Frequently Asked Questions

As a 100% recycled product, the ever increasing cost of raw materials used to produce a virgin paint does not affect the cost of production for ecocoat. Stewardship programs also pay for the collection, transportation, and part of the processing of post-consumer paints, which helps to reduce the cost of recyled paint.

By the time post-consumer paint arrives at CEL, some water has evaporated from the virgin product, leaving behind pigments, binders and resins such as acrylic - all of which are the quality ingredients of premium paints. This is why ecocoat is a heavy-bodied paint and covers so well. Futhermore, many of the water-based paints that go in to ecocoat are of the highest quality, so the best ingredients for superior resins, binders and feature additives are included in ecocoat.

Whatever you would normally paint with any virgin low-lustre latex paint, you can use ecocoat on. There are some applications that ecocoat is not recommended on, like walked-on surfaces or direct-to-metal applications. ecocoat is produced in only 14 colours; so, colour selection is limited and mixing ecocoat colours together to create secondary colours should be left up to the customer. Minor colour differences from, one batch to the next may happen; so, always purchase enough of one colour from the same batch to finish their entire project.

To ensure proper adhesion of ecocoat paint, you must be sure the surface is properly prepared. On bare drywall, stucco, block or vertical concrete, ensure the surface is clear of dust and other contaminents. On previously painted drywall, wood, or another properly primed surface, repair any holes or other deficiencies, soft sand surfaces to be painted and ensure the surface is clean and clear of dust and other contaminents, then paint as you would with any other quality latex paint (use a brush, roller or sprayer).

. Lightly sand and clean all surfaces prior to painting
. Stir your paint thoroughly prior to, and during use.
. Purchase sufficient paint from the same batch (see label on pail).
. Touch ups are not recommended when using the same colour from a different batch.  Instead,  paint the whole wall from corner to corner to minimize any noticeable difference with previously painted surfaces.

ecocoat paint is well suited for residential, commercial, or light industrial applications where you would normally use a low-lustre latex paint. It performs best on vertical masonry, drywall, stucco, block, primed wood, and over other substrates that have been previously painted with low-sheen paint; but, ecocoat can be used anywhere virgin, low sheen acrylic latex would be used. Do not use ecocoat for any application where you would not normally use a typical low-lustre latex paint.

Given similar conditions, a litre of ecocoat paint should cover a similar area to a litre of premium quality latex paint. For an estimate of how much surface ecocoat paint will cover, we provide a chart in our colour brochure and on our website that shows approximately how many square feet each pail of ecocoat paint should cover.

18.9 litres is equivalent to a 5 US gallon pail, suitable for use on larger jobs. When ecocoat went looking for a smaller pail geared more for retail use, research showed an average room in an average home required 2.5 gallons of paint (9.5 litres) in order to cover the walls twice. Our pail supplier produces an 11 litre pail that we label as 10 litres, which should be adequate for most average 12'x12' rooms. For some of our colours considered to be more of a highlight colour and in response to customer requests for smaller projects, we have begun to package ecocoat into a standard 3.78 litre (1 US gallon) can.

The large size, 18.9L is for the larger jobs like exterior projects. Research showed that an average room takes roughly 10L to cover all 4 walls with 2 coats and that is why we have the 10L size. Gallon containers are perfect for one wall coverage, accent colours and small projects. With the variety of sizes available, you should be able to choose the right amount for almost any project without having to worry about batch to batch color variation.

Although ecocoat paint will feel dry to the touch within an hour or less (in average temperature and humidity conditions), we recommend waiting at least two hours prior to applying a second coat. Of course, the cooler and/or damper the air conditions, the longer you should wait to apply a second coat of any paint.

Call your municipal waste and recycling service provider to find out how to dispose of unused household hazardous wastes which includes paint. When you drop off your paint, encourage them to contact Calibre Environmental in order to recycle, rather than destroy post-consumer latex paint.
The City of Calgary is a leader in dealing with post-consumer paint in an environmentally friendly way. The City's Household Hazardous Waste program operates year-round chemical depots where residents can drop off unwanted paint and other chemicals. The paint is then delivered to Calibre Environmental for recycling of the latex paint and containers. For more information on the City of Calgary's program, visit www.calgary.ca/waste.


* Not all latex paints are recyclable, the Recyclable Latex rate is granted only to good condition, recyclable latex paints in original container with original label.