Wall Odour From Decorative Paints
Wall odour has been around for quite some time, involving paints, wallpaper and plasterboard in several different countries. It relates to the occasional instances when an unpleasant smell is noticed after painting. Whilst this does not occur very often, it is perhaps becoming more noticeable as paints are being developed that contain less solvents, which hitherto would have masked other smells. Indeed, repainting a room is often carried out not just for cosmetic reasons but also to reduce background odour and refresh the room.
Preventing ‘wall odour’
Users of paints should not be alarmed about ‘wall odour’ as it is quite unusual (affecting less than 1 in 100,000 walls). In those rare instances when it has occurred, it has only involved conventional matt emulsion paints; so users of silks, satins, eggshells or ultra-durable premium matt finishes are even less likely to be affected by it. It can be prevented or rectified by applying an alkali resistant sealer. Alkali resistant sealers are not usually needed and so are not readily available in retail DIY stores, but can be purchased from trade decorating centres.
What causes ‘wall odour’?
The cause of ‘wall odour’ is not completely understood but it is thought to be related to materials present in the walls before painting, which then interact with the paint to release very low levels of detectable odours. Independent tests following recent incidents show that this is not related to the quality of manufacture of the paint, and there have not been any health and safety side effects reported.
How do I know if I’m experiencing ‘wall odour phenomenon’?
‘Wall odour’ typically presents itself as an unusual smell, which is particularly noticeable once the paint has dried, and especially when there is direct sunlight on the wall in question and a draught in the room.
How do I deal with ‘wall odour’?
There are two ways of addressing the issue of ‘wall odour’:
- If you are happy to rectify the problem yourself, you should seal the wall in question with an suitable primer / alkali resistant sealer, before repainting.
- If you need further assistance then we recommend that you contact the Customer Service department of the paint brand you have purchased. You should be able to identify the manufacturer of your paint from the pack and, as a guide, we have included here links to the Customer Service departments of some of the major UK paint brands.
Current research
Research continues into understanding the specific causes of wall odour and some manufacturers, notably in Norway, Germany and the USA, have recently launched new products aimed at being odour free or odour suppressing.
In the UK, the issue has become more noticeable recently but as it is a problem which occurs very infrequently and quite sporadically, it is not easy to track. The mechanism is probably complex and more evidence is needed before conclusions can be drawn.
