kinda dumb paint question

Does paint go bad? Many of my paints have kinda gotten clumpy or bubbly. What does that mean?

Are you talking about bottles or spray cans? Both can go bad, usually more with bottles. With bottles, when you shake them before using, a lot of paint ends up on the underside of the cap and then when you screw it back on, it squshes between the bottle and the cap. The paint then dries, but not evenly all the way around, which then allows air to get into the bottle and the paint to evaporate. That's how you end up with thick and goobery paint.

Cans go bad too, but usually only if there's some kind of damage to it that allows a leak.

With bottles, when you shake them before using, a lot of paint ends up on the underside of the cap and then when you screw it back on, it squshes between the bottle and the cap. The paint then dries, but not evenly all the way around, which then allows air to get into the bottle and the paint to evaporate. That's how you end up with thick and goobery paint.


This is exactly why you shouldn't shake paints up to mix the pigments and solvents, you actually waste paint by shaking them up.
Not only that, but shaking them really doesn't agitate them as well as stirring with a toothpick for a few minutes. When you stir, you are able to get to the very bottom of the jar and agitate all the settled pigment, which is what you want to do.
Thoroughly stirring is the way to go.

How Do You Store Your Paints? This May Be The Problem As The Air Temp Can Screw Up Paint Quality. when I Lived In Denver CO*
I Keeped My Paints In The Garage Anytime It Was Cold The Paints From The Garage Would Give Me The Same Probs Hope This Helps


*When In The Denver Area Please Visit COLPAR Hobbies(East)
In Aurora And say Hi To Tom From Jake(The Best Shop I've Ever Seen!)