Paint storage

[lund]

I own a house where the prior owners were, by my standards, extremely picky interior decorators. Many rooms are painted a bit different shade of yellow/tan and a few other colors in some odd optimization. Eventually I will repaint all close color groups rooms to common colors to reduce the number of colors needed for touchup etc. BUT I have a lot of old (~8+ years old) paint cans now. Several are going bad. It is a pain and expensive to color match these for paint touchup and wall repairs given age and paint company reformulations. Plus I have younger sons who inevitably do little boy things to damage parts! They are now mostly past their peak destruction years ... but there is backlog of touchup work that is now needed.


Does it make sense to pour remaining salvageable LaTeX paint in better sealed cans while I still can do so? Could this give me more shelf life if stored cool and relatively stable temp? I was thinking about transferring paints to wide mouth glass mason jars (stored in mostly dark and heated but cool basement) and labeling. I thought those might seal better at the rims/top with glass being impermeable and inert to store better. Or would I be better off buying new paint cans to transfer the paints into? New paint cans are surprisingly expensive (!) AND I noticed that newer black plastic paint cans with metal caps are also not faring well in long term storage. I am not sure if this is due to the cans being worse than previous generations or post 2010 ish reformulated paints having poorer shelf life. I understand that a clean can lip is absolutely necessary to seal well. But the can coatings on metals do not seem to work well and allow the tops to corrode/oxidize and that then damages or ruins the paint while cutting down storage life. Is it possible that 100% plastic cans could be better or perhaps better quality coated metal cans than what the paints (mostly upper grade) came with?

Would something else be better than glass mason jars with sealed screw lids for storage? Glass seems ideal, but I am not sure the lids will prove any better. But I noticed you can buy stainless lids with seals for Bell Mason jars and could go that way. Is doing anything more exotic like displacing air in the top with nitrogen also worthwhile?

Also, a related question. Is it better to color match old paint for limited repairs to compensate for age and fading, or to stick to standard colors? I am leaning toward the latter since the manufacturers might try to more carefully maintain those base colors over time.

 

[lund]

Sorry ... tried to edit and reposted instead.

 

[Kaizen]

diminishing returns on the effort. if you can store in heated area. Mine is in garage in a heated refrigerator. I did just go through them and get rid of a few but with even cheap paint at 40 bucks a gallon its worth some effort. Paint matching is pretty good now from my experience. I do usually do the whole wall if I make a sizable repair. Even the same old paint or a matched new sample will be different then whats there due to age and sunlight. you can use pickle jars and other recylables.

 

[DHCrocks]

I had paint old paint cans rust thru the bottom even if stored indoors. The paint cans with lids you hammer down never seem to make good seal long term, usually end up drying out in a few years. I transfer touch up paint into plastic mayonnaise jars. I wrap the jar top with 3-4 layers of Teflon tape then screw down the lid. It keeps paint fresh, so far its been doing well.

 

[thammel]

I have put some paint in old large pickle jars (when the original cans were starting to rust). The most important thing is to save the paint codes. I have many cans, and even if the paint has gone bad, I save the label and paint code which is usually on the lid.

 

[no704]

Write the paint code on the inside of a switch cover. And (as dumb as it sounds) store the cans upside down. The liquid will make a seal when it’s liquid , that seal in air is more likely to leak.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Mason jars or similar will work, but then there's the potential hazard of a glass jar that could break. I haven't been to the paint store for a while, but it used to be you could get empty quart cans for not much money. Like others have said, save any paint formulas or other important information (painting a little patch of paint on the outside of the can is also a good idea.)

 

[hans109h]

Mix them all together and that is your new standard color.

 

[DGersic]

Menards sells really nice plastic paint cans. Gallon or quart. I’ve started using those to store leftovers because the metal cans always rust out. The new black plastic cans with the metal lids rust out at the lid, too, but at least the bottoms don’t rust through any more.

When getting paint mixed, get them to print an extra sticker with the codes on it. Paint a stir stick, and stick the sticker to it. Add any other notes, like what room and year painted with a Sharpie.

Then you’ll find that the paint company completely reformulated their paints and the old codes don’t cross to anything available now. The stick allows them to colour match the old colour to the new codes.

