Emulsion Paint going black !

[Mark Carver]

Bought two cans of Crown Emulsion paint in April 2011 (18 months ago) to paint our kitchen. It was lime green.

One thing led to another, and I've only just round to using them. (Don't ask!) I opened the first one up, and the paint is jet black. If I stir it, then there are only tiny streaks of the original green visible. The other can is the same ?

Today was the first time since purchase that I've opened the cans.

They've been stored in our garage.

I've never seen this effect before. I've stored used cans of emulsion, and they've still been fine for touching up years later ?

Weird chemical reaction ? Faulty paint ? Any ideas ?

[polygonum]

I think a mistake in the paint - whether the base or the added pigment. (Could they have added a pigment for oil-base only to a water-base? That could form a blackish layer on top but the depths would likely be base colour - or somewhere near.) But after all this time you might find it difficult to get it replaced. Two things that might help to get there. If it is a well known problem or the company (whether the retailer or Crown) do so out of goodwill.

[Martin Brown]

I suspect the makers will say possibly correctly that they have been frosted and the pigment has plated out at the bottom of the can. I can't think of any way modern pigments would change colour like that.

If it is any consolation the fancy mix your own colour in the shop systems are even more likely to separate with storage. It is even more entertaining when the assistant fails to put the lid on right!

Bad storage would be my guess and you are seeing the colour of the binding resin although usually it looks like dark clear varnish. I have a couple of tins of very old emulsion kept in the garage to use for basecoat clear touch up lustre matching on painted walls. A very good stir might get the paint to disperse again but I have my doubts.

[Phil L]

It's the oils that have come to the top, if you keep stirring it for a good five minutes or more, the original colour will return

[Mark Carver]

Tried that, nothing happened. Thanks to all who replied. I'll just the write the episode off and put it down to experience. The receipt has long gone, so that's that.

[harry]

Give it a good stir and see what happens.

[Phil L]

Paint can't change colour on it's own, even if it's frozen and defrosted a few times, it retains it's colour, which means it was either black when you bought it (highly unlikely) or it's still lime green. Pour the entire cans into a large bucket and give it a proper whisking up, make sure you get all the pigment from the bottoms of both cans

[Mark Carver]

All right, you've convinced me, I'll stick on some disposable clothing and give it go. Nothing to lose !!

[Martin Brown]

I doubt that they are recoverable but it should be possible to scrape a chunk of the original pigment off the bottom of the can with a long screwdriver or stick. This would confirm what happened.

If there isn't and the paint is labelled lime green you might want to complain to the makers indicating the batch number and cross fingers.

If you are feeling brave and wearing scrap clothes a piece of coathanger wire or welding rod bent to a delta shape in a battery drill/screwdriver with proportional speed control might help mix it. Get it wrong though and paint will fly everywhere.

This stuff sounds like it is too far gone though. I have never seen emulsion paint change colour as described even after several years standing.

[meow2222]

I wouldn't, you're not going to get black paint green whatever you do, and = that'll likely ruin your chance of returning it. I'd take it back first, ex= plaining they supplied the wrong colour, you lost the receipt, and could th= ey please replace it. A lot of people are very interested to hear how it go= t to be black, and whether they'll put it right. A major company has their = reputation to consider.

NT

[Brian Gaff]

Well if they have no use before or store in a markings on them, I'd be tempted to take them back.

Brian

[stuart noble]

Most emulsions use highly concentrated tints, so it's difficult to know where enough volume of colourant has come from to produce anything close to black.

[Mark Carver]

I bought the paint in Homebase in April 2011. I doubt they will be interested in helping.

I'm going to ring Crown tomorrow, and try to get in touch with someone from their technical dept. Googling doesn't seem to throw up any other instances or cases of this, so it does seem very odd.

I'll keep you all posted.

[newshound]

A black layer on the top is going to be a mould infection. But I have

*never* come across anything remotely like this. I'm speaking to the Paint Research Association next week, will try to remember to ask them.

[Peter Johnson]

Or take it in to a Crown Decorator Centre and ask them to put it in the shaker. (from an ex-Crown employee)

[Mark Carver]

Well, a happy conclusion to this. I phoned Crown during the week, and they said just give it a damn hard long stir, using a relatively wide and blunt instrument. This I did, and sure enough after 10-15 mins of vigorous activity, it did indeed return to being green paint !

In the words of Baldrick, "I have M'lord, produced some pure Green'

I'm amazed, but delighted,

Thanks to all that responded !

[Phil Wieland]

Sorry to nitpick, but wasn't it Lord Percy who produced pure Green?

[Mark Carver]