Painting Tip: Put Drying Time On Lid of Paint Can

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  • Paul Alciatore
    Senior Member
    • May 2002
    • 17484

    Painting Tip: Put Drying Time On Lid of Paint Can

    Some of you may remember me complaining about painting (many times) and asking questions about better ways for painting. Well, I came up with a helpful idea yesterday. I am starting to list the recommended drying time in large, easily read figures on the lids of the paint cans with a marking pen.

    Touch: x hours
    Recoat: y hours
    Wait 42/48 hours after: z hours

    I make it big enough so I do not even need my glasses to read it. That way I will no longer need to use my magnifier to re-read the fine print on the can for the thirty-seventh time when I use it.

    When it comes to painting, every little thing helps.

    Now if I could only get the paint manufacturers to stop using those cans that rust at the drop of a hat. I mean, $15 or $25 or $50 of paint in a can that's guaranteed to rust away. For gosh shakes!
    Paul A.
    s
    Golden Triangle, SE Texas

    And if you look REAL close at an analog signal,
    You will find that it has discrete steps.
  • CalM
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2013
    • 1730

    #2
    good points!

    Here is a tip also.

    When pouring paint out of a gallon can, pour to the shelf lable side so the runs only hide the advertising and not the instructions. Pretty simple!

    I just went through 11 gallons of blocking primer, ceiling white, wall paint ,floor shellac and water based urethane redoing the front room. All the products came in PLASTIC pails with metal rims and lids.

    Two more tips

    When closing up oil based cans for "another day" , Purge the air out with propane as you close the cover.

    After closing the cover and tapping it down into the CLEAN groove, tip the can inverted to coat the sealing rim from the inside. Paint keeps longer without skinning.

    Comment

    • Rich Carlstedt
      Senior Member
      • Jul 2001
      • 5484

      #3
      Store your paint cans inverted
      No air leaks in and lid is never stuck from dried paint.
      Also all the heavy stuff is on the lid which makes getting it back into and mixed with the liquid base easier

      Rich
      Green Bay, WI

      Comment

      • CalM
        Senior Member
        • Sep 2013
        • 1730

        #4
        Originally posted by Rich Carlstedt View Post
        Store your paint cans inverted
        No air leaks in and lid is never stuck from dried paint.
        Also all the heavy stuff is on the lid which makes getting it back into and mixed with the liquid base easier

        Rich
        Rich

        I used to think that was a good idea also.

        But have you ever noticed how sometimes several "drips" hang off the lid and harden? well, I had the same drips hang off the inverted bottom that made stirring the paint a royal pain and also broke free to put lumps into the paint. If there were a way to be sure those "dugs" never formed. I admit,the paint was old...... ;-)

        Comment

        • Paul Alciatore
          Senior Member
          • May 2002
          • 17484

          #5
          Hey great, we are turning this into a painting tips thread.

          Keep them coming.
          Paul A.
          s
          Golden Triangle, SE Texas

          And if you look REAL close at an analog signal,
          You will find that it has discrete steps.

          Comment

          • Rich Carlstedt
            Senior Member
            • Jul 2001
            • 5484

            #6
            Originally posted by CalM View Post
            Rich

            I used to think that was a good idea also.

            But have you ever noticed how sometimes several "drips" hang off the lid and harden? well, I had the same drips hang off the inverted bottom that made stirring the paint a royal pain and also broke free to put lumps into the paint. If there were a way to be sure those "dugs" never formed. I admit,the paint was old...... ;-)
            Cal, never had that
            Maybe its because my paint shelf has a sag in it ?? means anything inside goes to one side ?

            Rich
            Green Bay, WI

            Comment

            • JoeLee
              Senior Member
              • Aug 2009
              • 10873

              #7
              It sounds like a good idea since when the surface that is exposed to the air skins over with that thick rubbery layer that you have to poke through and tear out would now be the bottom of the can suspending the paint that would now be at the top of the can when you remove the lid.
              Never tried it............drawback just putting the stick in the can to stir it would cause it to overflow a little since the paint would be right to the top rim.

              JL.............

              Comment

              • tyrone shewlaces
                Senior Member
                • Dec 2006
                • 961

                #8
                You know what would be an even better idea? If the maker of the paint printed the times on the can already !! Right behind the color, it's like THE thing you want to know and it's always buried in small print if stated at all.
                Kind of a peeve of mine, don'tcha know.

                Comment

                • outlawspeeder
                  Senior Member
                  • Oct 2012
                  • 888

                  #9
                  For non water based paints punch a couple of holes in the valley of the seal on the pour side. It allows the paint to drip back in to the can. Again non water base paint or the rust....

                  Comment

                  • Puckdropper
                    Senior Member
                    • Apr 2014
                    • 808

                    #10
                    I've taken to popping the caps off of spray paint and cleaning them out with a bit of alcohol. It seems to work better than inverting the can, but I haven't been doing it long enough to say for certain.

                    If your latex paint has all sorts of little bubbles, mix in a little mineral spirits to get rid of them. I seem to recall the advice on the Internet strongly suggested not doing this to the whole gallon, but just to the bit you were using that day.

                    Comment

                    • wtrueman
                      Senior Member
                      • Mar 2008
                      • 451

                      #11
                      Ok: this like a nice group tonight. I put arrows on the lid and side to line up and with latex, alkyds, and enamels, I also send propane gas onto the surface of the paint before putting the lid back.

                      Comment

                      • boslab
                        Senior Member
                        • Dec 2007
                        • 8834

                        #12
                        I had an old tin of cellulose British racing green paint, I decided to see its condition so decided to open it, levered the lid, there was an almighty explosion as the lid popped and me and surrounding area was painted green, Hulk sad.
                        I still don't have a clue why but somthing decomposed into an explosive?
                        Be warned, rag the top of old solvent tins if opening, just in case
                        Mark

                        Comment

                        • SteveF
                          Senior Member
                          • Sep 2007
                          • 1205

                          #13
                          First thing I do when opening a can of paint is take a hammer and an 8d or so sized nail and punch 4 holes in the trough in the top of the can where the lid seals. That way any paint in the trough gets forced back into the can inside of preventing the lid from being fully seated.

                          I also write the purchase month and year on the can. Read the manufacturer's web site, paints have a shelf life, commonly 6 or 7 years. This way I know when paint should be tossed instead of used.

                          Steve
                          Last edited by SteveF; 08-05-2016, 07:19 AM.

                          Comment

                          • Black Forest
                            Senior Member
                            • Jan 2010
                            • 8984

                            #14
                            The best tip I can give is to cover the top of the can with a rag when you hammer the lid back on! First the rag catches some of the paint that gets squirted out. Second the squirts have a life force in them that makes them all land on me and my glasses. Evil critters those paint squirts.
                            Location: The Black Forest in Germany

                            How to become a millionaire: Start out with 10 million and take up machining as a hobby!

                            Comment

                            • Paul Alciatore
                              Senior Member
                              • May 2002
                              • 17484

                              #15
                              What source of propane do you use?

                              Would nitrogen or helium be better? Non flammable! But can you get them in small quantities?



                              Originally posted by wtrueman View Post
                              Ok: this like a nice group tonight. I put arrows on the lid and side to line up and with latex, alkyds, and enamels, I also send propane gas onto the surface of the paint before putting the lid back.
                              Paul A.
                              s
                              Golden Triangle, SE Texas

                              And if you look REAL close at an analog signal,
                              You will find that it has discrete steps.

                              Comment

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