 

[lund]

diminishing returns on the effort. if you can store in heated area. Mine is in garage in a heated refrigerator. I did just go through them and get rid of a few but with even cheap paint at 40 bucks a gallon its worth some effort. Paint matching is pretty good now from my experience. I do usually do the whole wall if I make a sizable repair. Even the same old paint or a matched new sample will be different then whats there due to age and sunlight. you can use pickle jars and other recylables.

Thanks. I agree paint matching seems surprisingly good. But an issue is aging with sun exposure and environment. It probably makes it hard to really "match" ... particularly when the paint in the can is also aging from different processes. Your point on repainting whole wall panels is good too. that can make contrast much less and might be less work than repainting everything. In my case, I am mostly trying to make it look better than white repair patches vs perfect figuring it is a stopgap till eventual more full repainting.

 

[lund]

I had paint old paint cans rust thru the bottom even if stored indoors. The paint cans with lids you hammer down never seem to make good seal long term, usually end up drying out in a few years. I transfer touch up paint into plastic mayonnaise jars. I wrap the jar top with 3-4 layers of Teflon tape then screw down the lid. It keeps paint fresh, so far its been doing well.

Thanks. I am suspicious of plastic containers relative to glass. Glass is hard to beat for being inert and impermeable. Some people say they put plastic wrap over the tops to better seal and then turn upside down. That might not be a bad idea if the surfaces of the seal are good. Leaks would not be fun though!

 

[rlitman]

I'd suggest taking pictures of the labels before they get all painted up. Or keep the sample cards.

As for paint going bad, I wouldn't be comfortable taking anything other than white out of a can sitting for a year or more without being shaken. Drill mixing paddles leave too much pigment stuck to the bottom.

 

[lund]

I have put some paint in old large pickle jars (when the original cans were starting to rust). The most important thing is to save the paint codes. I have many cans, and even if the paint has gone bad, I save the label and paint code which is usually on the lid.

Thanks. I plan on saving the label info on anything I re-container. My understanding with old stuff though is that the manufactures do not claim much faith in their old formulations of colors matching new ones due to changes in base, pigments, etc. I was told that color matching gets better results than just rebuying a standard. Base formulations also appear to change significantly on decade time scales.

Frankly I am annoyed with the prior owners in using so many slightly different shades. That is just asking for upkeep difficulties!!

 

[lund]

Write the paint code on the inside of a switch cover. And (as dumb as it sounds) store the cans upside down. The liquid will make a seal when it’s liquid , that seal in air is more likely to leak.

I like the switch plate idea. Thanks. Yes, upside down cans can help with air infusion. But when it leaks you really have a mess! Plastic cans at least usually do not rust out bottoms. But I have also noticed coatings on metal parts on the tops seem to be holding up worse. I am not sure if this is bad Chinese materials, dropped quality, or restrictions on materials. But they seem to rust from the water base with oxygen present much quicker than I recall years ago. So paint can get ruined pretty quickly.

 

[lund]

Mason jars or similar will work, but then there's the potential hazard of a glass jar that could break. I haven't been to the paint store for a while, but it used to be you could get empty quart cans for not much money. Like others have said, save any paint formulas or other important information (painting a little patch of paint on the outside of the can is also a good idea.)

Yes, Glass must be treated with more care. Also, if clear, that makes light exposure more crucial. So they need to be kept out of the sun and, of course, in stable temperatures and not allowed to ever freeze.

 

[lund]

Mix them all together and that is your new standard color.

That is my style of interior decorating!

 

[lund]

Menards sells really nice plastic paint cans. Gallon or quart. I’ve started using those to store leftovers because the metal cans always rust out. The new black plastic cans with the metal lids rust out at the lid, too, but at least the bottoms don’t rust through any more.

When getting paint mixed, get them to print an extra sticker with the codes on it. Paint a stir stick, and stick the sticker to it. Add any other notes, like what room and year painted with a Sharpie.

Then you’ll find that the paint company completely reformulated their paints and the old codes don’t cross to anything available now. The stick allows them to colour match the old colour to the new codes.

Thanks. I agree with all here. The extra printout saved somewhere is a great idea.

 

[lund]

I'd suggest taking pictures of the labels before they get all painted up. Or keep the sample cards.

As for paint going bad, I wouldn't be comfortable taking anything other than white out of a can sitting for a year or more without being shaken. Drill mixing paddles leave too much pigment stuck to the bottom.

