Is Paint Flammable? There are all sorts of paints for different house projects and crafts, some of them safe for use and others that require a bit more attention to safety. The real question when it comes to paint hazards is whether or not your house paint is flammable.
The short answer to that question is “it depends.” Any paint that you can find and involves aerosol, oil or solvents is going to be flammable; house paints with a water base are not flammable. Click here for the Best-Selling Fire Safety Products.
On the Flammability of Paint
Flammability depends on the ingredients involved in the manufacture of your paint.
Aerosols. More commonly known as spray paints, these tend to feature butane and propane, making them highly volatile. Handle them poorly and you are likely to deal with an explosion and other devastation.
Oil-based. Anything paint that involves enamel, varnishes, clear finishes, epoxies, lacquer, wood oil, stains and even paint remover is quite flammable. The reason for this danger is the presence of substances like methyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, methanol and ketones. If you plan to use these sorts of paints, be mindful when you make use of them and also when you dispose of them.
Water-based. These sorts of paints include emulsions, chalk paints and some varieties of paint that are suitable for use on glass. The amount of water within these products is sufficient to make them safe from catching ablaze.
One notable quirk of water-based paints is that if you are in a pinch during a fire, those paints can be used to put the fire out, so long as said fire involves a solid object like a log or a plastic jug and is not originating from oil, animal grease or electricity.
If you are concerned about the flammability of your paint, you can look over the composition indicated on the side of the paint can. Most leading brands are aware of when their product may be a fire hazard and will go out of their way to state whether or not a given product will be flammable.
What Goes Into Making Paint?
Spray paints are composed of solvents, pigments and propellants, all of which can influence whether or not a given variety of paint is flammable based on their ratio. It makes senses that a paint’s risk of flammability rises as more flammable components are mixed into it.
A lot of house paints involve Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), allowing the liquid paint to evaporate more easily. Note that paint fumes, gasses and vapors can also be a bit of a hazard. As a safety measure when dealing with something volatile like a can of spray paint, please be mindful of the following measures.
- Never puncture the can.
- Keep away from heat sources when painting.
- Always read all of the labels and warnings before spraying the paint.
- Keep the paint stored away in a dry, cool area out of direct sunlight.
What About Dry Paint
Generally speaking, paint is mostly safe from fire when it has dried. At most, liquid acrylic paint may not be flammable but it dries into plastic polymer solids that are combustible but not flammable. When you apply spray or oil-based paint to a surface and allow it to dry and cure, the solvents evaporate, again resulting in a substance that is combustible but not flammable.
To clarify, “combustible” means that something can burn and flammable means that it can burn and result in a fast-growing, violent blaze.
How Long Do Spray Fumes Remain Flammable?
While you can swiftly and uniformly spray paint the surfaces of your home than with paint and a brush, aerosols have their own risks; the most notable of which would be the flammable chemical fumes from spraying the paint. As a general rule of thumb, you are at a risk of flammability if you can smell any paint fumes.
It is for these reasons that you should only use aerosol paints on the outside of your home or with a great deal of ventilation when doing it indoors.
While the exact amount of time it takes for the fumes to evaporate based on your chosen type of spray paint and the size of the room you painted, things should be safe after several hours’ time.
Should I Store My Paint Within a Dedicated Flammables Storage Container?
Temperature extremes can influence the quality and nature of your paint while you keep it in storage. If you keep your paint in an area with extremely high temperatures (anything above 80°F), there is a chance that the cans will actually explode due to the basic principles of thermal expansion. It is important to note that you should always abide by the OSHA/NFPA requirements if you are unsure of how to store your paints; water-based paint’s less volatile nature means that less is required of you when storing it-just keep it somewhere out of the way.
The ideal temperature range for storing house paint is anywhere between 55°F and 80°F. If you have any flammable paints, they need to be properly stored to professional standards, such as a dedicated cabinet for housing flammables. It should be noted that you only need a cabinet if you plan on storing a volume of paint greater than 25 gallons. If you are concerned about your spray paints or oil paints, feel free to keep them in a dedicated storage chamber; something as simple as a footlocker should suffice.
The Final Pass
Paint is a great way of adding color and style to your home but it requires proper care to avoid things like a fire. Know what you buy when in the market for house paint and what that paint’s components mean in terms of flammability. Be careful around oil and aerosolized paints but breathe easy if your paints are water-based.