Saving extra paint when you remodel a room is a great idea to allow you to apply touch-ups without worrying about the color going out of production. Unfortunately, even a sealed can has the potential to dry up over time as air within the can causes the paint to thicken. While you can’t fully prevent any deterioration, there are ways to extend the life of your paints.
Smaller Cans Save
The best way to minimize deterioration is to move the paint out of the gallon can into a smaller quart can. That’s more than enough for most repair jobs and allows you to either fill the can or at least reduce the amount of air in the can before sealing. To add extra life for your oil paints, add a layer of linseed oil or Penetrol atop the paint before sealing to serve as a protective barrier.
