orangetrader wrote:

I have several cans of paint that I used to paint the rooms (interior latex
paint). I turned them upside down and stored them in the garage. It has
been I think 20 months ago. Today I opened them so I can do some light
touch up work on a few patched up screw holes, I noticed the paint has
turned into hardened cottage cheese. How long are they supposed to last? a
few months? On the other hand, I have the same brand (Benjamin Moore) latex
primer Fresh Start which I bought around the same time, and that was fine.
Am I not storing them right or do these paint have a shorted life span? Yes
I made sure I close the lid tight, and tapped with a mullet and turned them
upside down when I store them.

If I just need to make some light touch up, what is the smallest size they
will sell (if I have to add colorant)?

Thanks,

O

That's your problem you tapped with a mullet. Too soft, should have
used a mallet.
Seriously, primer seems to harden slower than regular paint. I've had
paint 3/4 of a gallon last for 5 or 6 years and only 1 year with a
quart remaining in the 1 gallon can. Part of that is air space but
part is just the changes in paint formulation. You can usually buy 1
quart, but it will cost nearly 1/2 of a gallon. Turning the can
upside down probably did nothing. Adding a 1/8 -1/4 inch layer of
water on the surface of the paint or breathing CO2 into the can before
putting the lid on can help sometimes.