Paints definitely need to be well mixed before any transfers. The problem when they are going bad is there can also be a lot of **** in the top from can oxidation. I was trying to scrape that out but it is hard to do and guess work if that is changing the pigment balance etc. Perhaps filtering could work but it gets to be a big mess.

 

[four.cycle]

Mix them all together and that is your new standard color.

^ This would be my first response. Box all the colors together in a 5-gallon bucket. Avoid mixing in green hues.
Use it to repaint the Garage / Basement / Utility Room. It'll look like a million bucks.
When the wife wants a room re-painted, you'll be starting with new paint. Easy peasy.

You only need to have ONE glass jar of paint fall from a shelf to understand why there are now two of us in this thread who are saying don't do it. Just don't. Remember that a glass quart jar of interior latex falling from a height of 6 feet onto a concrete floor will splatter paint all the way to the opposite side of the room from floor to ceiling.

AS noted above: diminishing returns.
I've done exactly that: found a paint store having a big close-out sale, bought a whole mess of brand new empty gallon cans with lids, went home and re-canned gallons and gallons of paint, only to have it either breach the can and leak out through the bottom, or dry into one hardened mass.
Put dates on all your cans. After they sit around for a few years, put 'em on the curb and run a "free" ad on CL and somebody will haul it off for you.

 

[dcg9381]

So I "built" a custom house and part of that was choosing (and retaining) every single paint code for everything. I was super-diligent about it.

I split any gallons out into "sealed" quarts and spray an anti-ox into them, but even then, you've got maybe 2-3 years of pot life. Retaining the original manufacturer AND paint code is the main thing, but they won't exactly match years down the road. Flat paints will do better.

And then I ran into a situation where the wife "touched up" our cabinets (that were painted in a spray booth) with a brush and I have to explain how long it's going to take me to un-F that particular touch up. Color and texture are different.

 

[rlitman]

Paints definitely need to be well mixed before any transfers. The problem when they are going bad is there can also be a lot of **** in the top from can oxidation. I was trying to scrape that out but it is hard to do and guess work if that is changing the pigment balance etc. Perhaps filtering could work but it gets to be a big mess.

Skin on the paint is fine (to a degree, it seals the paint beneath it), though if you mix it in you'll get lumps when you apply it, so if you end up mixing paint that's skinned over remember to pour it through a strainer or cheesecloth (always good practice anyway). The skin itself would not contribute to color shifting.

If you have any rust from a metal lid, the paint's trash anyway. Same goes for water loss. Besides, the paint on the wall is going to age and lose color too, so eventually even a perfectly stored can is no longer a perfect match.

 

[lund]

Skin on the paint is fine (to a degree, it seals the paint beneath it), though if you mix it in you'll get lumps when you apply it, so if you end up mixing paint that's skinned over remember to pour it through a strainer or cheesecloth (always good practice anyway). The skin itself would not contribute to color shifting.

If you have any rust from a metal lid, the paint's trash anyway. Same goes for water loss. Besides, the paint on the wall is going to age and lose color too, so eventually even a perfectly stored can is no longer a perfect match.

Thanks. My observation, or perhaps faulty memory, is that water based latex paint in cans with metal tops (very common now with top metal and bottoms plastic) age more quickly. So my thought it transferring paint to better containers with less oxygen mobility, less permeable, and better sealed should improve long term storage. Glass I suspect is best though would have to be treated with care and the top seal still needs to be good to work though.

I am not sure light rust/oxidation in the top is any worse than thick skinned over paint. filtering can work to remove crud, but it makes a royal mess. I am generally careful with the rims and keep the cans clean. So I do not think the seals in metal top cans are going bad. It is just the coatings are not robust enough with whatever oxygen remains to prevent oxidation.

Ah the good old days when paint could survive at least a few years without issues ...

 

[hans109h]

^ This would be my first response. Box all the colors together in a 5-gallon bucket. Avoid mixing in green hues.
Use it to repaint the Garage / Basement / Utility Room. It'll look like a million bucks.
When the wife wants a room re-painted, you'll be starting with new paint. Easy peasy.

