Simply put, paint offers long term protection at a very moderate price. It keeps existing structures from deteriorating and, in so doing, preserves natural resources such as trees, water, and a variety of energy sources. To further appreciate the merits of paint, it is important to understand what actually goes into the can. Today's pigments, not unlike the mud, blood and chalk used centuries ago, provide the texture, color and hiding properties of paint. Today, with the utmost concern for consumer safety, architectural coatings are formulated to be as safe as possible by carefully selecting pigments.
Titanium dioxide is the primary pigment ingredient that provides hiding in light color paints.
While any powder, even baby powder, can pose a health hazard if inhaled in high concentrations, titanium dioxide which is also used in cosmetics, soaps and certain food products, when used in a paint film is not respirable and poses no risk to the user. All of these are naturally occurring materials that are tightly bound in the paint film and contribute various properties like gloss control, flow, and film build. Iron oxides are inorganic color pigments, chemically akin to rust on metal, that are used to produce reds and yellows. The binder portion of architectural coatings consist of synthetic and natural resins which start out as liquids but dry to form tough durable films. The properties of the binder largely determine the properties of the paint film.