A question about shelf life of paint?

About three years ago I went to an auction and bought a pallet full of automotive paint. It's mostly PPG and everything from acrylic, to urethane, to base clear, a lot of clear. I'm wondering what it's shelf life is at this point. Sitting in the can unopened under my bench, is it useable or past being safe to use? There's enough here to paint my car and a few more if it's not a mistake to use it. I'd need to buy some color material, and maybe a little primer, but I've got about 20 gallons to choose from. Any advice appreciated.

 

As long as it has not been frozen at one point, I'd use it. hell send me a gallon and I'll try it out for you!!

 

The two major problems would be freezing, and air seeping into the can. I've known guys that shook the hell out of automotive paint that had been sitting for 20 years and used it with no ill effects. I would say that if it looks and feels all right after a session on the paint shaker, use it.

 

As long as it's still sealed up good it will be fine,solvent based paint won't freeze. If you have any opened cans of hardener get rid of them (properly of course).......

 

Good paint will last for years as long as it hasn't been reduced, had hardner added, frozen or alot of exposure to air. Just make sure if you use it you use a primer, clear, reducer, etc that is compatible with it. If you have any questions about compatibilty ask you local paint house, body shop, or paint rep.

 

I've got several of those blue GM parts tubs full of laquers & urethane basecoats I've used on repairs over the last 15 to 20 years.....I get some out and use them all the time, even mix them, no problems ever. Most of them have been WAY below freezing to WAY hot, many times, I've never bought the "don't let it freeze" stuff.

A guy at DuPont factory I toured told me over 20 years ago "you think all the new paint everywhere sits in climate controlled warehouses ?, not".

 

Make damn sure those cans are sealed up real good, then get those things on a wicked paint shaker and shake the SHIT out of them for a good long time! Then open 'em up and stir, stir, stir, with a mixing stick and see whatcha got. 9 times out of 10 if it looks wrong it IS WRONG! Whatch it go through the strainer, is it leaving a bunch of funky stuff behind? If you're still uneasy, go with some test panels (always a good idea when experimenting anyways), make sure you're using the proper reducers for your climate/temp, and start off with a nice little tack-coat to get the ball rolling right... But, like everybody else is saying, no freezing, no air, should be no problem. Good luck!

 

Yeah - I never bought into the "it's ok so long as it don't freeze" thing either! - I've used paint that was 20 years old been frozen at least once each winter - it was fine - but then again it was lacquer. Come to think of it - I had some old enamel that was the same way - no problems yet.

Oh yeah - I've used "frozen" thinner and reducer too

As for the new fangled stuff - I dunno - but I sure as heck would try it first with the sky high prices nowadays.....

 

I have some Schwinn paint from the 50's that is still good. You may be assured it has been frozen/heated many times. I have some 30 year old red paint (acrylic enamel, I think it is) that is very good. I have painted several bikes with it and had good results. Never have used any of that new-fangled paint they have these days. I guess it looks ok, but it almost seems too shiney to my eyes. Sort of a plastic like look, not like well polished lacquer.

 

IF IT got cold enough to freeze the reducer,,id move for sure..

 

Stored in unopened containers, it'll last indefinately. Opening can will affect it, depencing on how long it is left open, because oxygen is introduced. Ignore the myth about freezing hurting. Freezing being a term associated with low temperatures, acrylics and urathanes and epoxys don't actually solidify when stored at low temps. Actually, you can 'freeze' acrylic enamel and urathane enamel, after it's been mixed with catalyst and it'll keep for a couple of monthe or more, if you freeze it before the pot-life expires. The curing action starts up after thawing.

 

Two things telling people that does for sure, eliminates their (paint manf.)liability of anything that could have ever frozen, and keeps people throwing it away.

 

2 years ago I used some enamel that was 25 years old,and frozen every winter and subjected to extreame heat every summer. It worked great, but the color was a hair off.

 

Hell, I have a about a half a gallon of Dupont #44s black Nitrocellulose lacquer sitting down the cellar. Still good and use it from time to time. Bought it in 1964

 

I have to agree with most I have read on shelf life being quite lengthy as long as you have not opened it but freezing paint is not a myth. I have been painting since 1964, most of it in Michigan and only once did I experience a problem with paint that had been frozen. Problem is the paint job was extremely pricey on a big money classic restoration. I had the paint analyzed by PPG (the manufacturer and they tried to do a little dance) and a private lab. According to the private lab the freezing caused a breakdown in the pigment, which caused some darker effects in the finish paint. It is the one and only time I have ever seen the effect in paint but it cost me a bundle to correct it and to this day I bring my paint back inside the house when the cold wind blows.-Jim

 

Okay, I'm not trying to step on your professional toes, but; I've been painting since 1959, and no re-do can cost anybody a bundle. A day to tape and wet-sand, an experienced prep guy will do it for $150. If you're paying more for prep, then you need to analyze your business plan. After that, another half day(assuming the prep on the first job was done right),to re-tape and put on the new paint........Since every professional paint shop that I know builds in the cost of the re-work anyhow......Now of course I know that no paint shop will admit they can do this, but when the car is in the booth, and the doors are shut, that's all there is to it. It don't make a shit whether its an "expensive restoration" or my '29 truck, the painting is the same.

