Hey all, I want to re dcorate the whole house as I'm getting really bored of it and need a change. Plus the skirtings and doors could do with a good gloss!

Was just wondering though if it's ok to do all this with lo's in the house as it's going to take some time so they can't stay at mums for that long. I'm sure normal paint is ok now but not sure about gloss??? Can it be harmful for them to be around?

Thanks for any feed back!

Faith.xxxe

You can buy the 'breatheasy paints' now, but would still try to have young LOs somewhere else when using it. Personnally I wouldnt gloss with LO in the house as I know how long the strong smell lingers. If theres no other choice just keep your house as ventilated as possible.

I was worried about this as we had cole's room painted when he was newborn. Asked my dad (who is a safety officer and knows about these sort of things) and he said that it would only be as bad fume wise as walking lo down a busy road full of traffic.

If you are worried, could you try using eggshell instead of gloss - I've used it on most of my woodwork (for peace and quiet lol..dad thinks its better than gloss) and I don't think it smells as bad - its the undercoat thats really stinky and you shouldn't need to use any if you aer just painting over.

Personally I'd wait till the weather is nicer so you can leave windows open all the time, and not put lo in the room you've just painted but other than that i don't think it'll do any harm. I'm painting cole's room in april when i'm off work and my parents are having him overnight so he doesn't have to sleep in a room thats just been painted, but he'll be in it the next night, Its a great excuse to get a lie in the next day too All I'll do is keep the windows open all day/night when its been painted and overnight too when he's in there if its warm enough. Can't see there being any problems.

Thanks ladies, whats eggshell? Sorry I dont really have a clue when it comes to these things lol!xxx

It should be fine as long as the windows are open, i decorated all my house while pregnant so it cant be that harmfull :lol: xx

Eggshell is just a different type of paint for woodwork - matt, gloss or eggshell you can get. If you like the shininess of gloss then you probably won't be so keen as its fairly matt but I actually prefer it to the shiny wood. According to my dad its harder wearing and I think he may be right - the stuff i have thats painted matt or gloss is all chipped. I just do white eggshell on woodworkn ow because I've had the house long enough i'm beyond being bothered with anything that takes too much effort - and that includes choosing paint colours when i have a big tin of eggshell lol!

katie - glad i'm not the only one decorating while pregnant - although i wasn't allowed to do much so had to pay someone to do coles room (hubby doesn't know how to decorate) and they did a rubbish job so i'm fixing it this year! I did get down on my hands and knees priming the skirtings in coles room when 37 weeks pregnant and i'm sure thats why he was a week early lol

Hi go to B&Q and they sell a tin of there own gloss that has no smell what so ever and is water based so you dont need turps. We moved house last month and bought it it was brilliant oh and its fast drying aswel think it was ??8.99 for quite a big tin its brill

hey,

you can but paint called 'satinwood' which is like gloss but not as smelly - is also easier to use apparently!