Toddler safe paint?

[IPT]

Hey guys and gals - would like to paint a wooden fish that I am sure will end up in my new born daughters mouth. Are you aware of any type of paint and or seal coat I can use? Solid colors would be a start, but would love something I could spray through an AB to make something more creative.

 

[basepaint]

I wouldn't take the risk myself

 

[Ronald art]

strong paints / clears all have solvents of some sort in them , I would not risk it either

 

[JackEb]

Food dye would be the obvious choice but there would be no sealer.
I'd opt for a painting for the wall.... much safer. Wait till she's a little older then airbrush her a jewelry box

 

[IPT]

Yeah this is just going to be various homemade wood jig saw puzzles. These things come painted all the time. Surely there is a way. I mean they paint the wooden crib rails and kids gnaw on those all the time.

Food dye is an option. Others say milk paint, and yet others say since lead is no longer put in paint all paint is non-toxic once cured.

 

[JackEb]

there are 'water based' varnishes available, you could use that I suppose. A lot of the pre painted stuff can be nasty, its just the amount that kids would ingest is negligible. There are some stunning colours available for food safe dyes - don't assume that its only what you can find in the supermarket aisle.
google cake airbrushing and a whole new world will open up. Being a dye, your biggest problem would be 'bleeding' in the timber, paint will sit on top, but the dye will absorb into the timber..

This site may give you some ideas
http://www.paintwoodentoys.com/

 

[IPT]

Thanks Jack. I saw that site the other night but will really have to dig deeper into it.

 

[RebelAir]

Yer came across that same site, prob a good read for ya, also some info on Milk based paint coated with beeswax as a finish here..http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/finishes-for-wood.html there are products out there that are baby safe, or as safe as it gets paintwise. lastability/durability and such, application through an airbrush though wouldn't have a clue..

 

[BrianPaints]

E'tac airbrush paints are certified non-toxic across their whole line. I would contact them, explain what you're planning, and see what they say. Their customer service and knowledge are the best of any company I've worked with, bar none.

 

[RebelAir]

All the certification means is they have clearly labelled any direct concerns on the label or packaging..IE Was eyes with water if paint goes in them. The certification system is a bit misleading..to conform to a non toxic labelling is pretty easy as is to bend those rules..Saying 100% non-toxic isn't saying 100% safe, not even 100% natural will be good for all, who knows the poor kidlet could be allergic to bees or cows milk and the 100% natural also does some harm but if you look into any Airbrush Paints MSDS's all suggest to take precaution with the product. Inhalation especially of any foreign body isnt a good thing, but more about eating it in this post.. All have first aid info about inhalation, poisoning, skin exposure etc included. Many certifications are based on "general use" descriptions and if eating the product is not a general use, such toxicity may not have been thoroughly checked but conforms to the rules of non-toxic certification anyway as they label the known risks..Tis a bit dodgy and not saying etac isnt safe, love that fruity smell but it does use co polymer acrylic binders, am pretty sure it wasn't meant for a little one to suck on too much..May not kill the child but doubt it'd be good..Ya gotta remember they are small buggers, reduced immune system and faster metabolism..Wouldn't want my kind sucking on any painted product unless I knew what it was made from 100% and try to find an ingredient list to art supply's..good luck LOL, only doctors can access those.For good reason LOL..

 

[BrianPaints]

That's why I didn't say it was 100% safe, I suggested contacting them directly.
I only use E'tac on maybe half my projects, if even that, so I'm not playing spokesperson here. BUT, I have been using it, and have dealt with Bill Edwards for just shy of 7 or 8 years now, and he's an honest guy. I also don't know anyone, at any company, that knows more about paint than he does.
If it were me, I would ask Bill, and I would trust his answer. I'm just giving the OP the advice of what I would do. However, I should warn that if you call Bill, plan on clearing your afternoon. He's a friendly guy. Lol.

 

[IPT]

Sent an email to Etac.

Man, what a topic. Plenty of information and some it's misleading, or sneaky in a way, as noted. On ingesting and the MSDS sheets, these are all (I think) taken into account for the product it's raw, as received, and used state. Acrylic paint is (if I understand it correct) essentially plastic. Not that I would do it, but I am pretty sure I could eat a tiny piece of acrylic/plastic and have no ill effect at all. It should be inert and pass right through me.

This is going to require more reading. That being said, since there are painted wood products and toys mass marketed all over the place there has got to be some safe solution! In fact all the furniture in my house has some sort of finish on it. I doubt if my kids licks it, they are going to fall ill. Heck it wouldn't surprise me at some point to see my kid gnawing on the coffee able leg. It would last long but these things happen quick. Obviously we're all here and survived. Anything I do, if I do anything now, will be used with supervision from an adult. These will be puzzles for problem solving and spatial awareness so colors will be required. If it ever gets to their mouth at all, it won't be there long! Somehow I think in the grand scheme of things there are more dangers lurking outside my front door than my kid licking a piece of wood wood with a fully cured coat of paint on it.

I am curious to see where my research takes me.

 

[IPT]

Maybe I can use any acrylic paint and just seal it with the Zin Clear Shellac.

From their technical data sheet (attached): "Note: When dry Bulls Eye Shellac is non-toxic and hypoallergenic, making it ideal for children’s toys, craft items and furniture."

However, in it's raw form there are warnings all over about keeping it away from children. It seems quite dangerous. Like so many things in life it is all about the context and details.

