Old tin of gloss paint okay ?

Different_Corner

Hi
Total DIY novice here, so please don't hurt yourself laughing too much.
Just re opened a can of white non drip gloss paint, it is three quarters full and has a brown sort of liquid on the top, if I mix it will it be okay to use ?
TIA

totalsolutions

My son who does know about this will say no if he was here. He throws out my old paint, it goes "off" and does not flow properley, imagine a nice white fresh paint running off the brush like milk.
<Did I say that>

Vibrant

The brown watery liquid always appears when a tin stands for a long time. I just stir it in, it doesn't seem to make any difference.
Note that stirring will make the paint slightly less non-drip, leave it to stand for a few hours if this worries you and it will gellify (is that a word?) again.
I only throw paint away, if the colour goes off, or it gets bitty and hard to apply.

ailuro2

It's the oil in the gloss paint separating, iirc, give it a stir and leave it a few hours and it'll be fine.

My best tip for keeping paint from forming a skin inside the tin when sitting in storage - close lid firmly, turn tin upside down, no air can get in to create that weird 'skin'

ormus

its usually ok after a good stir. depends on the job really if i would use it.
ie if it was for the lounge, id probably buy some new paint.

Different_Corner

Thank you everyone, I stirred it and began project, it all looks good this morning