Paint cans and spray paint cans

[Cadmandu]

Hi all
What do you do with the above products in the winter months if stored in an unheated garage.

 

[Renegade1LI]

Before my shop was heated i made a hit box cabinet for all that stuff, kept it around 65 deg.

 

[jrsavoie]

We have a small heated shed. 16 x 26.

I also have a heated upright freezer and refrigerator. I have a small heater on a thermostat that keeps them above 45 degrees.

I also have light bulbs in them to help keep things dry year round.

 

[Bretny]

I havent really seen and issue with my paints in the spring. Granted I dont have $100 cans of paint.

 

[nadogail]

My shop stays above freezing thanks to my local geography.

 

[58Yeoman]

I haven't had any problems leaving paint in my unheated shop. I've lost a can or two, but it seems they are the really old cans.

 

[four.cycle]

Fortunately I have an attached garage so this is no longer an issue for me.
I have used this in the past - you need to do it in an enclosed area - it's not big enough to heat an entire garage.
This is a "design" I found in a "Popular Mechanics" magazine in the early 60's:

take an empty two-or-three-pound coffee can. cut a hole in the bottom. drill a whole mess of little holes all over the can.
mount a porcelain light bulb socket in the inside of the empty can. mount the can to the side wall of your enclosure. use a 15W or 25W bulb (depending upon the space you want to heat.)
the holes in the can will allow the heat to radiate through the enclosure and allow enough air movement that it won't catch on fire.
cheap. easy. works.

OR you can go to an RV supply house and buy something quite similar - my buddy has one for his motor home he uses to keep the plumbing from freezing up. It's a fairly flat unit - about 4 inches tall and about 14 inches in diameter - plastic housing.

 

[jrsavoie]

Fortunately I have an attached garage so this is no longer an issue for me.
I have used this in the past - you need to do it in an enclosed area - it's not big enough to heat an entire garage.
This is a "design" I found in a "Popular Mechanics" magazine in the early 60's:

take an empty two-or-three-pound coffee can. cut a hole in the bottom. drill a whole mess of little holes all over the can.
mount a porcelain light bulb socket in the inside of the empty can. mount the can to the side wall of your enclosure. use a 15W or 25W bulb (depending upon the space you want to heat.)
the holes in the can will allow the heat to radiate through the enclosure and allow enough air movement that it won't catch on fire.
cheap. easy. works.

OR you can go to an RV supply house and buy something quite similar - my buddy has one for his motor home he uses to keep the plumbing from freezing up. It's a fairly flat unit - about 4 inches tall and about 14 inches in diameter - plastic housing.

And if you use a 100 watt incandescent bulb you can make an Easy Bake Oven.. Made several on jobsites.

 

[four.cycle]

^ exactly. incandescent bulbs generate a tremendous amount of heat.

When I first saw that in a magazine, it was touted as a heater for a dog house. I've used it for animal houses - wired it up with a photocell so it went on at night. The cats loved it.

 

[tester19]

I don't do anything as I am pretty far South so little cold weather.

But I did want to post a trick I heard they taught at Rolls-Royce concerning paint cans? Always invert the can so the paint coat's the inside of the lid and seals any air from getting in and drying out the paint. Not sure it works but I always give the paint cans a turn before I put them on the shelf.

One other tip that has been very useful is to date ALL paint/glue/solvent products as I purchase them. If a spray can is 5+ years old and gives me trouble. I don't mess with it and just throw it away. Now if it's only a couple of years old then yes clean the nozzle and try to get it working.

You will be surprised at the age of some of the cans on your shelf!
.
.
.

 

[four.cycle]

You will be surprised at the age of some of the cans on your shelf!

