Toy Finishes

The Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) provides regulations about what finishes can be used on toys made for children. These regulations now allow us to rely on testing of finishes done by manufactures. All toys made for the DuPage Woodworkers must meet those regulations. We have queried General Finishes, Sherwin Williams (makers of Minwax finishes), and Rust Oleum (makers of Watco Finishes) about the testing they have had done on their finishes.

General Finishes and Sherwin Williams have replied that their finishes:

"meet US CPSC requirements for coatings and films on children’s toys as specified in ASTM F963 (16 CFR 1303, issued under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA), as amended by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA)) and 16 CFR Part 1307 [Docket No. CPSC–2014–0033] Prohibition of Children’s Toys and Child Care Articles Containing Specified Phthalates."

Rust Oleum replied regarding their Watco Finishes that

"none of these coatings have been tested or certified for use on children's products."

This does not mean that Rust Oleum doesn't make fine finishes, only that the lack of testing means they cannot be used on toys for the DuPage Woodworkers toy program.

Sherwin-Williams provided us with further information about the products they tested and the results. These may be of interest to some of our members.

General Finishes provided us with a letter indicating that their finishes meet the CPSA requirements.