You only need to have ONE glass jar of paint fall from a shelf to understand why there are now two of us in this thread who are saying don't do it. Just don't. Remember that a glass quart jar of interior latex falling from a height of 6 feet onto a concrete floor will splatter paint all the way to the opposite side of the room from floor to ceiling.

AS noted above: diminishing returns.
I've done exactly that: found a paint store having a big close-out sale, bought a whole mess of brand new empty gallon cans with lids, went home and re-canned gallons and gallons of paint, only to have it either breach the can and leak out through the bottom, or dry into one hardened mass.
Put dates on all your cans. After they sit around for a few years, put 'em on the curb and run a "free" ad on CL and somebody will haul it off for you.

Have you ever had superman ice cream? It starts a blue red and yellow. The next time you see it, it's green. Is that why you avoid the green hues?

 

[DGersic]

Thanks. My observation, or perhaps faulty memory, is that water based latex paint in cans with metal tops (very common now with top metal and bottoms plastic) age more quickly.

Yeah. Here’s a can I bought in Nov 2023, semi gloss white (no tint), exterior latex. I had about a half gallon left after painting the trim on my house. I cleaned the edges as best I could, and sealed it up.

I opened it last week to paint the trim on my shed.



Note the rust forming in the seal edge and starting in to the lip. Old pour on the left, new pour on the right.



The top has also started to rust.



Kinda hard to get a picture of the edge of the lid, but it’s now bent pretty bad after having to be pried off the can.



The paint was fine, I used most of the half gallon, and poured the rest in to one of these plastic jars from Menards.

 

[thammel]

^ This would be my first response. Box all the colors together in a 5-gallon bucket. Avoid mixing in green hues.
Use it to repaint the Garage / Basement / Utility Room. It'll look like a million bucks.
When the wife wants a room re-painted, you'll be starting with new paint. Easy peasy.

You only need to have ONE glass jar of paint fall from a shelf to understand why there are now two of us in this thread who are saying don't do it. Just don't. Remember that a glass quart jar of interior latex falling from a height of 6 feet onto a concrete floor will splatter paint all the way to the opposite side of the room from floor to ceiling.

AS noted above: diminishing returns.
I've done exactly that: found a paint store having a big close-out sale, bought a whole mess of brand new empty gallon cans with lids, went home and re-canned gallons and gallons of paint, only to have it either breach the can and leak out through the bottom, or dry into one hardened mass.
Put dates on all your cans. After they sit around for a few years, put 'em on the curb and run a "free" ad on CL and somebody will haul it off for you.

LOL....My 2 glass jars of paint are on the floor...on purpose!!

 

[lund]

^ This would be my first response. Box all the colors together in a 5-gallon bucket. Avoid mixing in green hues.
Use it to repaint the Garage / Basement / Utility Room. It'll look like a million bucks.
When the wife wants a room re-painted, you'll be starting with new paint. Easy peasy.

You only need to have ONE glass jar of paint fall from a shelf to understand why there are now two of us in this thread who are saying don't do it. Just don't. Remember that a glass quart jar of interior latex falling from a height of 6 feet onto a concrete floor will splatter paint all the way to the opposite side of the room from floor to ceiling.

AS noted above: diminishing returns.
I've done exactly that: found a paint store having a big close-out sale, bought a whole mess of brand new empty gallon cans with lids, went home and re-canned gallons and gallons of paint, only to have it either breach the can and leak out through the bottom, or dry into one hardened mass.
Put dates on all your cans. After they sit around for a few years, put 'em on the curb and run a "free" ad on CL and somebody will haul it off for you.

Thanks. Yes, drops can be awful with liquid in glass and care is in order though Murphy's Law can always bite. But keep in mind when you shop in a grocery store that there are whole shelves chock full of glass bottles with liquids etc. When I was in high school I worked nights stocking the "glass" section. I was fairly fast and I do not think I broke more than one in many thousands over several years. So it is not like you look at the stuff and a calamity triggers!!

I guess the real question is whether it is worth it to try and store better long term. Most seem to be saying do not expect more than a few years of matching regardless of conditions. So perhaps it is academic.

People like the prior owners of the place I own should really think if it is that important to use so many slightly different shades of paint. It is a huge complication for upkeep!!

 

[four.cycle]

Have you ever had superman ice cream? It starts a blue red and yellow. The next time you see it, it's green. Is that why you avoid the green hues?

