Old paint is likely to separate. This is also a good opportunity to check the consistency of the paint. If, after stirring the paint, the consistency is chunky, lumpy, or has a cottage cheese-like texture, the paint has expired.
Expired or bad house paint may exhibit signs such as a foul odor, clumping, separation, or a thick, rubbery texture. Mold growth, curdling, or an unusual color change are also indicators. Always check the label for the recommended shelf life and storage instructions.
If it smells bad, bypass using the paint entirely — that smell is bacterial growth that will likely persist once it's on the wall. Small flecks or a thicker consistency, however, can be ignored for quick jobs if you're not a perfectionist.
Expired or bad house paint may exhibit signs such as a foul odor, clumping, separation, or a thick, rubbery texture. Mold growth, curdling, or an unusual color change are also indicators. Always check the label for the recommended shelf life and storage instructions.
Paint cans are designed to keep paint fresh for a long period of time. However, once a can is opened, the paint will gradually start to dry out. The process of paint spoiling is accelerated by high temperatures and low humidity levels. In general, an opened can of paint will remain usable for up to two years.
What happens if you use expired paint? If the paint has a bad smell, you'll be adding that odor to your walls. In addition, expired paint will not provide even color coverage, the finish may not be smooth, and the paint is more likely to crack or chip.
We've got the scoop on why old paint smells so bad and it is simply a buildup of bacteria and mould that causes it to smell like sour milk (OR MUCH WORSE). Bacteria sometimes gets into the paint from the manufacturer but it is most likely to becomes contaminated once opened.
One of the best ways to tell if your stored paint has gone bad is to test it on a piece of board or timber. If lumping occurs it could be that chunky sized bits of paint have formed despite a vigorous stir. Extreme bad smell like rotten eggs might be highly concentrated.
Blistering and bubbling paint failure
Blistering is the appearance of bubbles on the painted surface. They are usually caused by moisture which can come from several sources.
The bottom line is that watery paint is unusable. So if your paint is too watery and you attempt to use it to paint your home, you will notice that the paint won't adhere to surface correctly. It will be 'thin' and therefore will perform poorer than expected.
Can You Use Old or Spoiled Paint? In many cases, paint stored away from extreme temperatures and humidity is still useable long after its listed shelf life. If your paint doesn't have a spoiled odor or consistency, you can use it for touchups or new projects—though it may not result in a perfect finished product.
Paint Shake and Re-Tints
If you bring your old paint to a Home Depot paint center, you can have it shaken up in their machines. This saves the effort of stirring up your old paint, but it also sets up another great service: paint re-tints.
Recycling Your Paint
Sherwin-Williams is pleased to volunteer many of our stores as drop-off locations. Ready to drop off your leftover paint? Search for a Sherwin-Williams store* in any of the participating states/jurisdictions.
You can tell paint has gone bad by the smell and texture. A rancid or sour-smelling paint means your paint has gone bad. In particular, the smell of bad paint is similar to sour milk. Other indicators of expired paint include a lumpy or chunky paint consistency.
What is chalking? “Chalking” is defined in AS/NZS 2310:2002 “Glossary of paint and painting terms” as... “The appearance of a loosely adherent fine powder on the surface of a paint film, arising from the degradation of one or more of its constituents”.
Abrasion Resistance Test helps to determine the ability of a coating to resist avoid degradation because of mechanical wear and tear due to hard and rough objects. Alkali resistance test of paint, to determine the temperature at which paint resists to react with alkaline substances such as plaster, lime, cement.
Common painting defects encompass issues such as blistering, cracking, peeling, and uneven coverage, each presenting unique challenges to the longevity and visual appeal of painted surfaces.
Typically, you might get 5-10 years from latex paints and 10+ for oil paints. Anything more than that and you'll likely need to buy new paint. If you need to dispose of old paint, contact your county for further details.
Durability: Expired paint is not as durable as fresh paint. So, when you apply the old paint to your surface, it will be more prone to chipping, cracking, and peeling. Colour change: Over time, the pigment in the paint will break down, resulting in a shift in the appearance of the paint colour.
Since CO has no odor, color or taste, it cannot be detected by our senses. This means that dangerous concentrations of the gas can build up indoors and humans have no way to detect the problem until they become ill.