"Jean" wrote in message
...
I'm repainting the walls and trim inside my house. I have about a gallon
of the old paint (alkyd, satin sheen) that I'd like to use to touch up
dings in the baseboards and walls. Is is likely that this paint will still
match the old paint color-wise? How can I tell if the paint has "gone
bad"? Or should I just bite the bullet and buy some new paint and pray
that it matches the old color well enough to blend in?


Mix it well. Swab a bit on some scrap wood or paper. If it dried it will be
OK. The color may be off a bit as the exposed paint probably changed over
time, but it may blend in better after a couple of months exposure.

I've used paint that was a few years old with no problem.