Fresh paint smells strong and can give you a headache. Much of that smell comes from volatile organic compounds, VOCs. European law caps them in paints, and the cap must be written on the tin. This guide explains what VOCs are, which limits apply, how to read the label and what to do at home to breathe better during and after painting. Choosing a paint for each room is covered in which paint for each room.
Updated 4 November 2026. General information; it does not replace a technician’s assessment or your doctor’s advice.
The essentials
- In EU law, VOCs are organic compounds that boil at 250 °C or below. In practice they are solvents that leave the paint and enter the air as it dries.
- Directive 2004/42/EC sets the maximum VOC content in g/L of ready-to-use product. In Portugal it applies through Decreto-Lei 181/2006 (Decree-Law 181/2006).
- Since 1 January 2010, a water-based matt interior wall paint may contain at most 30 g/L and a glossy one 100 g/L.
- The label must show the subcategory, the limit and the product’s maximum VOC content.
- Water-based paint also releases VOCs. Fewer, but some. You still need to ventilate.
What VOCs are
The Directive defines a VOC as any organic compound with an initial boiling point of 250 °C or less at standard pressure.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists paints among household sources of VOCs. It names possible effects: eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches and nausea. It also says many VOCs are found indoors at levels up to ten times higher than outdoors.
DECO PROTESTE (the Portuguese consumer body) makes the point that surprises many people: water-based paints also contain solvents that emit VOCs. They emit less than solvent-based ones, and matt finishes less than glossy ones.
The legal limits
The table follows Annex II, table A of the Directive as published in 2004. Values are in g/L of ready-to-use product, phase II (from 1 January 2010). WB is water-based, SB is solvent-based.
| Subcategory | WB | SB |
|---|---|---|
| a. Interior matt walls and ceilings (gloss below 25 at 60°) | 30 | 30 |
| b. Interior glossy walls and ceilings | 100 | 100 |
| c. Exterior walls of mineral substrate | 40 | 430 |
| d. Trim and cladding paints for wood and metal | 130 | 300 |
| e. Finishing varnishes and woodstains | 130 | 400 |
| g. Primers | 30 | 350 |
| h. Binding primers | 30 | 750 |
There are more subcategories (thin-build woodstains, two-pack coatings, decorative effects) that rarely come up in ordinary home painting.
Two useful readings. For a matt interior wall the limit is 30 g/L whether the paint is water- or solvent-based. And solvent-based enamels and varnishes may reach 300 or 400 g/L: if you are painting a door, a wardrobe or a radiator, expect a stronger smell and put more weight on ventilation.
Decreto-Lei 181/2006 transposes the Directive. According to the summary on the Diário da República (the official gazette), a product may be sold only if it meets the Annex II limits and the labelling rules in article 4. It was amended in 2010 and 2012 (the latter updated test methods). We could not open the full text, so we do not quote fines or the enforcing authority.
How to read the label
Article 4 of the Directive requires the label to show the subcategory and its limit, and the maximum VOC content of the ready-to-use product in g/L.
On Barbot’s data sheet for its interior matt emulsion 1943 (rev. 02, 18 November 2024), the line says: EU limit for category A/a, 30 g/L (2010), and the product contains at most 4 g/L. Read it this way: the legal limit is 30 and this paint is at 4.
Three cautions:
- The figure is for the product ready to apply. The same sheet says it includes tinting and thinning done with the brand’s own products. Add something else and the figure may change.
- Compare within the same subcategory. A matt paint at 12 g/L and an enamel at 90 g/L are not comparable.
- Lower VOC does not mean no smell. The figure is a mass per litre of paint. It does not measure what you breathe in the room.
