Brantford Home Repairs: Best Ways To Store Leftover Paint

Whether hiring painting services in Brantford or doing it yourself, home improvement projects often involve painting. What should you do with any leftover paint? Most homeowners just park the extra paint cans in a garage or backyard shed in case they need to touch up a painted surface.

Unfortunately, they often find they cannot open the messy cans or that the paint has dried. With careful, thoughtful paint storage, you can keep some types of leftover paint for years. Keep reading for tips to help you store paint to prolong it and take up less room.

Control the Climate

Paint loves a stable environment without extreme temperatures. If you usually tuck leftover paint cans in your shed, unfinished basement, attic, or garage, you may find yourself with unusable paint the next time you need it. Instead, find a spot in a dark closet or cabinet inside where you can stash it away from temperature changes and bright light.

Be sure to clean the rim of the paint can well before you put it away. Those drips of paint can make it impossible to reopen the can later. Better yet, put your leftover paint in a smaller see-through container to store it.

Transfer into Jars

Yes, it does take some effort to move your leftover paints to transparent glass jars, but it makes a lot of sense if you have the time. When you finish your painting project, pour the remaining paint into a glass jar and label it with the colour, brand, date, and where you used it.

With that information, you can remember the right paint for touching up, even if you have several jars in similar shades. Thorough labelling is also helpful if you need to hire painting services in Brantford after your home has been damaged in a storm or from flooding. Your painting contractor can find the exact paint colour to return your rooms to their original condition.

Wide-mouthed canning jars are excellent for storing leftover paint because they are easy to fill and create an air-tight seal that prevents evaporation. Remember to park your jars in a dark space because exposure to light can alter the colour. Not only can glass jars preserve your paint for another use, but they also take up significantly less room than traditional gallon-sized paint cans.

Know the Lifespan

How long can you expect your paint to last when storing it properly? It depends on the kind of paint you have. The longest-lasting paints are oil-based acrylics, with a lifespan of up to 15 years, or latex, which lasts two to 10 years. Chalk paint only hangs on for one to five years. Include the type of paint when you label it to keep track of its lifespan.

What about the paint you already have around the house? To see if you can still use it, give it a good smell. Paint that has turned smells worse than, well, regular paint. Another way to tell is stirring it; old paint can separate or get lumpy.

Use caution when throwing out your old paint cans. Add sand or cat litter to paint before you dispose of it or open the cans and allow them to dry up. Either method may take a little while, but they both are better for the environment than tossing your old paint in the garbage. Check with the waste collection services or public landfills near Brantford to see what regulations exist concerning throwing away your unused paint.

Where To Turn for Painting Services in Brantford

For other helpful tips about paint storage or any home improvement project, reach out to our expert team at The Handyman Connection. We have been helping Brantford homeowners with home renovations and repairs for over thirty years. Call us or reach out online to learn more about our services and get an estimate.