How long will latex paint last in the paint can?

fatlazyless · 09-12-2026, 05:30 AM

Ok, so for two dollars I found a quart of Behr exterior semi-gloss enamel house & trim, dark blue custom mixed paint at a thrift store in Plymouth NH. It has the original store color tint label with the color ingredients from Andover Mass Home Depot on June 5, 2000 and this paint is still totally GOOD to use. I gave it a thorough stir with a paint stick. The lid was on tight, and it must have never froze being stored in a warm enough room, somewhere.

How about that ...... from the year 2000 ..... 26-years ago .....and this Behr quart of outside paint is still perfectly good to use plus the blue color is similar to the blue on this here forum web page! Today, at Home Depot it could cost about $24, and the original price from 2000 is not on the color label, but I'm thinking maybe $9.50 in the year 2000. Paint prices have gone way way UP since then!

John Mercier · 09-13-2026, 02:15 PM

The color will not be correct according to the original.
Even an a can with a tight lid, slowing oxidation that causes the latex to cure, the tint will separate even when shaken vigorously.

The paint will still work, just the color will be slightly off from its original.
How much depends on the amount of titanium oxide white was used.

fatlazyless · 09-13-2026, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Mercier

The color will not be correct according to the original.

The paint will still work, just the color will be slightly off from its original.
How much depends on the amount of titanium oxide white was used.

Back in the year-2000 paint was paint, and primer was primer, now-a-days the paint you buy named 'paint 'n primer' is really just extra thick paint without the extra stick of a real primer.

Hey John, you happen to know if LaValley has any $5-qts of OOPS exterior by Pittsburgh right now that originally sold for $25 before the OOPS ....... my type of price!

John Mercier · 09-13-2026, 11:01 PM

They have a lot of OOPs paint.
Though I think it depends on location.

I can't see the OOPs paint in the computer system.
As it doesn't have a specific category or SKU.

09-12-2026, 05:30 AM	#1
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 9,251 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 314 Thanked 1,120 Times in 827 Posts	How long will latex paint last in the paint can? Ok, so for two dollars I found a quart of Behr exterior semi-gloss enamel house & trim, dark blue custom mixed paint at a thrift store in Plymouth NH. It has the original store color tint label with the color ingredients from Andover Mass Home Depot on June 5, 2000 and this paint is still totally GOOD to use. I gave it a thorough stir with a paint stick. The lid was on tight, and it must have never froze being stored in a warm enough room, somewhere. How about that ...... from the year 2000 ..... 26-years ago .....and this Behr quart of outside paint is still perfectly good to use plus the blue color is similar to the blue on this here forum web page! Today, at Home Depot it could cost about $24, and the original price from 2000 is not on the color label, but I'm thinking maybe $9.50 in the year 2000. Paint prices have gone way way UP since then! __________________ .... Banned for life from local thrift store!

09-13-2026, 02:15 PM	#2
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 4,157 Thanks: 3 Thanked 701 Times in 580 Posts	The color will not be correct according to the original. Even an a can with a tight lid, slowing oxidation that causes the latex to cure, the tint will separate even when shaken vigorously. The paint will still work, just the color will be slightly off from its original. How much depends on the amount of titanium oxide white was used.

09-13-2026, 11:01 PM	#4
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 4,157 Thanks: 3 Thanked 701 Times in 580 Posts	They have a lot of OOPs paint. Though I think it depends on location. I can't see the OOPs paint in the computer system. As it doesn't have a specific category or SKU.