Storing Paint/Finishes

[TealaG]

HI...I've been reading that it's not good to store paint, finishes etc in the house.  When I moved to this new house, I stopped keeping these items in the garage because I now have a gas hot water heater.  I really don't have a "good" location for an outdoor shed for such items, but if I had to, I could put it on the back porch.    Weather is generally temperate - we get maybe 5 days at 32 deg fahrenheit up to 5 days of 100+ fahrenheit.  Lots of the time it's 70-90degrees.

Is there a safe way to store these things in the garage?  Maybe in the metal cabinet?  I have a 2 car tandem (3 car garage) and the hot water heater is deep in the 3rd spot, so I am unclear whether putting a cabinet or shelving at the opposite end (the furthest distance possible) would be ok or not.  This location would be next to the garage door.  The garage door gets full sun, but is factory insulated and the garage tends to maintain a temperature 10 degrees cooler than outside.

Any ideas???  I don't have much stuff right now and I'm trying to use up what I have before buying more.  So I think I can fill one of these and that's it:http://www.gladiatorgarageworks.com/products-1/garage-cabinets-2/garage-cabinets-3/-[GAGB28FDYG]-1700130/GAGB28FDYG/

 

[tjbnwi]

If they're waterborne paints check to see if they're flammable. If they are not, I would not be concerned about it.

I believe these types of cabinets are the only approved cabinets for flammables;
http://store.interstateproducts.com...Ejm9XXN2fwJOrbOZP9o1DO3R5Bu8VVTDvcaAuT38P8HAQ

Check with your insurance company, follow their recommendations.

Tom

 

[Scott B.]

One thing to look out for in storing waterborne products is that the lids and rims do rust over time, so keep a supply of strainers and alternative vessels handy...

 

[Wooden Skye]

One thing to look out for in storing waterborne products is that the lids and rims do rust over time, so keep a supply of strainers and alternative vessels handy...

Scott

Wouldn't it be better to just put the entire can of finish into a couple mason jars or something similar after opening for the first time? 

 

[Scott B.]

One thing to look out for in storing waterborne products is that the lids and rims do rust over time, so keep a supply of strainers and alternative vessels handy...

Scott

Wouldn't it be better to just put the entire can of finish into a couple mason jars or something similar after opening for the first time?

Depending on quantity, it could be a good option. The only thing I don't know is if the finishes would be affected by light penetrating the glass over time. In my shop, I'd be concerned about breakage too lol

I hope that the mfr's come up with better vessel solutions for these products. The plastic lids and containers that some come in aren't very good either. They don't rust, but they are generally poor quality.

 

[Wooden Skye]

One thing to look out for in storing waterborne products is that the lids and rims do rust over time, so keep a supply of strainers and alternative vessels handy...

Scott

Wouldn't it be better to just put the entire can of finish into a couple mason jars or something similar after opening for the first time?

Depending on quantity, it could be a good option. The only thing I don't know is if the finishes would be affected by light penetrating the glass over time. In my shop, I'd be concerned about breakage too lol

I hope that the mfr's come up with better vessel solutions for these products. The plastic lids and containers that some come in aren't very good either. They don't rust, but they are generally poor quality.

Scott good point about the light penetrating, didn't think of that, guess if you kept in a cabinet light penetrating would be reduced.

 

[TealaG]

I'm thinking that if in a cabinet, it would be ok.  I have my mason jars in a dark closet and I've gone out and used them and they were fine.  I like smaller mason jars for touch up paint because I'm not trying to stir an entire can to do a wee bit of painting and I can just shake, open jar, swipe swipe, wipe the top, put the lid on...DONE.  If I got truly concerned about that, I could just put an opaque paper sleeve on it with a cute label (nothing is better than a cute label...)  The jars are just easier to maintain than the metal cans, the lids can be easily replaced.  I "donate" a few jars to paint and when they're empty, I wash them and use them for paint again since the jar can be completely cleaned of the previous color.

 

[leakyroof]

I'm thinking that if in a cabinet, it would be ok.  I have my mason jars in a dark closet and I've gone out and used them and they were fine.  I like smaller mason jars for touch up paint because I'm not trying to stir an entire can to do a wee bit of painting and I can just shake, open jar, swipe swipe, wipe the top, put the lid on...DONE.  If I got truly concerned about that, I could just put an opaque paper sleeve on it with a cute label (nothing is better than a cute label...)  The jars are just easier to maintain than the metal cans, the lids can be easily replaced.  I "donate" a few jars to paint and when they're empty, I wash them and use them for paint again since the jar can be completely cleaned of the previous color.

  I've bought some plastic containers to transfer waterbased finishes out of metal cans that had previously rusted when I had bought the same finishes before in the past.  I didn't want to repeat that rusted failure of the metal cans, so I bought fresh finish and moved over what I needed.
of course, I can't remember where I got the plastic containers right at the moment, but they've held up really well for the past 3 years.  [embarassed]
The Mason Jars have 1 or two worries for me, finish drying up and jamming the threads of the metal tops/lids unless I'm fully wiping any finish off the glass lip before putting the lid back on.  Or, you get rust particles falling off the lid and down into your finish while the jar is quietly sitting in a cabinet out of sight for months.
Grr... [mad] [mad] [mad]

 

[Holmz]

The problem with mason jars is you forget what is in them, it could be anything... Food, poison, who knows.

 

[TealaG]

I label my mason jars well with the paint brand, color etc.

 

[Holmz]

Yep for home that is fine.
In more of an OHSA environment they use self closing doors, vented, lockable, and the containers and their MSDS-sheet need need to be accounted for. They get upset when they see mason jars.