Amysrq, Whyyy...yes...yes those are new C2 colors! (hee-hee! I'm SUCH a liar!!) No "ACE" LEED info. for ya; Paintguy has the rest pretty-well stated. Yep...C2 & 99% of the others still use glycols/solvent-based colorants. * C2 is eventually switching...sometime next year so far. They're taking their time on THIS particular phase of "going green", since it has such a big impact on how a paint COLOR behaves in the real-world. * I wish I could say it's a cheap process! The existing colorant-line that they felt was the best is from Finland...Tikkurila/CPS-Color. * Some of these aren't cheap either!! ONE quart of HR (High-Red), costs somewhere in the area of a gallon of Aura....there's a couple other expensive ones too....of the 16!! * C2's LOVO may be in some outlets now...getting ours by mid-May. * Had some VERY interesting info. from C2's Chemists regarding the testing-regimen(s) for VOC determination!! One of the guys has been a lead paint-chemist for a LONG time! >>> I'll probably have to clarify/correct/modify some of this...but: * The "main" test, #24 I believe, gets substantially less accurate as the VOC level gets below 50g/L. * Some lines of paint, using this method, actually tested NEGATIVE...which is obviously impossible!! (although...a paint that can REMOVE VOC's from the air DOES sound appealing!!) * There is debate on which method should be used to rate all "Low VOC" lines! * There's also debate on the "list" of VOC-class substances as well....sooooo this may take a while b4 "true" VOC-standards are comparable across-the-board!! Faron

We have CC at our store too. * CC might be a little "harder" when fully cured, since it has urethane resins, along with top-notch Latex resins. * However, C2's S/Gloss is pretty hard too. * Because you have a rare choice here, I'd give a slight nod to CC for trims. (It's like choosing between a Lexus & a M-Benz...can't really go wrong!) * However...CC's Tint-base can handle lighter/medium colors only. DON'T use C2 formula's in CC though! Use conventional color formulas. * With C2, the formulas will provide a KNOWN color-result. * In CC, conventional-tinting (meaning non-C2) formula's turn out "very close". I have no direct experience with F & B. IMO, C2 probably accomplishes the same goals for less money...but again, IMO. I DO know that F & B has a neat appearance though! I stop short of calling anything a rip-off. I usually phrase things like..."There's a number of premium brands out there. We have 3 of them!" Let us G-Webber's know your progress! Faron PS...DO NOT skip your priming!! Your F & B paint will look closer to Menards Lucite ($10/gal. "paint") if you don't prime!!

Hello Twojrs! Surprisingly, VOC-levels and perceived odors have NOTHING to do with each other. (Per our senior C2 chemist, and various industry reports) Case in point: * Zinsser 123 Latex is a VERY good primer! Decent VOC-level too, @ ~ 100g/L. * BUT...I CAN'T STAND the smell of it!!! I won't use it. * The C2-One primer VOC-level is higher @ ~ 150g/L. I hardly notice any odor!! I could prime with this stuff all day! Our customers tell us the same thing. Don't use ANY Oil-based products in your home. >>> Typical Oil-based paints/primers are in the 350-500g/L. range. >>> Some have "lesser" odors than others, but the VOC's are horrendous. >>> Use their best Latex primer and you'll be just fine. We dropped our Kilz primers (on purpose) 2 yrs. ago. We just have a few Zinsser & C2-primers now. (I'm not sure why we still have the Kilz original OIL...the VOC's AND the smell are terrible!! Recoating in an hour is the one benefit...) Faron

Tibbrix, I guess you haven't seen these new low voc 'stains'. You are correct that stain doesn't peel, but these new stains are more like a paint, as they're acrylic with very little real oil in the formulation, apparently. Much of the criticism which I have uncovered complains about the peeling of these stains. We had just removed our old cedar decrepit deck - the carpenter bees were having a field day with it. We did some research and found that carpenter bees like PT less than cedar (we hope that's true). So the PT is not a beautiful wood like cedar and we'd like a little deeper color - hence the semi-transparent search. Even the sealer type stuff which is now low VOC is having the same issue with durability. Alas....is there no decent solution to my problem? ;-)