Every painting job leaves you with leftover paint. What, you had just enough? Well, almost every painting job, then. Save it for touchups later. Here are some tips to make sure it’s still usable when the time comes.
Transfer it to a smaller container. Get a quart can, and fill it from the remaining pain in the gallon can, avoiding getting paint in the groove around the edge. This can will cover 100 square feet, so should be enough for future touchups. (It saves shelf space, too.) Seal it up tightly, using a rubber mallet. The paint will last longer, since there’s not a bunch of air in the can.
Store cans upside down.
And if you’re saving oil-based paint, you can make it last longer by adding a thin layer of linseed oil on top. Don’t mix it; leave it as a protective layer.
Make sure you label each can with the paint name, manufacturer and number and specifically where you used it (such as “Bathroom trim”). A date’s helpful, too. You can even dab a bit of paint on top of the can (or the bottom, of course, if you’re storing it upside down) for quick reference, or in case you want to use it on other projects.
Store it in a dry, relatively cool place – at least not a hot place – up off a concrete floor.