Most UK households will have a tin of paint tucked away in the corner of their shed.
With Spring upon us and summer approaching, many Brits across the country are preparing to redecorate parts of their home and give them a fresh look.
But, experts have warned that your paint may not be in the best condition if you have left it sitting in the shed or garage over the height of summer or depths of winter.
That’s because paint does not respond well to extreme temperatures.
In fact, most paints should be stored at temperatures between 5C and 35C, and metal tins need keeping away from moisture to stop them from rusting.
Extreme temperatures also lead to certain chemicals in the paint evaporating, resulting in sub-optimal consistency or even altering the colour.
Oil-based paints, however, are far better at withstanding colder temperatures.
Lucy Fernando., a painting and home improvement expert at Fantastic Handyman, also shared her insight.
Speaking to Ideal Home, she said: “Storing paint properly is key to maintaining its quality for future use and, generally, it isn’t recommended to store it in the garage or your garden shed.”
Speaking to the same site, Pat Gilham, painting and decorating expert at MyJobQuote.co.uk, added: “While it may seem logical to keep leftover paint in a shed or garage, storing paint in these locations is a bad idea.
“If you are going to reuse the paint within a couple of days, then it may be alright, but for any longer than that, it’s not advisable.
“A shed is exposed to weather extremes, cold in the winter and heat in the summer.
“It’s also a damp location. None of these are conducive to keeping your paint in reusable condition. Metal paint cans can also rust in damp conditions.”
“Your garage is not ideal either as it is not going to maintain a consistent temperature which stored paint needs to be reusable.”
