How to Store Paint Like a Professional
No matter the size or type of a particular paint job, estimating the proper amount of paint or deck stain you’ll need can be a challenge. You want to make sure you have enough paint to provide the necessary coverage, but you don’t want to overspend on materials, either. As a general rule, it’s best to overshoot your estimate -- sure, you might end up with some leftover paint, but unopened cans can be returned or stored for later use. Even opened cans of paint can be used years down the line as long as they’re properly stored.
In other words, knowing how to hold onto your extra paint will save you time, money, and hassle in the long run, so it’s worth doing. Here’s how to store paint like a Raleigh painting professional.
How Painters Store Paint Properly
Room Temperature is Just Right
Temperature plays a major role in the success of a paint job -- most paints are best applied between 45 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Likewise, you must take temperature into account when storing your paints. If you store your products in an environment that experiences temperatures below freezing or that exceed 90 degrees, there’s a good chance your paint will get ruined. Ideally, you want to store your paint in a room that keeps a relatively consistent temperature between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, such as a heated garage, basement, crawl space, closet, etc.
Keep the Air Out
Raleigh house painters can tell you that heat and cold aren’t the only threats to your leftover paint. Excess air can gradually dry out your surplus paint and/or cause it to skim over. To preserve the proper paint consistency, you’ll want to minimize the air inside the container and ensure that no additional air gains entry. You can achieve this by transferring leftover paint that’s been previously opened into a smaller metal or plastic container with an air-tight seal. Of course, if you only used a small amount of paint from a can, you can keep it in its original canister, so long as you tightly seal the top with durable plastic cling wrap.
Make Sure You Label Your Cans
Proper paint storage isn’t just about preserving your excess paint -- it’s also about organization. After all, you’ll want to be able to clearly identify your paint products when it comes time to use them again for touch-ups or as a reference to purchase more of the same product. Whenever storing your paint, label it with any and all key information, such as the brand and product itself, the paint color’s name and number, the sheen/finish, and the date it was purchased and/or used. It’s also helpful to write down which room and/or surface(s) the paint was used on. If you were painting a room two colors (i.e. different colors for adjacent walls), make a note of which exact surface received which color to avoid any confusion. Finally, smear a sample of the paint on a small drawdown card, which can be filed away elsewhere -- this can come in handy if the leftover paint gets ruined, lost, or stolen.
Prepare for the Next Paint Job by Storing like a Pro
If you have extra paint after a job, don’t let it go to waste -- store it so you can use it and/or reference it later on. Just make sure you store it in the proper conditions, seal your containers tightly, and clearly label each product. If you need more advice on proper paint storage methods, Anderson Painting is happy to help. To learn more about us and all we do, call today at 919-610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!