 

I wont go into great lengths but this was a body off restoration of a custom bodied 12 cylinder Packard (the owners of these cars that show them can be somewhat particular/demanding). The paint looked great upon completion but the owner (very particluar) wanted the acrylic lacquer to dry for an inordinate amount of time. The body was reinstalled as I had to move on with the project. I figured I would color sand and rub when the owner felt it sat a sufficent amout of time. When I started to rub it out is when I discovered the problem. People putting 6 figures into their "special" cars do not want you to roll it back in the booth and scuff it with some scothbrite and shoot another coat of paint on it. The frame and engine were done and over-restored in the manner of so many classic cars. Portions of the interior were in the car. The owner did not want excessive buildup of paint and I had to remove as much of the paint by sanding as possible and reshoot the whole car. I could go on but why-I only was making a point and that is I never believed freezing had an effect and probably 99% of the time it doesn't. The 1% it might bite you and you can hope that it bites you on the quickie paint jobs and not the way it bit me.-Jim

 

Hey,

A question I've always had ,when offered automotive finish on the
cheap, is what's its history? I've never come out on top when a
refinishing product took a shit and I had to refinish the job. The
vender will 'sometimes' cover the product, but tell me to eat the
labor. My point: don't use this finish on anything ya can't afford
to refinish twice. Solvent based finishes do, much like motor fuel,
have a shelf life. Problems with uniform drying and colour holdout
are just a part of the gamble.



Swankey Devils C.C.

 

I know you had to do it like the owner wanted, even when he didn't know shit about painting. You had to put up with it or lose the customer. So he told you when he wanted it rubbed, not when you thought it was ready. He should have let the painting decisions, as far as when the rubbing out was done, to the painter. So that may have contributed to the problem. I would have explained to him, "IT AIN'T IMRON DUMMY, IT'S ACRYLIC! Then I ask myself, "why would he want a car like that done in acrylic anyhow? If he wasn't going with nitro-laquer, the IMRON would have been a better choice, no rubbing out necessary.........Number two, the best way to re-do a color job is to wet-sand with 600 and reshoot, NOT, sand back down, or rub with (scotch-brite?? eeekk!!)

 

Store them upside down. If there is a pinhole leak, the paint will seep into it and dry, effectively plugging it. Or it will run out onto your floor.

 

Hey 51 merc ct to bad it's not the right color need's to be FLAT BLACK

 

Thanks for all the replies and info. It looks like my auction bargain will pay off. I'll keep you posted as I get around to using the stuff. And since I'm in Florida, freezing is not a worry, hurricanes are another subject however.

 

Ohhh... well full of salt water - now that's another story!

 

olddaddy...lay some numbers on some of us. What is this stuff? Some PPG's are out of production. Damn shame too. I'm looking for what it is to assist you. For example, if it's DAU82 or DELGLO Clear, you're out of luck. No more catalyst available for it. It used DAU2 catalyst. Wonderful material. Real deep gloss. Can't imagine why they dropped it. If you're lucky enough to have gotten some DAU2 with it, DON'T OPEN IT!! Once the air hits it it starts it's 2-3week shelf life. You can save it sometimes by shaking the living crap out of it then "burp" the container. This lets the air out and allows better shelf life, but no more than a couple months. It's clear and the only way to tell it's gone bad is that the bottom of the can will have a hard white plastic look to it. Let me know and I'll be glad to help with what products can be used with it. Age? Just like eveyone else said.

 

Highlander, do you think one of those foodsaver deals would work? The ads on TV show them sucking and sealing mason jars and other containers...should work for paint, yes, no, maybe?

 

This is what I have on the list:


1. WA212, UN1263 Reducer 1G
2. DBC2185 White 2QT
3. DBC35445 Gray 1QT
4. Deltron2000 White 1QT
5. CRE-91 Catalyst 2QT
6. CRE-CT CRE 907 White Primer 2G
7. DP 402 LF 1 QT
8. Urotech AUE 301 1 Pint
9. DX57 Activator 1Pint
10. Urotech AUE 101 2 Pint
11. DXR 80 Delthane
12. Deltron 2000 DBC 35445 1G
13. Deltron 2000 2185 White 1G
14. DP40LF Non-Sand Primer 1G Gray
15. Urotech 100 2591101 White
16. DCU 2021 Urethane clear 4G
17. DX 73 Fisheye eliminator 1Pint
18. DCX 61 Hardener 2QT
19. DT 885 Reducer 1G

 

http://www.ppg.com/cr-refinish/phase1/frmProductInfo.asp?Cat=9


Here's a PPG product link. You have a lot of value and all current stuff. You can link around in the PPG headers and get tech sheets by part# from any PPG jobber for no charge. Pm me if you ever need any help. We use that stuff every week at work.

 

Man all of that stuff is worth a pretty good pile o $$$$$! LUCKY!






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I am resurrecting this old thread because I resemble the ways of using old material that likely should be in the garbage.
Can I get away with using some old Acrylic Enamel hardener that I have around that is in a previously opened container?

 

Hardener in a previously opened container. Unless "previously" was a month ago or less, not much chance its any good.