian Masonbury, the design development and brand manager. It is available in various earth tones and has a matte surface finish, with textures dependent on the size of the aggregate used. Armourcoat's Clay Lime Plaster can be used in living areas and even in bathrooms, though not in areas directly exposed to excess water.
4. Reclaimed Materials
Reclaimed materials can significantly reduce waste, as wood can be upcycled to make cladding or wall paneling. This characterful sustainable wall finish celebrates imperfections, providing a soft, tactile connection to nature, as pointed out by Ian Tomlinson, managing director of Chaunceys Timber Flooring. The natural grain and warmth of wood harmoniously blend with stone, plaster, and soft textiles in creating cozy, minimalist spaces throughout the home. Cork surfaces, another alternative to reclaimed wood, are also recyclable with a variety of color and texture options, water resistance, and noise reduction capabilities.
5. Eco-Friendly Wallpaper
Sustainable wallpaper, while potentially contributing to indoor air pollution if it contains high VOCs, is now available in reduced or non-toxic options. Brands like Bobbi Beck (available at B&Q) employ non-toxic, low VOC inks, promoting better indoor air quality and reducing health risks. While these papers are not recyclable, they can last for years before disposal, making them a sustainable choice for your walls.
Opting for eco-friendly wall finishes not only benefits the environment but also fosters a healthier living space. Other aspects, such as furniture materials and eco-friendly flooring choices, should also be considered for a more holistic sustainable home. Embracing eco-conscious wall finishes and incorporating them into your home design can contribute to a greener future and provide a visually pleasing space to live in.
- DIY art projects with eco-friendly paint, utilizing earth and mineral pigments, offer a sustainable approach to interior design, promoting durability, health, and aesthetic appeal.
- Incorporating Venetian plaster, an organic and VOC-free wall finish made from hydrated ground limestone and marble dust, can contribute to improved indoor air quality and provide interesting texture for living spaces.
- Clay lime plaster, composed of raw earth materials with up to 71% recycled content, is a breathable, biodegradable, and non-toxic sustainable wall finish that enhances the eco-credentials of both living and bathroom spaces.
- Utilizing reclaimed materials, such as wood or cork surfaces, in the form of cladding or wall paneling, helps reduce waste and create a soft, tactile connection to nature in various rooms throughout the home.
- Sustainable wallpaper, now available in reduced or non-toxic options with low VOC inks, can be a practical solution for effectively decorating your walls while promoting better indoor air quality.
- Adopting DIY art trends incorporating textured tiles, such as those inspired by rustic or geometric patterns, can add character and style to the kitchen, living room, bathroom, or flooring, contributing to a sustainable home aesthetic.
- Environmental science and climate-change concerns can guide decisions on sustainable lifestyle choices, such as selecting eco-friendly wall finishes, to promote the well-being of both home occupants and the environment.
- Engaging in home-and-garden activities, such as upcycling furniture and incorporating sustainable living principles, can create a more harmonious balance between design, lifestyle, and the world's climate future.
- By taking a comprehensive approach to sustainable interior design, considering factors like wall finishes, tile patterns, and adopting environmentally-friendly lifestyle habits, homeowners can create genuinely eco-friendly spaces that contribute to a healthier and greener future.
