So you’ve finally finished your painting project and you are left with the inevitable cans of leftover paint. While you could easily dispose of the paint, this clearly isn’t the best return on your investment and when your exterior paint or interior paint needs touch ups in the future you will wish you had held onto the paint. So how do you go about storing your paint to make sure it lasts for future applications? Below, we will discuss a few easy steps to make your paint last for years.
Environment
The first and most important step in storing paint is to make sure you place it in a proper environment. You are looking for an area in your home that stays relatively cool, dark, and dry year round. If you have a temperature controlled basement or garage this is a great location to consider. A storage closet or a large laundry room are also rooms to consider. You need a dry area so moisture doesn’t rust the paint cans and you need controlled temperature and lighting to maintain the quality of the paint.
Seal
You can’t use paint if it dries up, so high importance needs to be placed on sealing the can properly. Many people will simply hammer a lid back on the can when they are done with their house painting, but this can actually lead to a poor seal. A hammer can potentially dent the edges of that can which results in small openings around the lid. Over time this can result in the paint drying out. Opt for a rubber mallet instead of a traditional hammer. The rubber absorbs the shock and lessens the chance of denting the lid. One last thing to suggest it to place plastic wrap over the open paint can before hammering the lid down. The plastic wrap adds a second seal of protection to help your paint last longer.
Label
Finally, we want to make sure we can easily distinguish between our paints and the best way to do so is by labeling each can with some critical information. On each can you should write down when the paint was opened, the rooms you painted with it, and the brand of your paint. Furthermore, as a do-it-yourself home painter, you can paint a small swatch on the can so you have something you can show the painters at your local paint shop or painting service company for any color matching or reordering you may need to do in the future.
If you have further questions about proper paint storage, or you are looking for assistance with a painting project, don’t hesitate to contact Dennis Moffitt Painting. You can speak with a painting contractor online, or by phone at (401) 789-2181 for a free estimate and consultation.