The EU Ecolabel
Commission Decision 2014/312/EU sets the criteria for the EU Ecolabel for paints and varnishes. In the consolidated version of 7 April 2020, VOC limits (including water) sit well below the legal ones:
| Product | Legal limit (WB) | EU Ecolabel |
|---|---|---|
| Interior matt wall | 30 g/L | 10 g/L |
| Interior glossy wall | 100 g/L | 40 g/L |
| Primers | 30 g/L | 15 g/L |
| Wood and metal | 130 g/L | 80 g/L |
The Decision also sets limits for semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), which the law does not. A product meeting the table may show “reduced VOC content” and the g/L figure next to the symbol. We could not confirm that this is still the criterion in force in 2026.
Ventilation during and after painting
No source we read gives one exact time for every home. What they say:
- DECO PROTESTE says to keep doors and windows wide open while painting and for some time afterwards. After eight days, emissions fall considerably.
- The EPA recommends extra ventilation whenever you use products that release VOCs, and not keeping opened tins in the home. Buy only what you will use. For leftovers see paint waste and tins.
A practical routine:
- Work out the quantity so there are no leftovers: calculator and how much paint do I need.
- Open windows on opposite sides for a through draught. See bedroom condensation and ventilation.
- Close the tins whenever you stop.
- After painting, keep airing for the following days and avoid sleeping in the room while the smell is strong.
- In cold or rain with windows shut, VOCs stay in the home and the paint dries more slowly: see best time of year to paint.
One warning: airing heavily on a humid winter day can bring moisture to the wall. Keep windows open while painting and afterwards air in short, frequent bursts.
Pregnancy, children and sensitive people
We found no DGS (Portuguese health directorate) or SNS 24 document on painting at home while pregnant. We read the MotherToBaby fact sheet (North American information, 1 February 2023):
- Painting at home with precautions probably means low exposure and does not appear to raise pregnancy risks.
- Ideally someone else does the job. If you paint, ventilate well, wear gloves and clothes that cover the skin, and wash your hands afterwards.
- Afterwards, ventilate the room for another 2 to 3 days and avoid spending long in it.
- Do not scrape or sand old paint, which may contain lead: old paint, lead and sanding.
- Some studies suggest a small possible increase in risk with solvents, mostly with workplace exposure, and others do not. The sheet says it is not known.
For your own case, ask your doctor or SNS 24. On children, the only sourced advice we found was to keep paints and thinners closed and out of reach (DECO PROTESTE). If you get headaches, nausea or irritation, leave the room and ventilate. A smell that persists weeks after painting may have another cause: musty smell in the home. On paint types, see emulsion, acrylic and enamel paints.
What we could not confirm
- The full text of Decreto-Lei 181/2006, with fines and enforcing authority. The Diário da República page did not open.
- Whether Annex II of the Directive changed after 2004. We read the Official Journal version. The guide which paint for each room cites the 2021 consolidated version with the same 30 and 100 g/L.
- DGS or SNS 24 guidance on painting while pregnant or with children.
- How long the smell takes to go. DECO PROTESTE’s eight days is not a guarantee.
- Whether the 2020 Ecolabel criteria are still in force.
- Whether a low-VOC paint is better for health. We found no official study.
Sources (read on 4 November 2026)
- European Parliament and Council, Directive 2004/42/EC, 21 April 2004, English text of the Official Journal of 30.4.2004 (articles 2 to 4, Annex II table A). The Portuguese text on EUR-Lex would not open.
- Diário da República, Decreto-Lei 181/2006 and Decreto-Lei 180/2012: cited through search summaries, not read directly.
- European Commission, Decision 2014/312/EU, consolidated version of 7 April 2020 (criterion 4, table 3).
- Barbot, data sheet 1943 Tinta Plástica Mate Interior, 18/11/2024, rev. 02 (VOC line and note).
- DECO PROTESTE, Tintas de água para interior: guia de compras e conselhos de utilização, 1 February 2023.
- U.S. EPA, Volatile Organic Compounds’ Impact on Indoor Air Quality (sources, effects, ventilation, storage).
- MotherToBaby, La pintura, 1 February 2023 (Spanish version).