Every parent wants to have a beautiful crib and furniture in their baby’s nursery. Paint adds individuality and elegance to every item, so you should invest in it. Unfortunately, most paints contain harmful components such as formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These components may cause allergy-related conditions such as asthma in your baby. So, opt for baby-safe paints for cribs and other furniture in your baby’s nursery.
Top 4 Best Baby Safe Paint For Cribs – Comparison
9 Best Baby Safe Paints for Cribs
Rust-Oleum ultra matte interior chalk paint
Rust-Oleum is a nontoxic and low-odor paint with a latex formula. It can be washed off easily with soap and water while still wet. Rust-Oleum paint dries quickly, within 30 minutes, and requires little preparation.
It has perfect adhesion and easy application to different materials and surfaces like wood, metal, canvas, and ceramic providing an ultra-matte, velvety smooth finish. One can paints an area of 150 sq ft and one coat coverage speeds up your project. You can gently rub the painted surfaces with a sanding sponge or sandpaper for outstanding results.
Retique It chalk furniture paint
Retique It Chalk Furniture is completely non-toxic paint and safe to use indoors. It is hypoallergenic with low odor and ultra-low VOC. The paint dries within 30 minutes, giving a silky chalky smooth finish. The paint is eco-friendly and easy to wash off with soap and water.
Retique It Paint is designed particularly for furniture, cabinets, and home décor, but you also use it for craft and art projects. The paint is available in various colors, so you can easily find the perfect shade for your baby crib. Although no sanding or priming is needed before application, the paint offers flawless and even coverage with 1 to 2 coats.
FolkArt home décor chalk furniture and craft paint
FolkArt paint requires little surface preparation and is easy to use. You can apply a top layer and sand it to obtain a vintage look. The paint has a deep, highly pigmented color that gives a lasting beauty to your baby’s crib and covers surface imperfections.
This non-toxic, zero VOC, water-based paint gives an excellent finish. It is perfect for various surfaces, including wood, metal, ceramic, plaster, canvas, and terracotta. The paint dries quickly, so multiple coats won’t take long at all.
Old Fashioned Milk Paint
Old Fashioned Milk Paint is the best baby-safe paint for baby furniture, nurseries, and toys. It is a non-toxic and zero VOC paint made from earth pigments to give you a unique antique finish. It comes in 20 colors and doesn’t chip or fade on surfaces applied.
The paint comes in dry powder form, giving you total control of the thickness for various uses. To use the paint, you add water according to the kind of coverage you require. The paint is eco-friendly and is safe to use indoors, even if you are allergic to modern paints.
Shabby Chic furniture chalk paint
Shabby Chic is a chalk-based furniture paint formulated to produce distressed vintage styles. It is a non-toxic, water-based, and child-safe paint for painting cribs and furniture inside the house. The chalk-based paint comes in 37 colors with matte and metallic finishes.
The paint is perfect for painting multiple surfaces, including wood, metal, stone, brick, plastic, and plaster. Its adherence to wood makes it the best paint for painting your baby’s crib and other baby furniture.
It is easy to use and redecorate dressers, cribs, and other furniture without using a primer or undercoat. Two coats are enough, but you may apply three if necessary.
Rust-Oleum chalked spray paint
Rust-Oleum Spray Paint is one of the best baby-safe paints for a crib on the market. You can spray the crib-safe paint to refurbish your baby furniture, giving it a vintage look. You can also spray it on various surfaces such as wood, glass, ceramic, furniture, metal, and canvas.
The spray paint is completely non-toxic and safe to spray on your baby’s furniture as it poses no harm. It comes in various colors that are appealing to you and your baby and one coat is dry within 20 minutes. The spray paint has an oil-based formula and covers up to twelve sq ft per can.
Country Chic paint
Country Chic Paint is eco-friendly and safe with low odor. It has ultra-low VOC and is free from harsh chemicals such as formaldehyde, heavy metals, phthalates, or solvents. The paint is safe-certified by the European Toy Safe Standards. Thus, it is one of the best baby-safe paints for painting a crib and baby furniture.
Designed for furniture and home décor, you can also use it for craft and art projects with impressive results. It has incredible coverage on various surfaces such as wood, metal, and glass, and you only need a few coats.
It is ideal for painting interior and exterior surfaces with fantastic durability. The only preparation you need to do before painting is cleaning. It dries in 30 minutes, giving a chalky matte finish. It is an all-in-one paint with a built-in primer and a topcoat, it doesn’t require priming or waxing and comes in a range of distinct colors, one to suit everyone’s taste.
Hemway chalk based furniture paint
Hemway furniture paint is water-based and odorless. It is the best paint on the market made from the best raw materials. It has outstanding coverage in one coat and can be applied without sanding or priming. You can paint directly onto surfaces for a smooth flat-touch finish or using masking tape or stencils to make shapes.
