Acrylic paint is known to be a highly versatile, non-toxic medium that is beloved by both artists and crafters alike. If you are an acrylic paint enthusiast, then knowing if and when acrylic paint will expire can be quite useful.
Do acrylic paints expire? If the paint is stored in an ideal condition in an airtight container, it can last for more than 10 years. However, acrylic paint can go bad very quickly if the container has been opened and is not stored correctly.
In this article, let’s learn more about acrylic paint, how to tell whether a tube of acrylic paint is no longer good, and how to store acrylic paint correctly so that it can be useful for longer.
How Long Does Acrylic Paint Last?
When properly stored, an unopened can of acrylic paint can last for about 5-10 years, and this length is largely dependent on the paint’s quality. The more high-quality the paint is, the longer it will last.
However, the trouble usually comes when you have opened a can of acrylic paint and left it in storage for a few years. Depending on the storage condition, especially temperature fluctuations and contamination, the paint may or may not be good to use.
How can you tell if your acrylic paint is still good to use? And what kinds of problems can and cannot be fixed? Let’s take a look at the next sections.
How To Tell That Acrylic Paint Has Gone Bad
There are a few tell-tale signs that your acrylic paint has gone bad, and depending on the level of deterioration, there might still be a chance to fix your acrylic paint.
Here are some classic signs that your acrylic paint has gone bad.
The Paint Has Dried Up
There are various indicators that can tell you that the paint has gone bad. One of these is when the paint has dried up in the tube.
The longer the paint has been in storage, the harder the paint will be. If it has only been less than a year, you can probably peel off the dried-up layer and use the remaining paint.
Since acrylic paint is a water-based paint, you can use water to thin the paint and rehydrate the dried-up paint. This method will only work if the paint is not completely dried up and can still be broken up using a spatula.
You can spread a thin layer of paint out on your palette and add a few drops of water to rehydrate the paint. Make sure to only use a little bit of water because you don’t want to thin out the paint too much. Then, you can mix it with a spatula to rehydrate the paint.
Make sure to use up the entire batch of paint that you have mixed since this paint has been contaminated and won’t last in storage. In some instances, the paint can become completely solid inside the tube, and you will no longer be able to use it.
The Paint Is Lumpy
When acrylic paint is fresh, it usually has a completely smooth and perfect consistency that you can spread out on the canvas. When the paint has gone bad, it can appear lumpy, where parts of the paint are still liquid, and parts of it have dried off.
If there is still a decent amount of paint to be salvaged, you can use a strainer to remove the lumps and solidified pieces of paint from the mixture. Afterward, you can use the remaining liquid paint as normal.
Separation
Acrylic paint is made of various components, including pigments, acrylic polymer emulsions, as well as various other additives.
When acrylic paint is left in storage for a while, all of these components can start to separate when you see a clear layer of pigments at the bottom and a clear liquid on top that has clearly been separated from the pigment.
If there are no other signs of deterioration (such as mold or odor), this doesn’t mean that the acrylic paint has gone completely bad. It may be the case that the container has been left untouched for too long.
In this case, you can simply shake or stir the paint to mix all the components again, and you should be able to still use the paint without any issues.
Odor
Acrylic paint is known to be a non-toxic paint with a very mild odor that you often don’t really notice. However, if you open a tube of acrylic paint and can smell a strong, sour odor, that is a strong indication that the acrylic paint has gone bad.
We don’t recommend sticking your nose into a tube of acrylic paint since that can be bad for you in a whole other way. You should be able to detect a smell when holding the tube of paint about 10 inches from your face.
If your acrylic paint smells foul, unfortunately, there’s no chance that the paint can still be salvaged. Unfortunately, you will have to discard your paint in this case.
Mold
Mold is usually a companion of a strong odor when it comes to old acrylic paint. If you open up an old container of acrylic paint and smell a foul scent, there’s a chance that the paint is covered with mold as well.
If you spot mold in your paint, you should also discard the entire container completely since there’s really no way to revive the paint safely.
How To Store Acrylic Paint
All of the issues mentioned above are the result of extreme temperature fluctuations, air exposure, or contaminants in the paint.
Dried-up and lumpy paint can happen when the paint is exposed to air or when the temperature fluctuates between extremely hot or extremely cold (which can happen when you leave the paint in your garage for too long).
Contaminants in the paint can also create an environment for bacteria and mold to grow. Knowing these common issues, here are how you can properly store your acrylic paint so that it will last for longer.
Use An Airtight Container
Since acrylic paint is a water-based paint, once it gets exposed to the air, the water will evaporate. To prevent this from happening, you should store your acrylic paint in a sealed container until you’re ready to use them.
If you have opened a container of paint, then you should always seal the container properly after each use so that the air cannot get inside.
A lot of the time, you’ll spot dried-up paint around the opening of the tube. The dried-up paint can also prevent the cap from sealing properly, causing the paint inside to dry out. If you spot dry paint around the opening of the tube, make sure to peel it off so that the cap can seal the tube tightly.
One of the easiest ways that paint can get exposed to air is because of a cracked tube, which can be the result of squeezing too hard. To prevent this issue, make sure to squeeze the tube gently when using it so that you don’t damage the tube.
Many plastic tubes are also designed so that the tube will expand back up to its original shape when the paint is squeezed out. However, when the tube springs back up, it will be filled with air rather than paint.
If you notice that your plastic tube tends to do this, make sure to pinch the container after squeezing out the paint, and then seal the cap tightly so that air cannot get inside.
Store At Room Temperature
Keep acrylic paint away from places that can experience temperature fluctuations, such as storage sheds, attics, and garages. Extreme heat or extreme cold can affect the paint’s shelf life.
Instead, you should always store your acrylic paint in a dry, cool area in your home, like a closet, where the temperature is controlled. When stored in this condition in an airtight container, the paint can last for longer than 10 years.
Don’t Contaminate The Paint
Contamination is one of the biggest reasons acrylic paint can attract bacteria and grow mold.
Many people use water to thin acrylic paint. However, after thinning the paint, you won’t be able to store and reuse the paint if you don’t use it up. This is because water contains minerals and microbes, which can be an ideal environment for bacteria and fungi to grow.
If you want to thin acrylic paint with water, it’s best to do so in small batches and use them up quickly so you won’t have to deal with this issue later on.
Many crafters and artists also love experimenting with mixing glitter, mica powder, or even sand into acrylic paint to create textures. These foreign matters can also cause issues for your acrylic paint as well.
Again, if you want to experiment with these materials, make sure to mix small batches at a time and use up all that you make. Otherwise, the mixture can dry up or even grow molds if you try to store it.
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