The choice of exterior paint is influenced by the climatic conditions

Vipin Bakiwala, Principal Architect, VB Design Studio speaks on the different aspects choosing the right paint for living and commercial spaces.

When it comes to selection of paints for designated areas of a home, what points need to be noted?
a. Climate: While considering the exterior paints, one must consider the climatic conditions at the location of the house. Light colors should be opted in warm regions to give a cooling effect.
b. Natural Light: The availability and intensity of natural light in both exterioras well as interior spaces needs to be considered. In spaces with either excessive natural light or lack of it, use colors that can balance or sustain its stateof-the- art-brightness.
c. Size and demand of space: Use light colors in small spaces to enhance the volume of the space. Based on the individual design language of spaces, the color palette should be determined.
d. Likes and preferences: It is also essential to know and understand the preferences of the residents before determining the colour scheme as well as selecting the paints for different areas of the house.

Is there a difference in selection and approach for paints and colors when one is considering a residential or a commercial establishment? If yes, what are the finer aspects of the classification?
Yes, the difference lies with respect to the following aspects:
a. Nature/Functionality of the building: E.g. In case of a Hospital, it is important to emphasize on choosing soothing and healing colors, which could cater a restorative ambience to the patients and their kin.
Here we are citing the example of our Hospital project- Siddham ENT Hospital, Jaipur. The building’s facade is painted in the symphony of pleasing green and blue to emulate as nature’s derivation and cultivate the flowing energy of the surrounding. While the interior color scheme is a result of the inspirations taken from nature’s apparent hierarchy of elements- the Sun, Greenery, Water and the Earth. Each major floor painted as per the color of its respective element aims to heal the cores of the occupants by way of their individual characteristics.
b. Maintenance and durability: Due to the larger footprints of people at commercial establishments, the need of durable and easy to maintain paints arises. Thus, consider colors that areeasy to clean, does not fade, peel or chip within short periods of time, and are cost friendly.

Are Non-VOC paints a better option in comparison to conventional paints, what are the advantages?
Conventional paints contain Volatile Organic Compounds (the coloring agents) such as ethyl acetate, glycol ethers, and acetone which when evaporate into the air can enter our lungs and cause a variety of long term and short term harmful effects on the human body and environment. Right from the manufacturing process of these paints to the discharge of its by-products and waste, leaving immense carbon footprint into the environment and then to the actual application of the paints, they affect the human health and environmental quality, adversely.

Low VOC paints or VOC free paints are a better option, as a result of the following advantages over the VOC Paints:
• There is negligible amount of VOC as well as odour in such paints. Thus, the detrimental effects on human health such as irritation in the eyes, throat, nose or skin, burning sensation, headaches, nausea, liver and kidney damage, respiratory issues and cancer etc. can be eliminated with the use of these paints.
• Damage to the agricultural crops, forest and ecosystems by the Carbon footprints in the environment, can be prevented.
• They also help reduce the sources of pollutants during the construction process and in the finished projects.
• In the absence of the ill effects, there are healthy workers and thus higher productivity on construction sites.

Besides, paints have 3 major components: a pigment for color, a binder that holds the pigment to the surface and a carrier or solvent (mineral spirits or water) to dissolve and maintain the pigments. Thus, in addition to choosing Non VOC paints, one must carefully understand the pigment used in the paints. Also, Latex or water based paints should preferably be used as they have significantly lower environmental impacts than oil or solvent based paints since they do not use petroleum carriers or have nearly as many smog forming emissions

What are some of the branded paints which you like to recommend to our readers?
Some of the brands which we love to recommend as far as paints are concerned include Asian Paints, Dulux and Sherwin Williams Interior-Exterior Paints.

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