^ No.
I avoid any green hues because the end result will be a muddy-looking mustardy-yellow-green hue when it dries on the wall. My younger sister would call it "Turkey-Turd Yellow". Looks awful.
I've painted... lemme think... two basements, three garages, and two utility rooms using that method (mixing all the paint I had at the time together in one bucket.) They all looked great except for my Mom's garage in their house in Fircrest, where I added about a quart of a light "minty" green into about 8 gallons of various off-whites, yellows, and beige tones. It was okay, but when the light hit it just the right way you could see that "Turkey-Turd" thing coming through.
That is why you avoid adding any green hues. (or purple - forgot about that one.)

 

[lund]

Yeah. Here’s a can I bought in Nov 2023, semi gloss white (no tint), exterior latex. I had about a half gallon left after painting the trim on my house. I cleaned the edges as best I could, and sealed it up.

I opened it last week to paint the trim on my shed.



Note the rust forming in the seal edge and starting in to the lip. Old pour on the left, new pour on the right.



The top has also started to rust.



Kinda hard to get a picture of the edge of the lid, but it’s now bent pretty bad after having to be pried off the can.



The paint was fine, I used most of the half gallon, and poured the rest in to one of these plastic jars from Menards.

A big thanks for your example pics. The dates you quote support what I was saying about cans appearing to degrade much more rapidly in recent years.

Given that, it may make sense to transfer leftover paint asap in something better after 1st use if one intends to keep it long in a useful state. The Menards container you show looks pretty good. I think those are about $8/ea so that is not that bad if they work well. It is disconcerting that new paint can be so expensive and then you have to immediately buy a $10+ can to save it from these factory container storage issues.

I am still puzzled why metal top plastic paint cans are deteriorating so quickly. I noticed the lip on yours may be distorted/nicked. IF you are using a screwdriver to open the cans, you may want to try using a paint can opener (curved tips, they usually give away with paint). These do a much better job of keeping the rim in good shape. If can rims are distorted, the seal degrades, letting in air/oxygen to enhance corrosion potential. Also if the metal coating is nicked, that section can start to corrode and spread. My guess is they are using lower grade metals (Chinese cans?) and they oxidize much faster, and once the seal is compromised, you are screwed. Coatings may also may be worse/thinner and more prone to damage when opening and stirring. Any water/paint exposure to uncoated metal likely quickly generates issues (water vapor from latex paint and oxygen in contact with low quality metal). It may also be the case that air quality regulations etc forced paint reformulations that do not store as well long term. Also, when you open a can and use some paint, there is more air & oxygen in the top of the can when you reseal giving more potential for corrosion. Having mostly filled cans (like from factory, and factories may also use nitrogen packing in the tops to displace remaining oxygen) should store better. Finally, the plastic bottoms are probably more permeable to air than the older generation all metal cans, thereby allowing more air infusion and oxygen.

Paint, like most building supply stuff, has also really inflated in price. I recommend painting with as few colors as one needs to simplify maintenance issues and/or tell your kids to be careful (Ha!). I would not count on half used paint cans stored in the original factory cans remaining usable for more than a few years. I guess the one saving grace is the matching systems in some of the big box hardware stores now seem pretty good if you can bring in a good sample.

 

[DGersic]

I am still puzzled why metal top plastic paint cans are deteriorating so quickly. I noticed the lip on yours may be distorted/nicked. IF you are using a screwdriver to open the cans, you may want to try using a paint can opener (curved tips, they usually give away with paint).

Can was opened with a can opener. The lid was badly stuck, and had to be pried open. Doing that distorted the seal badly, but it was already rusting so that wasn‘t a concern.

 

[lund]

Can was opened with a can opener. The lid was badly stuck, and had to be pried open. Doing that distorted the seal badly, but it was already rusting so that wasn‘t a concern.

Yikes. That is indeed really bad for such a short time! Oxidation can act like a weak, but also semi-permeable, bond between the metal surfaces. You see that a lot in car work in the rust belt. In extremes it can be terrible.

By the way, you can buy stainless steel tops for glass mason jars. Stainless tops should do much better in long term storage insofar as the glass to metal seal remains good and is not compromised by the paint. People say plastics are semi-permeable with air and the plastic parts of cans can be pretty thin. Surely the manufacturers know this and just do not care since it is cheap, light, and harder to damage. The Menards container you bought might be thicker and a different plastic type. Maybe it is better.

