Homemade and natural paints for the home

Paint is needed in all houses, whether for walls, furniture or to decorate objects. But industrial paints are made with different ingredients (pigments, binders, solvents and additives) that are often harmful to the environment and people.

Pigments are made up of metals such as chromium, lead, zinc, titanium dioxide, barium sulfate, powdered aluminum, and iron oxide. Many of them are toxic. The solvents, which are what give the paint its fluidity, disappear when it is applied, remaining in the air. Therefore, its use is currently being restricted, as it is quite dangerous.

If you need to paint your home, but you don’t want to use those products that are sold in the market, an alternative is to use natural paints. There are many ingredients that do no harm and can also give the paint the qualities it needs, such as flow, color and strength.

potato painting

Potato paint is very cheap and resistant. It can be used for walls, paper, wood, or any other porous surface. His recipe is very simple.

Ingredients:

– 150 grams of potatoes

– One and a half cups of boiling water

– 150 grams of chalk powder

– A glass of cold water

– Non-toxic pigments

Preparation:

1. Cook 150 grams of potatoes, remove the skin and mash. Add a cup and a half of boiling water, then mix well.

2. Separately, mix 150 grams of powdered chalk with a glass of cold water. When it thickens, add non-toxic vegetable or mineral pigments.

3. Finally, mix all the ingredients well. You can add, to make it more waterproof, a teaspoon of oil.

Oil paint

Some oils, such as linseed oil, have many of the characteristics of paint, such as its texture, its ability to protect wood or be waterproofing. They can be used mixed with non-toxic vegetable or mineral pigments that provide color, and also alone, as a replacement for varnish.

It does not need preparation, simply use the oil as a lacquer for the wood.

lime paint

Lime mixed with water forms a white paint that has been used by many civilizations to protect their walls, disinfect them and protect themselves from the heat.

In some regions, which suffer from insect pests that transmit diseases, such as the vinchuca (very common in much of Latin America), it is recommended that the inhabitants paint their houses with lime so that these insects cannot nest, or in any case are in sight.

Ingredients:

– Between 2 and 4 liters of hydrated lime

– A kilo of coarse salt

– Vinyl glue or a homemade paste

Preparation:

(Yields 10 liters)

1. Mix the hydrated lime with the coarse salt. Use more or less lime and water depending on how the texture is.

2. Add some fixative, which can be vinyl glue or a natural mixture, for example powdered milk with water. You should get a smooth consistency. While you use it, stir every now and then so that the lime does not stick to the bottom.

milk paint

This painting is made with milk curd and is very profitable. It is used to paint cement or mud walls.

Ingredients

– Two cups of milk

– A tablespoon of vinegar

– 150 grams of chalk

– A glass of cold water

– Non-toxic vegetable or mineral pigments

Preparation

1. To obtain the milk curd, heat two cups with a tablespoon of vinegar, without boiling. When it sets, discard the yellowish whey, and let the cream rest on a cloth or coffee filter overnight. You will get 100 grams of a paste with the consistency of yogurt.

2. Separately, mix 150 grams of powdered chalk with a glass of cold water, and when it thickens, add non-toxic vegetable or mineral pigments to give it color.

3. Finally, mix all the ingredients. You can add a teaspoon of oil to give it a better finish.

General tip: you can prepare any of the paints in the quantity you want, increasing or decreasing the quantities in the same proportion. For example, if you double the water, double all the other ingredients.

Take advantage of these homemade paint recipes in your home!