Years ago, I was re-working an old dresser. Took it down to bare wood, hand sanded it baby-**** smooth using 150 grit paper.
Laid on a coat of Alkyd-base exterior flat white primer. Looked beautiful.
Four days later the primer was still wet.
NOT tacky.
WET.
I found a phone number on the can and called Dutch Boy on the phone and got ahold of a nice lady in customer service and explained the situation to her.
"Sir, could you look at the bottom of the can and give me the production code numbers printed on the bottom of the can?"
I grabbed the can, turned it over, and read off the long string of numbers to her.
"Sir, that can of primer is seventeen years old."
"So?"
"The drying agents in alkyd-based paints break down after several years."

My options at that point were (a) wipe it all down with rags and lacquer thinner or (b) wait for it to dry.
A couple weeks later I was able to sand it and lay on another coat of primer. Needless to say, not from the same can.

I put dates on everything. If it's a can of spray paint and it's more than two years old, I do not expect it to work. Sometimes I get lucky, though.

 

[Metal-Marc]

And if you use a 100 watt incandescent bulb you can make an Easy Bake Oven.. Made several on jobsites.

Good luck finding those bulbs.

 

[Bretny]

Good luck finding those bulbs.

Rough service bulbs are still incandescent. You may not find them at the local big box store but there still forsale.

 

[four.cycle]

^ you can still find LOTS of incandescent bulbs out there. not a big problem.

one more thing:

ANY aerosol can works better when the contents and propellant are warmed up. Put the can in a sink of warm water and shake the hell out of it PRIOR to pressing the spray nozzle.

 

[Metal-Marc]

Rough service bulbs are still incandescent. You may not find them at the local big box store but there still forsale.

Not the 100w version.

 

[Bretny]

Not the 100w version.

Does $2 each for a 6pack work?

Amazon.com

 

[Professor Fate]

Good luck finding those bulbs.

I was wondering where you could find a coffee can these days.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I have a box full of them out in the garage. And I don't drink coffee. How many you need?

Wait... do you want them empty, or full of roofing nails?

Two pound, or three pound size?

 

[mrb1]

Fortunately I have an attached garage so this is no longer an issue for me.
I have used this in the past - you need to do it in an enclosed area - it's not big enough to heat an entire garage.
This is a "design" I found in a "Popular Mechanics" magazine in the early 60's:

take an empty two-or-three-pound coffee can. cut a hole in the bottom. drill a whole mess of little holes all over the can.
mount a porcelain light bulb socket in the inside of the empty can. mount the can to the side wall of your enclosure. use a 15W or 25W bulb (depending upon the space you want to heat.)
the holes in the can will allow the heat to radiate through the enclosure and allow enough air movement that it won't catch on fire.
cheap. easy. works.

OR you can go to an RV supply house and buy something quite similar - my buddy has one for his motor home he uses to keep the plumbing from freezing up. It's a fairly flat unit - about 4 inches tall and about 14 inches in diameter - plastic housing.

Use a similar setup around here for a fridge in the garage to keep the fridge compressor kicking on and the freezer frozen when it gets to single digits or lower. Run the cord through the door and point the bulb (set on a timer) at the thermostat.

I was wondering where you could find a coffee can these days.

My favorite, and yea, the metal cans do come in handy. Always keep a few empties on the shelf.

 

[Metal-Marc]

Does $2 each for a 6pack work?

Amazon.com

Huh. I thought they were banned now...

 

[Stuart in MN]

Cold weather won't hurt the paint as long as it isn't latex. I leave spray cans in my garage all the time and they work just fine after below zero temps, just warm them up before using.

 

[PugetDude]

Huh. I thought they were banned now...

Enlightened discussion regarding banned light bulbs has landed several members in banned camp.

 

[Bert_]

Huh. I thought they were banned now...

The ones in the link are rough service. They are exempt.

 

[theundermount]

when winter comes i box my paints up and store them in the basement till spring

 

[Pexto]

Cold weather won't hurt the paint as long as it isn't latex. I leave spray cans in my garage all the time and they work just fine after below zero temps, just warm them up before using.

This, exactly. If you freeze water-based paint (latex), it is ruined. Oil-based paints can withstand temperatures far below zero with no damage.