How to Repaint a Room in a Day with Low-Odor, Zero-VOC Thrive

James Alexander Specialty Paints |

Repainting used to mean a weekend of fumes and a room you couldn't use. Thrive Natural Paint is zero-VOC, very low odor and ready for a second coat in 4 hours, so with a little planning you can repaint a room in a single day.

Zero VOC
Very low odor
1 hour
Dry to the touch
4 hours
Ready to recoat
360 sq ft
Per gallon, on average

The short version

  • Zero-VOC, very low odor, minimal preservatives.
  • Dry to the touch in 1 hour, ready to recoat in 4. Two coats is typical.
  • Prime new drywall and patches with Thrive Primer so the joint compound doesn't show through. Painted walls in good shape can skip it.
  • About 360 sq ft per gallon. A typical bedroom takes two gallons and a quart for two coats.
  • Keep fresh air moving while you paint and while it dries.

What's in it, and what isn't

VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are what give conventional paint its smell as it dries. Paint labeled "low VOC" can still contain up to 50 grams per liter, and "zero VOC" means under 5. Thrive is zero-VOC.

What's in it

A binder made from plant alcohol esters instead of petroleum, plus mineral fillers, water, titanium dioxide, cellulose, organic acids, castor oil, potassium silicate, and surfactants made from rapeseed.

What isn't

No ethylene or propylene glycol, APEs or formaldehyde.

A one-day room

Times are for a room around 77°F and 50% humidity. Cooler or more humid rooms take a little longer.

The day before
Fill nail holes. Then prime new drywall and any patches, including the holes you just filled, so the joint compound doesn't show through. Primer also helps cover a big color change. Use Thrive Primer. Painted walls in good shape can skip it.
8 a.m.
Move furniture to the middle, cover floors, tape trim, and open a window.
9 a.m.
First coat. Stir well, cut in the edges with a brush, then roll the walls.
1 p.m.
Second coat, 4 hours after the first.
2 p.m.
Dry to the touch. Pull the tape and start putting the room back.
Evening
Enjoy your new room. Keep a window cracked or a fan running for fresh air while the paint finishes drying.

Paint when the room is between 50°F and 90°F.

What you need

Thrive Natural Paint About 360 sq ft per gallon; quarts for small rooms and touch-ups
Thrive Natural Paint Primer Needed on new drywall and patches so joint compound doesn't show through; helps cover a big color change. About 300 sq ft per gallon
3/8" microfiber roller cover and 9" frame For smooth, even walls
2" angle brush For cutting in edges and trim lines
Tray, tape and a drop cloth Roller tray, paper drop cloth and painter's tape
2 gal + 1 qt
How much paint: measure each wall (width × height), add them up, and subtract doors and windows. A 12 × 14 ft bedroom with 8 ft ceilings has about 380 sq ft of wall after doors and windows, so two coats take just over two gallons.

Thrive can also be sprayed, and it cleans up with warm, soapy water. Don't let it freeze.

Nurseries and busy homes

Zero VOCs, minimal preservatives and a hypoallergenic formula are why many families choose Thrive for nurseries and kids' rooms. As with any paint, keep little ones and pets out of the room while you work and until the walls are dry, and keep fresh air coming in while it dries.

Looking after it

Thrive dries to a soft matte that's durable and washable. Once it has fully dried, clean marks gently with a soft cloth and mild soap and water.

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