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How Do I Store My Leftover Paint?

When you finish a painting project, there is paint leftover to store. This isn't a bad thing, since it is likely you'll want paint for touchups or matching for painting another room. The key to storing leftover paint is to limit air exposure, since evaporation is how paint dries and becomes unusable.

In order to keep your leftover paint from drying, always cover the can unless you are actively using it. Be careful not to get the rim full of paint, as that can prevent it from sealing properly. Once you have used at least a quarter of the can, there begins to be a good amount of air inside it, even when closed. Use a clean plastic bag and lay it flat on the open can, then gently and evenly push it down until it contacts the paint. Now put on the lid over the plastic. This way there is a barrier between the surface of the paint and the air in the can.

Another option, especially if there is not much paint left in the can, is to pour it into a different plastic container. Anything with a lid will do -- tupperware, water bottles, yogurt containers... just don't confuse the leftover paint with your leftover dinner and stick it in the microwave! Use the container that will hold the paint adequately but minimize the amount of air. One advantage to a water bottle is that you can squeeze out the air before screwing the lid on, thus eliminating all air that would ruin your paint.  When you transfer the paint to another container, it is critical that you label the new container.  Take come tape and write the type of paint, color, and codes, so that you can order more in the future.

Brooks Painting is one of Davis/Woodland/Sacramento’s leading painting contractors.  We provide both residential and commercial painting.  

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1. We’re committed to your project’s success

A lot of painters do the bare minimum, just to get by and move on. That’s not who we are or how we’ve built our reputation.

2. You can feel comfortable with our team

From the estimator to our office team, field employees to Crew Leader, we want you to know that you’re valued, cared for, and safe.

3. We’ll do the job correctly

You deserve total transparency, accountability, and exceptional work. No skipped steps or opting for the “easy way.”

4. We’ll stand by our job

Because we know we’re doing it all the right way, we can confidently stand by our work. We’re picky, and we want you to be 100% satisfied.

Most trusted painting company in the Greater Sacramento & Davis Areas

4.9 rating from 300+ reviews

Great job in every way- quality of work to customer service.

Debbie M.

Chris and Gabriel were amazing. Corey was patient and helpful in answering questions and while I decided on colors. The office was easy to contact and had good follow-through. Thank you so much to Brooks for a job I could not possibly be happier with. Feel free to use me as a reference!

Laura P

The crew is as neat and reliable as the actual painting job and paint used. No boom boxes!! Cordial staff spoke English. The crew got along with each other and worked as a team. The actual finish is / was beautiful. We would like to use Brooks again!

Donna H.

Brooks did a fantastic job on our exterior and interior paint jobs. Quality was high, price was reasonable, and the team was extremely professional and detail-oriented. Mark was our crew lead and the team performed a number of exterior wood repairs, a door re-stain, interior and exterior painting. Mark clearly takes a lot of pride in his work and went above and beyond to ensure the work was high-quality, including finding exact matching siding to fix dry rot, and performing minor repairs that weren't even included in the quote. He and the team were all consistently positive and personable, joking with each other throughout the day, while also genuinely complimenting each other on the quality of their work. It was great to see, and that positivity definitely showed through the work they did. We couldn't be happier with the end result.

Ryan Schauland
Google

I have always received excellent customer service and the crews are always very concerned about ensuring satisfaction!

Shawn W.

Bud was always available and extremely knowledgeable. He was always willing to go that extra step and also explain things thoroughly.

Michelle B.

I wanted to have my kitchen cabinets painted but knew that that was a job that required skill and expertise. I called Brooks Painting and the experience from start to finish was perfect! Everyone I dealt with was personable and good at their jobs. They spent time answering questions, explaining the exact process, and did the work precisely as promised. They even did a few other small jobs (repairing and painting 2 water damaged ceilings) to perfection. And everything was neat and clean when they left! And the cabinets – better than I could have hoped for. Esteban is a master craftsman who was meticulous in every aspect of his work. The finish is smooth as glass with no imperfections. I couldn’t be happier!

Christina Fotenos
Google

Eric and his crew were on time every day and did a very thorough job. I was thrilled that they were willing to paint my outdoor light fixtures which were getting rusty. I was particularly impressed how much time they spent going over their work at the end to catch spots that were missed. I’ll be using them again for interior painting.

C Lewis

We would recommend them highly. [They] painted and did a good job. Kept everything clean and cleaned up after, very polite.

Muriel Y.

Very professional. Painters were very accommodating on the little things.

Claude V., Dixon

Brooks Painting is everything you would want. Excellence! Always on time. Great work!

Mary Jane B.

My house is so beautiful now…great work. Courteous, prompt, awesome work.

Lisa H.

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COREY SCHMIDT

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Ryan Lowery

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Residential Estimator Ryan is a fantastic new addition to our sales team! If you have a residential cabinet or exterior project, book with Ryan!

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    Why Work with Brooks Painting

    Quality

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    We offer a three-year labor guarantee for all painting projects involving one coat, and a five-year labor guarantee for all two-coat projects.

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    Brooks Painting is a fully-licensed, bonded, and insured company. We also offer up to $1,000,000.00 in liability for your protection.

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