One liter of chalk furniture paint covers 161 sq ft and it takes two hours to dry per coat. You can use it around the house since it works well on furniture, wall, bricks, plaster, stone, and metal.
The paint is easy to use, giving a delightful matt finish to all your furniture, including cribs. It is 100% guaranteed for your satisfaction; you can return it for a refund if you’re unsatisfied.
Long Legacy Paint
Legacy paint is safe for indoor use as it is low odor, and contains no harsh chemicals. It is simple to use, dries fast, and covers in 1 to 2 coats. It gives a matte chalk finish, for a timeless look in any nursery. You can use it for furniture such as a crib, dresser, cabinet, and other surfaces such as wood, concrete, glass, plastics, and even cotton.
Requiring very little preparation, simply cleaning and drying the surface. The paint allows great creativity as you can overlay and distress it after painting. You can use a paintbrush, paint sprayer, or paint roller for application.
What are Baby Safe Paints?
Baby safe paints do not contain elements that could harm a child through their everyday use. They are non-toxic paints that are odorless or very low odor.
Why You Should Paint a Crib with Baby Safe Paint
It is best to use baby-safe paints since your baby will spend a lot of time in their crib in the first few years of life. Painting a crib can add that extra something to your nursery. You may want to paint the crib to match the nursery theme or home decor. Whether you are painting an older crib passed down from siblings or a brand new one, using baby-safe paint is essential.
Categories of Baby Safe Paint
There two primary types of paint; solvent-based and water-based.
Water-based Paint
Water-based paints use water as a binder; they are acrylic and latex paints. Water-based paints are nontoxic and lead-free. They are easier to use and dry more quickly.
Solvent-Based Paint
Solvent-based paints use mineral spirit or thinner as a binder. They can be classified as natural paint and zero VOCs.
Natural Paint
Natural paints are made only from natural ingredients such as chalk, soy oils, linseed, citrus, casein, plant pigments, and clay. The eco-friendly/natural paints are milk paint, plant-based paint, and recycled paint. They are completely non-toxic and do not release VOCs.
Zero-VOC Paint
Zero-VOC paints are a safer option than other popular paints due to their limited VOC content. They contain 5 g/l VOCs, which is significantly lower than 50 g/l VOCs in low-VOC paint and 150 g/l VOCs in conventional paint. Zero-VOC is an excellent choice for baby cribs and nurseries
Factors to Consider in Choosing the Best Baby Safe Paints
Safety
When searching for the best paint for your baby’s crib, safety should be a priority. Choose non-toxic and VOC-free water-based paints to avoid health complications for your baby. Various water-based paints are labeled nontoxic but contain preservatives for bacterial inhibition.
These preservatives have traces of VOC, it is recommended to pick paints with less than 0.3% VOC. It’s also preferable to use paint that doesn’t need a primer, as there will be fewer chemicals.
Ease of Use
Opt for a paint that is easy to apply, whether this is with a brush roller or as a spray.
Matching
Choose a paint that coordinates with the nursery’s décor.
Antimicrobial Properties
You can buy paint with antimicrobial agents to help you steer clear of mold or mildew.
Making the Most Out of Your Baby Safe Paint
Buy enough of the paint for your project to avoid wastage. You can buy a color that matches or coordinates with the other nursery items for a simple but classic appearance. Apply paint as indicated by the manufacturer using the correct painting tools.
How to Paint a Crib
- Use a damp cloth to clean the crib’s surfaces and allow them to dry.
- Before applying new paint, remove the old layer with sandpaper.
- Apply a primer for an additional grip for the paint.
- Use differently sized brushes to cover all surfaces, including the corners.
- Apply the first coat, then wait for a few hours to dry. If you use the best baby-safe paint, one coat is enough, but you can apply a second coat for a deeper color.
- Allow the paint to dry as indicated by its manufacturer—Air the nursery for two days with open windows.
Precautions to Take When Painting a Crib
- Open the nursery windows before you begin painting; keep them open as you paint and for several days after. You can also use an air purifier.
- Wear clothes that cover your skin and put on a face mask.
- Paint the crib early and air it before your baby’s arrival.
- Avoid painting if you’re pregnant, and let someone else help you out.
- Check labels on paints and opt for those with no VOCs or less than five g/l of VOCs. Alternatively, you can use natural paints.
- Although baby-safe paints dry within 30 minutes or a few hours, it is best to wait two to three weeks before placing your baby in the crib.
Bottom Line
Baby safe paints are readily available on the market. However, check the contents on the labels as some could contain preservatives with harmful elements. The best baby-safe paint for a crib is non-toxic, natural or water-based, and has no VOCs or harsh chemicals.
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