It is almost impossible to use every bit of paint you might have for a DIY project. And, most of us like to keep that spare bit around for future color matching or touching up chips or scratches. But how are you supposed to store your paint in a safe way that won’t damage it? Kush Paint is here to tell you!
The first rule of thumb is to wipe away any excess paint on the outside of the can and around the rim. The cleaner the can is, the easier it will be to re-seal the lid. You can even pour the remaining paint into a plastic water bottle or other sealable container like a mason jar. However you can minimize the amount of air inside the container, the better.
The second rule is to keep your paint at or near room-temperature. Often times people keep their leftover paint in a garage or basement. While usually these are good places to keep paint, you have to be conscious about the temperature in these places year round (especially here in Michigan!).
Paint that gets too hot will naturally separate. It is easy to tell when paint has separated because the top of the pait will be all watery and the bottom will be hard. If paint gets too cold and freezes it will have a curd like texture similar to cottage cheese. Neither paint that has been overheated or frozen will spread evenly on any surface. It is best to safely dispose of paint that shows either of these textures when reopening.
A good idea for organization is to label each can or container of paint clearly. Properly display the name of the paint, the brand, the finish, the color number, and even the title of the project it was used for. Doing this can help minimize confusion when you have three different blues throughout the house.
We hope these tricks will help you maximize your paint purchases and make touch-ups an easy project instead of a dreaded one! As always, let us know if you have any questions. Your local paint experts at Kush Paint are here to help!