AURO Paint Review (Tried & Tested in my Own Home)

When the Pandemic hit and I realised that I would be spending a LOT of time at home, I decided to refresh our townhouse with solely healthy, eco-friendly, non-toxic materials – right down to the paint. After a lengthy spell of research, I chose AURO natural paint and we had our place painted from top to toe: walls, ceilings and front door.

Here are my carefully considered, unbiased views on my experience with AURO natural paint:

AURO Paint: Pros & Cons

Pros

100% Natural (Plastic-Free) Ingredients
Premium Quality
Excellent Coverage
Wide Colour Range
Non-Toxic
Environmentally Friendly
Breathable
Wipeable
Vegan-Friendly
VOC Free (trace only)
Suitable for MI Allergy Sufferers (Check individual product details with your supplier)

Cons

Mid-High Price (same price point as comparable high quality non-natural paints)
Packaged in plastic buckets
Not quite as durable as plastic paint (but still wipeable)

What are the Ingredients of AURO Paint?

AURO Paint is made from 100% natural ingredients from renewable plant and mineral sources that are extracted and processed as gently as possible. Unlike conventional paints, AURO natural paint contains no plastic, petrochemical-based substances or any other harmful ingredients.

The natural make-up of AURO paint also means that that AURO paint is actually compostable. You can also wash it down the drain guilt-free as it contains no micro-plastics or ingredients that could cause harm to our aquatic life.

‘Normal’ plastic-based decorative paints (acrylic, vinyl, PVC paints found in most stores) are made from synthetic materials. These include petro-chemical plastic substances. They emit harmful VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) during and for quite a long time after application. VOCs are invisible gases released into the air and are extremely harmful to human health when you breathe them in.

As AURO paint is naturally derived, it is almost VOC-free (only trace levels are emitted) and is, therefore, a much better choice for any health-conscious individual or family.

The ingredients of AURO paint was a very important consideration for me, especially during a time where I have been spending much more time working from home. I wanted to be surrounded by toxin-free finishes and feel confident that I was not inhaling harmful chemicals for hours-on-end each day.

AURO Paint Colour Range

AURO has a wide range of colours with their interior decorative paint available in nearly 800 shades. If your desired colour is not on the standard colour chart, the AURO distributors can generally produce any shade with their tinting machine.

There is a particularly good range of whites and off-whites, as well as a full palette of colour tone variations. For my home (The Rustic Townhouse), I chose the following colours:

Interior Wall Paint: AURO 555. Colour: ‘White Smoke’ (A cool off-white colour)
Ceiling Paint: AURO 321. Colour: ‘White’
Subtle Feature Areas such as the Window Recesses: AURO 555. Colour: ‘Havana Cigar 25’ P1. (A warm off-white colour)
Front Door: AURO Satin Paint 517. Colour: ‘Romantic Rose’

Is AURO Paint Truly Non-Toxic, Eco-Friendly and Plastic-Free?

Made from completely natural, healthy materials, AURO paint is very much a non-toxic, eco-friendly and plastic-free product. AURO’s environmental declaration details its dedication to sustainability throughout all stages including the raw material extraction, energy use in production and the transportation of the finished products.

After lengthy research into the environmental impact of various paint brands, I can confidently say that AURO paint is one of the leaders for truly healthy and sustainable paints worldwide. This was the main reason I chose AURO.

While the paint itself and the AURO production processes are environmentally friendly, it is worth noting that the paint buckets are made from virgin plastic. I questioned this with the manufacturer and they responded to say the buckets are not from recycled material because they are not useable for the shaker machine but hopefully in the near future this will change.

AURO Coverage & Drying Times: How Does it Compare to ‘Normal’ Plastic Paint?

AURO interior wall & ceiling paints have a coverage of 9m² stated on their products. In actuality, this is a conservative figure and coverage is more than 9m² . For surfaces have previously been painted with plastic-based paint, coverage appears to be higher. Drying times are comparable to or in some cases quicker than ‘normal’ plastic paint.

Our decorator was surprised at the excellent coverage of the AURO paint. He calculated the amount of paint we would need based on experience with ‘normal’ paint and we ended up having almost a full 10 litre bucket of wall paint and about 5-6 litres of ceiling paint left over. (I had ordered 30 litres of wall paint and 20 litres of ceiling paint for a two-bed townhouse based on our decorator’s advice).

Our walls were previously painted in ‘normal’ plastic paint about six years ago and so we painted the natural paint on top of that. If you were painting freshly plastered walls, I am unsure if more of the paint would soak into the walls meaning the extent of coverage might not be the same as my experience.

Our decorator was also pleasantly surprised at the drying time of AURO paint as it was shorter than ‘normal’ paint, in his experience.

Is AURO Paint Wipeable?

While AURO paint has a matt finish, it is wipeable. Marks do show up on the light paint colours, as they would on ‘normal’ plastic paint, but a rub with a damp cloth removes them quite easily. Once dampened, the paint becomes almost chalky and the dirt comes away along with a small bit of chalky residue.

There has been only one occasion where I had to freshen up an area with a new lick of paint: We had an unfortunate accident with a cafetiere (coffee maker) exploding on the hob and a blast of coffee burst out at force splattering the floor, backsplash, walls & ceiling!

Overall, the walls & ceiling cleaned up very well with a damp cloth. However, some areas were hit particularly badly and seemed to stain so some fresh paint was the only way to bring it back to its full glory. In fairness, though, this is probably a very extreme example (!!) and I would say for normal day to day wear and tear, the AURO paint is very much wipeable!

Is AURO Paint a Healthy Choice for a Nursery or Child’s Bedroom?

As AURO paint is natural and non-toxic, it is one of the best and healthiest choices for a nursery or child’s bedroom. Unlike conventional decorative (non-natural) paint, AURO paint does not emit harmful VOC gases, and so maintains excellent air quality for your baby to breathe in.

Did you know: AURO was the paint of choice for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s nursery as they wanted to create a completely non-toxic room for their baby.

If you would like to delve deeper on this topic, have a look at this post all about healthy, sustainable (and cute!) nursery decor ideas.

Is AURO Paint Worth the Price?

AURO paint is a premium quality product in the mid to high-end price bracket. The higher price reflects the premium, food-grade ingredients and the sustainable manufacturing processes involved in producing natural paint. AURO paint is worth the price as it is healthy, non-toxic and environmentally friendly.

Personally, I would say that AURO paint is worth every cent. To me, creating a home with non-toxic finishes can hugely benefit your health. The price of AURO paint is comparable to the price of high quality ‘normal’ paints.

Where Can You Buy AURO Natural Paint?

AURO paint is German-made and is available across Europe, the UK, the US and parts of Asia via various distributors.

If you wish to source natural paint outside of these zones, search for a natural paint provider that fully declares all of its ingredients is 100% plastic-free and has sustainable manufacturing processes.

If purchasing in Ireland, see this page for my discount code.

The Final Word: Would I Recommend AURO Paint?

I would most definitely recommend AURO natural paint without hesitation. Its natural, non-toxic, plastic-free and eco-friendly properties were exactly what I was looking for in a paint. The coverage and performance of it have been excellent.

While the price point is a consideration, bear in mind the huge proportion of the surfaces in our homes that are covered in paint (most walls & ceilings) – This makes it one of the most important decisions you will make when creating a healthy, non-toxic home environment.

If you would like to know more about the difference between natural paint and ‘conventional’ paint – have a look at this post.