Best way to store paint ??

[Gizmonster]

I've just gone into the garage, to get some emulsion paint, to do a bit of touching up .... opened it up and it looks like good ol' Jack Frost has been at it - the bottom half of the tin is a solid/guey mess and the top half is a clear liquid. I took it to B & Q to see if they could rescue it, but they just confirmed that it was frost damage and it was ruined.
Apart from storing my paint inside the house, would it protect it from the harsh winters if I wrapped each tin in a layer of foam or 2 .... or has anyone else any other ideas ??
TIA :)

[HowardKennitby]

Don't know about protecting from frost.
If you want to keep a part-used tin in good order make sure the lid is on securely and store it upside down. This will stop a skin forming on the paint.

[seadogg]

Agreed Howard. Also if you store paint in a garage keep it higher than the floo,r on a wooden shelf with thick newspaper kept round the tin with an elastic band.

[askyourgran]

^^That's what we do, we store it upside down wrapped in newspaper in a cupboard in our Shed. Give it a good old stir once you've opened it again.

[Canary42]

I've encountered paint in that condition, but found that a really good robust stirring restored it.

[Gizmonster]

Trust me the paint was not recoverable. I couldn't even get a stick into the solid half of the mess, it was solid. At B & Q they have special mixing machines - the guy took one look at the paint and admitted defeat without even trying.
For fear of appearing dumb, I'm going to ask anyway ... when you turn the tin over, why does this help - what's to stop a skin forming when everything settles down ??

[seadogg]

You seal the lid. You can turn it right way upagain once you have inverted to seal it and make it airtight.

[HowardKennitby]

The skin forms much as usual. When you turn the can the right way up to use it the liquid paint is on top of the skin.

[Gizmonster]

*slaps head* .... oh I see :)
So what about protection from the cold? The paint was stored in a garage and with the last few harsh winters, it looks like the frost might have got to it. Would wrapping it in some thick newspaper be enough to protect it?

[bob334]

If frost gets to emulsion paint you might just as well throw it. If you get a skin on oil based paints, just carefully remove the skin, add a little thinners, stir and with care, filter through a piece of old ladies tights (stretched over a paint kettle with an elastic band). This catches all the unwanted particles.

[Gizmonster]

Hopefully I've sorted the problem about the frost getting at it next winter.
I bought a roll of Polystyrene from B & Q, 7mm thick - http://www.diy.com/na...Veneer-White-9196940#
.... and I lined one of my recycling boxes on all 6 sides (4 walls, bottom and the lid) with 2 layers of it. Hopefully, my paint will be nice and snug in there .... time will tell :P