How to Choose Furniture Paint, Paint Selection Guide - Waterborne Paint vs Traditional Paint:
——The Scientific Choice for Eco-Friendly Furniture

In the modern home environment, volatile organic compounds (VOC) have become an invisible health killer, and one of its main sources is traditional painted furniture. Research shows that the organic solvent content of oil-based paint is as high as 70-80% / L, while water-based paint contains only 10-12% / L, VOC emissions reduced by 87%.

When consumers are increasingly concerned about home health and environmental protection, water-based paint technology has developed from a “conceptual product” into a mature solution to become the core symbol of environmentally friendly furniture.

1. Hard indicators of environmental protection and health

The core advantage of water-based paint is its environmental nature. It takes water as the dispersing medium, replaces benzene, toluene and other organic solvents in traditional paints, and eliminates the release of harmful substances from the source.

(1) Comparison of VOC Emissions:

The VOC content of traditional oil-based paint is about 600 grams/liter, and the water-based paint has been reduced to 18-43 grams/liter, which is far lower than the 300 grams/liter limit of the national standard of China (GB 24410-2004).

Kunshan, a cabinet factory to implement the “oil to water” after the annual emissions of VOC from 1145 tons to 19 tons, a drop of up to 98%.

(2) heavy metal “zero detection”:

Paterson water-based paint custom cabinets tested by national institutions, not detected lead, chromium, mercury and other 8 kinds of heavy metal elements, through the ENF-level environmental certification (the most stringent formaldehyde emission standards).

(3) Upgraded safety performance:

water-based paint is not flammable, storage and transportation without special fire safety measures, workers do not need to wear gas masks during operation.

The traditional concept that the physical properties of water-based paint is inferior to oil-based paint, but modern technology has completely broken this limitation. 2024, South China University of Technology developed a water-based liquid coating to achieve 8H ultra-high hardness (ordinary oil-based paint is about 2H), and at the same time, has excellent anti-scratch and anti-fouling properties.

(1) Enhanced paint film performance:

The hardness of two-component water-based paint reaches 2H pencil hardness, and the performance of resistance to hot and cold temperature difference passes 14 core index tests.

Paterson's 5-level high color fastness technology through 108 process control, completely solve the problem of light-colored furniture yellowing.

(2) Special function coating:

The water-based photo-thermal superhydrophobic coating developed by Guangxi University has anti-icing and self-cleaning functions, and delays the icing time by more than 3 times in -15℃ environment (665 seconds vs 210 seconds).

(3) Construction efficiency optimization:

Adopting infrared leveling + layered drying process, water-based paint drying takes only 30 minutes - 2 hours, 20-30% faster than oil-based paint.

3.Market trends and authoritative certification

The popularization of water-based paint is driven by both policy and consumer demand. China's water-based wood paint utilization rate jumped from 8.3% in 2012 to 45% in 2024, and is expected to exceed 70% in 2026.

(1) Policies and regulations to promote:

EU CEPE VOC regulations strictly control solvent-based coatings, China's VOC ≤ 420 g / liter of paint consumption tax exemption.

Many places have introduced furniture industry VOC remediation program, such as Ganzhou, Kunshan clear “oil to water” schedule.

(2) International branding practices:

Mercedes-Benz has enabled water-based color paint (Water Borne System) globally since 2007, reducing solvent content by more than 85%.

(3) Authoritative certification endorsement:

Singularity potential energy water-based paint POSS coating through the SGS certification, to achieve “0” formaldehyde release (EN 717-1 standard).

As the editor-in-chief of the group standard “Waterborne Paint Finishes for Wooden Products”, Paterson sets the industry performance benchmark.

4. Consumer shopping guide

Identify high-quality water-based paint furniture need to focus on four core points:

(1) Environmental Certification Mark

Check the SGS Performance Mark, ENF level certification or Ten Ring Mark to ensure that VOC and heavy metals are up to standard.

(2) Paint film performance test

Scratch the surface with a coin, high-quality water-based paint should be free of scratches; pour a small amount of water to stay for 30 minutes to check whether the penetration discoloration.

(3) Brand technology background

Choose brands with water-based paint manufacturing factories (e.g. Paterson), whose process control is more stable.

(4) Odor identification

True water-based paint construction within 24 hours after the irritating odor should be completely dissipated, to achieve “that is installed to live”.

Furniture does not have to over-pursuit “heavy paint film”, the natural texture of wood is the highest level of decoration.

Water-based paint will not only cut VOC emissions by 98%, but also through technological innovation to achieve equal or even exceed the performance of oil-based paint. Although the cost of materials increased by 70-80%, but for consumer health and environmental protection has great significance.

When 73% of consumers are willing to pay a premium of 10-15% for environmentally friendly furniture, the choice of water-based paint has been transformed from a cost investment to a strategic investment in brand value. As Mercedes-Benz and Paterson have proven: environmental protection is not a burden, but a passport to the high-end market.

Ganzhou Xinshiyi Technology Co., Ltd. produces all furniture products using water-based paint, contributing to consumer health and environmental protection.

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