Possibly erroneous paint observation

[JoeSpareBedroom]

The prior owner of my house did a lot of interior painting in the year before I bought the place. The leftover paint cans are marked with info like "2003 - Living Room Trim", so I'm sure of the time factor. He used Behr and Sears Easy Living paints. I bought the place in 2004, and immediately bought some Devoe and Martin-Senour Pro-Line paints. The cans have been stored alongside his since then, and the basement's dry.

The lids and edges of his old cans are completely rusted & phuqued up and the paint is deteriorating. Mine are free of any kind of corrosion and still sealed well. I know that some people abuse the lid & can edges by battering them during opening & closing, but I don't think that's enough to explain the situation.

I wonder if, in addition to getting better paint when you spend a little more money, you also get a container that lasts longer, so a few years later, the paint is still useful.

Or, there's another conclusion and never mind.

[Frank]

I doubt that better paint comes in better cans but most metal containers are lined and as you point out scraping or scratching the coating would break through to the metal. When I have less than a quart of paint to store, I put in old mason jars with seal and it keeps for a long time.

[ransley]

rust would be a humid basement as concrete releases moisture and can ruin a can on the floor, but after a few years the paint wont match anyway since its aging on your walls so maybe junk it.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

rust would be a humid basement as concrete releases moisture and can ruin a can on the floor, but after a few years the paint wont match anyway since its aging on your walls so maybe junk it.

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My paint's been stored right next to his in the same basement. Please try and comprehend what people have written, ransley.

[ransley]

Be an ass Joe which you are, his paint has been there one year longer or cant you figure this one out for yourself

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Be an ass Joe which you are, his paint has been there one year longer or cant you figure this one out for yourself

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I don't think time is the issue.

[dadiOH]

Oxidation need moisture and air. I've had partially used cans rust from the inside out but never an unopened one. Most recent was a third gallon of water base polyurethane varnish...it was so bad that a hole developed in the bottom (from the inside) just from stirring. The lid outside was fine, inside of the can - lid and sides - was all rusty

I've had very little problems with the lids/rims. Some superficial rust on opened cans, nothing major. Stored in my unheated shop in a cabinet in Central Florida.

[Paul MR]

The one-gallon plastic paint containers with lids that screw off and back on are the best packaging invention since they stopped putting motor oil in cans that you had to puncture and pour with a special tool. I can't wait until the makers of better paints follow the lead of Dutch Boy and junk their old fashioned cans. Paul in San Francisco

[dadiOH]

Are you talking about the ones with a lid about the size as one on a milk jug? I got a gallon of water poly in one, still trying to figure out how to stir, not shake :)

[JoeSpareBedroom]

There's an engineering OOPS. I'll bet the label says "Do not shake", right? :)

[Paul MR]

No. The paint container lid is about 5 inches in diameter. Stirring is no problem. Paul in San Francisco

[dpb]

Paul MR wrote: ...

_What_ special tool? That was a "church key", one of which should have always been handy, surely. :)

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[salty]

He's talking about the spouts with the built in opener.

[Paul MR]

Yeah, I'm old enough to remember church keys too. :) Paul in San Francisco

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Sounds like his is different, if he's describing it as the size of a milk jug lid.

[dpb]

In that case, what "special tool"?

I'd wager he meant the old cardboard can w/ the metal top...and I was making a jest... :(

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[frank megaweege]

Sherwin williams has been using plastic containers with screw off lids for awhile.

[Oren]

Oh! You mean the cardboard can that would collapse if the special tool (funnel) wasn't carefully inserted into the metal top (G).

Before 16 cent bulk oil in a glass jar and screw on funnel...

I still have church keys!

Oren

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[dpb]

Of course...I still have cases of oil in those cans--it'll probably be another 5 years before they're used up as down to only one truck that uses 20W single viscosity anymore and it doesn't get much work any more... :)

Bulk oil was always in 55-gal drums, so have only seen the glass as curiosities. Do still have the remnants of the old hand-crank, glass-bulb-at-the-top gas pump, however. Unfortunately, it's no longer functional; I've wished several times to put it back.

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[dadiOH]

I WANT THEM!!!!!!!!!!