I bought some paint last summer ( gold Dupont Centari acrylic enamel), and tucked it away in the basement. Assuming the paint is never opened, how long can I store it?

Thanks!

Mike

As long as the lid is for sure securely fastened so that no air can get in, it will keep indefinately. I've stored paints for several years before using with no problems. Metallics will require SEVERAL minutes on a shaker before use after being stored for an extended period.

Hold on here Vettefella, not Centari. Centari has a drier in it and will jell up. I forget how long you have, but I think you are past it.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

Will it be obvious when I open the can to use it? I don't want it to look okay, but then spray crappy!

Mike

MartinSR, I think you are right now that you remind me. I've never been a fan of Centari and haven't used it for several years and don't plan on using it ever again.

If I remember correctly, all single stage enamels/acrylic enamels that can be used without a catalyst have the drier added as part of the mix formula.

I stand corrected. My long term storage has been basecoats and clears.

Vettefella, not ALL, Sherwin Williams acr ena and most others can be stored forever as you mentioned.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

Pennybags, it will be fairly obvious. The paint will thicken to a jell eventually.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

MartinSr, I'm happy that I don't know about the Sher Will Peel acr enam. Although the first paint job I did 36 years ago was with it. I used Sher Will for the shop for about three years altogether, but when they started dicking with the formulas back in the early 90s to meet EPA compliance, it went to crap. Die back, peeling, etc, etc. I haven't used it since. Complete re-dos without jobber/manufacturer support got expensive. Of course, according to them, it was a shop problem. Could have been, but all other shops that used it in that area except one had the same problems. Whether it was a shop problem or not, they lost the majority of their major accounts and have not regained them to this day.

Vettefella, when I was repping for M-S (a Sherwin Willams label) had someone told me what you just have I would have asked, "so one shop didn't have the problems, Hmmmmmmm, what do you think that means?"

I want to tell you, after four years on the job there is one thing I learned. That is, ALL the companies are so close in technology that you would be hard pressed to find one that stands out or behind the others. We find our confort zone makes the difference between good and bad products.

Use what you like, use what performs well for you, and don't experiment. BUT if you have to go looking for a job you may find your options are few if you have narrowed yourself down to one brand.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

Couldn't agree with you more, MartinSr. (I kinda wondered if thats where you got your nick--Martin Senor) Yeh, I knew that MS was a branded Sher Will as is Acme, etc.

I've used all of the major brands on the market at one time for the other. Each one has it's own little quirks, even weakness and strengths. As you said, most are very much the same technologically speaking. It's just that when you've had bad experiences with something, you tend to avoid it in the future. And so it goes with Centari and Sherwin Williams.

My personal favorites are DuPont Chroma Premier and Sikkens base/clear systems.