 

[IPT]

LOL. to typing late at night. When I mentioned eating the acrylic paint I wasn't referring to out of the bottle. That would be dangerous, maybe. The issue is assuming no toxic material is used in the paint itself (like titanium metals for white, or the metal for metallics), it really seems to be the carrier or additive that makes the paint dangerous. For example solvent paint is a lot more toxic before it cures. Once it's cured, and solvent has evaporated it is a very different product.

 

[IPT]

Seems like to do about nothing. I've found stuff on Rust-oleum's page: http://makeityours.co.uk/inspiration/painting-childrens-toys/ and there is also a page about sealing kids toys on Rocklers page: http://www.rockler.com/how-to/seal-toy-project-shellac-paste-wax-acrylic-paint/. Since the Rockler page is more in line with my plan I think i will go that route. Not 100% sure what base coat I'll use yet, but it appears once it's sealed in it doesn't really matter. Certainly wouldn't hurt to try and start with a non-toxic certified paint though. An added layer of safety.

 

[RebelAir]

That's why I didn't say it was 100% safe, I suggested contacting them directly.
I only use E'tac on maybe half my projects, if even that, so I'm not playing spokesperson here. BUT, I have been using it, and have dealt with Bill Edwards for just shy of 7 or 8 years now, and he's an honest guy. I also don't know anyone, at any company, that knows more about paint than he does.
If it were me, I would ask Bill, and I would trust his answer. I'm just giving the OP the advice of what I would do. However, I should warn that if you call Bill, plan on clearing your afternoon. He's a friendly guy. Lol.

Couldn't agree more, Bills an awesome guy and etacs a great product for airbrushing, but I trust my understanding or my own research or concerns for my kids over anothers say so (how ever nice they are LOL) and we all have to make that personal choice, thus good to educate yourself as much as possible on any health risk of any paint Was just stating that its pretty easy to get that certification you mention..The problem I'm trying to point out is the same we all face as our kids do..Test rats for products that we truly don't know the harm off, without comprehensive study its hard to know such potential harm but I say it as only potential..With the amount of cancers and general illness in the world (especially the increased rate of childhood cancers), lots of this simply comes down to what we ingest or inhale..Well I believe so anyway Things that have been consumed for century's most likely have a better chance at no harm..Still may be damaging to some but surely safer than chemical concoctions we don't know the ingredients off..

LOL. to typing late at night. When I mentioned eating the acrylic paint I wasn't referring to out of the bottle. That would be dangerous, maybe. The issue is assuming no toxic material is used in the paint itself (like titanium metals for white, or the metal for metallics), it really seems to be the carrier or additive that makes the paint dangerous. For example solvent paint is a lot more toxic before it cures. Once it's cured, and solvent has evaporated it is a very different product.

A lot of the heavy metals and such known toxins have been removed from art supplys for years, some ranges may still contain such but most is now synthesised and I doubt that synthesised element has had a lot of true health testing..It for me is more about the binders, lots of paints have organic binders which I'd be looking more towards, such as water colors, simple gum arabic as a binder..The recipe I posted is simply milk and bee's wax..Seen others with watercolor being used and also some food dyed..eating plastic is probably OK in small amounts @IPT but with what it is made from I'd still have concerns, a lick here or there on solid plastic likely will cause few ill effects, even a little knawing but paint is different to coloured plastics, paint wears, chips etc and could cause issues further down the track we are unaware off..Plastic essentially comes from oil and I doubt you'd drink that LOL..But again whats safe for an adult, exposure wise and for a baby are two different worlds..I'd simply see what wooden toy makers have been using for century's and go with a similar concoction..Best of luck in your research..

 

[IPT]

.I'd simply see what wooden toy makers have been using for century's and go with a similar concoction..Best of luck in your research..

Thank you sir, I'll keep you updated. So far it's looking like some sort of acrylic water based paint.

 

[IPT]

Here was a real interesting read by a very knowledgeable person in the woodworking and finishing industry.

http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/finishing/articles_497a.shtml

 

[RebelAir]

It was an interesting read, bit from both sides, also though some concerning statements imo, but does seem more based on wood finishes rather than paint finishes and an interesting quote from it..

"Note that the USDA does express a residual concern about finishes that chip"

What conclusion did you draw from it?

 

[IPT]

It was an interesting read, bit from both sides, also though some concerning statements imo, but does seem more based on wood finishes rather than paint finishes and an interesting quote from it..

"Note that the USDA does express a residual concern about finishes that chip"

What conclusion did you draw from it?

Good question. Maybe I am being a little lax about this, but, I am getting the feeling there is a lot of concerns about something of little danger. Seems to me most of the dangers are in the paint in its uncured form (not including metallic and paint with known metal additives). If there were truly a great risk, you wouldn’t see painted items for toddlers. If not a great risk, does that mean there is then a small risk then? Maybe, but unlikely in my opinion. In this litigious age I would think if there were issues related to this procedure/product that law suits would have been in abundance and manufactures would have stopped the process long ago.

For a large company to specify in their materials that the product in its dried state is non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and ideal for kids toys and furniture is bold. A large company would not ever document something so clearly and obviously without having tested that first. Rockler is also another large company around for many years. For them to advise not only a specific product, but several of them specifically for toys is huge.

I think one just needs to be responsible in it’s use. I’m not sure I would paint my kids wooden pacifier and let them chew and suck on it all day. I am however starting to feel quite comfortable painting a toy that will be used under my supervision. As an added precaution I will also monitor it for wear and chipping. That’s my thought as of now at least. Still looking to read and learn a little more.

Oh, and yes that was about wood finishes. For these projects I would not be using the 2 part clear so it would be a wood paint product for sealing.