In which Felicia interviews Michiel Brouns of Brouns & Co., who got his start in restoring historical buildings. We talk all about the sustainability of all-natural boiled linseed oil paint: how it polymerizes, that it is derived from flax seeds, and how it is biodegradable in the environment, so it makes no toxic microplastics. The paint requires nothing to dilute it, no solvents, so it contains only trace natural volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The pigments are non-toxic minerals, oxides like iron and zinc. Even though the cost is higher per can of paint, you apply it in very thin coats and it soaks into the wood, protecting it for the long term, without trapping moisture that causes wood to rot when painted with modern synthetic polymer paint. Linseed paint has protected buildings for thousands of years, so it is really quite inexpensive in the long run. Host–Felicia Etzkorn, Professor Emerita of Chemistry at Virginia Tech, with music by Wendy Godley of The Kind.

References:

Linseed Paint &Oil – A Practical Guide to the Traditional Production and Application by Michiel Brouns, The Crowood Press © Michiel Brouns 2023