“Rental-proof” paint can be peeled off the wall before you move out

Suppose you want to change the color of your rental apartment’s walls, but you don’t want to bother repainting them back to their original color before you move out. That’s where Unpaint comes in, as it’s an interior paint that can simply be peeled off as needed.

Unpaint is made by Colombian company Glasst, and has been available in that country for a couple of years. Glasst has now set about expanding its market, with the just-announced availability of the product in US stores.

Offered in over 5,000 matte-finish colors, Unpaint is applied just like regular paint, with a brush, roller or sprayer. Users should apply two to three coats, allowing at least 30 to 60 minutes of drying time between each one.

The paint reaches full dryness 24 hours after application, essentially becoming an elastic film. It’s then reportedly “durable enough for everyday use in residential and commercial settings,” although we’re told that it is more susceptible than regular paint to scratches caused by sharp objects.

Once it’s time to convert the walls back to their original color, users just pinch the Unpaint film at one corner, then proceed to peel it all off by hand. The underlying regular paint should remain undamaged and unstained, although Glasst does advise testing Unpaint in one small area before applying it to a whole wall.

Because Unpaint is made of unspecified natural and renewable substances, it should reportedly biodegrade within one to three years of being peeled off and discarded. It also doesn’t emit any volatile organic compounds in either the room or the landfill.

Unfortunately, Unpaint does start to biodegrade after 12 months even while still on the wall, causing it to become brittle and thus more difficult to peel. For this reason, it isn’t advised for applications lasting more than one year.

That said, Unpaint can be applied to things other than just walls, such as furniture or home decor. It’s said to be compatible with materials including plywood, glass, metal, plastic, and sealed concrete.

Unpaint is now available to US customers at Lowe’s and other hardware stores, and via online platforms such as Amazon and the Glasst website. Pricing starts at US$29.98 for a 1-quart (0.9 l) can.

The peeling-off process is demonstrated in the following video.

Source: Glasst