Pro Guide to “Frozen Free” Winter Paint Storage

Frozen is all fun and games until we’re talking about paint. That’s when frozen becomes pretty darn annoying and very expensive. Frozen paint means your expensive stock of paint is forever ruined and you must well…. let it go.

Storing paint outside throughout the warmer months is typically not a problem, but storing paint outside in a garage throughout the frigid winter months is a big no-no and a mistake that can become pretty costly for a new homeowner. We enlisted a professional painting contractor to give us the winter paint storage info we need to keep paint safe all year long.

After our interview with this painting professional, here’s what we learned:

1. Storing paint in extreme temperatures is a recipe for disaster, especially latex based paint.

2. Paint tends to separate when it freezes and when it eventually thaws, the paint is curdled and unusable. Proper winter paint storage is crucial!

3. Extreme heat or moisture can also become a problem for paint, so choosing a dry/cool place to store paint is key.

4. Dry basements or extra closet space are perfect places to store paint because the temperatures in a house typically stay consistent, allowing the paint to stay safe all year long.

5. Ideally, paint should be stored in temperatures between 40 degrees and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. When stored properly, leftover paint is valuable for more than 5 years!

With these safe paint storing tips, we hope you’ll keep your paint safe so you never have to “let it go.” Sorry Elsa! 

For tips on picking the perfect Paint Sheen, check out this simple Paint guide! 

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Photo credit: Daniel R. Blume