 

[dcg9381]

I use these. I trying to put any "left over" from a gallon into quarts and get them as full as possible (less oxygen). These tops seal pretty well and they prevent you from having to use a screw-driver and bend the metal lids:

 

[lund]

I use these. I trying to put any "left over" from a gallon into quarts and get them as full as possible (less oxygen). These tops seal pretty well and they prevent you from having to use a screw-driver and bend the metal lids:

Even if these improve over the usual, I suspect because they are plastic that they still allow air/oxygen to enter over time since thinner plastics are often a bit permeable. As you point out though, less volume in the top for that should also help.

I am beginning to think that it may be best to save/document formulations and where used as well as possible and just buy as little as possible and buy touch-up paint in small quantities (quart) as needed. Latex paint just does not store well without going to extremes. It is probably hard to count on anything being ok after more than a few years of storage.

I need to time travel and suggest to the prior owners of my home that they not use so many different color/shades of paint !!! Bastards used 5 shades of interior trim white. I kid you not!! Their handwriting on the cans and name choices also rivals MDs for lack of clarity. If I am ever named supreme ruler, people like this will be executed to save future generations from their decisions .... joking of course ... maybe.

 

[no704]

Any body do an argon purge before sealing the can?

 

[four.cycle]

^ "Storing" paint is a waste of time and valuable storage space. I've given away gallons and gallons and gallons of paint, just to get rid of it. Every time my Mom moved, the house she moved into had left-behind paint in it somewhere. And of course, she moved the paint they had stored. Same deal with two older sisters. Same deal with me every time I moved - more paint.
If you put it on the curb, take photos, and post it on Craigslist in the "free" section, some fool will come and pick it up. Longest I waited for a fool was four days, but he showed up eventually.
If it gets too hot or too cold, it goes to hell on you.
If it's "oil based", the drying agents they use in the present era break down after a couple years - I had an antique dresser with a coat of old primer on it that was still tacky five days later. Ended up wiping it down with lacquer thinner and starting all over.
I make an effort to keep my "paint" inventory at a bare minimum, and always always always write dates on the cans.
Just my two cents.

 

[lund]

^ "Storing" paint is a waste of time and valuable storage space. I've given away gallons and gallons and gallons of paint, just to get rid of it. Every time my Mom moved, the house she moved into had left-behind paint in it somewhere. And of course, she moved the paint they had stored. Same deal with two older sisters. Same deal with me every time I moved - more paint.
If you put it on the curb, take photos, and post it on Craigslist in the "free" section, some fool will come and pick it up. Longest I waited for a fool was four days, but he showed up eventually.
If it gets too hot or too cold, it goes to hell on you.
If it's "oil based", the drying agents they use in the present era break down after a couple years - I had an antique dresser with a coat of old primer on it that was still tacky five days later. Ended up wiping it down with lacquer thinner and starting all over.
I make an effort to keep my "paint" inventory at a bare minimum, and always always always write dates on the cans.
Just my two cents.

I mostly agree with what you say here. Paint just does not store well and minimizing inventory makes good sense. But if one takes steps to do the best you can, storage lifetime should be improved somewhat with latex type paints at least and it can be nice to have some readily available for smaller fixes (have sons? Ha!).

Dating paint is essential as you say. But I also recommend saving info on brand, name of color in the brand, sheen (gloss, semi-gloss, etc) and other base info, color codes, etc. It might also make sense to paint something stable with a small area to have available to bring in to color match, etc. Having all that can make life a lot easier when it comes time to buy more (in small quantities!) as needed.

My observation is if you buy the same base again and bring in a sample to color match, you may get a little better results than buying the same color name. But there are probably a lot of what ifs in that statement: Did the brand change formulation? Is there much fading (and how uniform if so)? .... Generally, I like to stick to standards and live with some degree of blotchiness from newer paint over faded paint.

And whatever you do ... never ever never ever use slightly different shades of white trim and wall colors all over like the prior owners of my house !!!! There should be a special place in hell reserved for people that use more than two colors of white trim. The prior owners used 5. You can imagine the headache trying to figure what is around windows etc.