Chapter 02Paint · Practical note
Paint record: what to write down before the can goes in the garage
Before the lid goes back on, write five things on the can and on your paint record: the brand, the color, the product name, the sheen and the room or surface you painted. Benjamin Moore lists those five. Add the color code from the store label, the date and how much is left. Then reseal the can and keep it somewhere dry, out of direct sun, between 60 and 80°F, never in a garage that freezes.
Source: Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint, checked October 10, 2026.
- Brand, color, product, sheen, where it went5 details Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint, October 10, 2026
- Storage range for leftover paint60 to 80°F Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint, October 10, 2026
- Shelf life of most opened paint2 years Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint, October 10, 2026
Why write it down now
A scuff on the hallway wall two years from now needs the same color, the same product and the same sheen. The can holds all three, until the label fades, the lid gets painted over or the can is gone. Benjamin Moore says labeling the can makes touch-ups easier and more accurate.
Source: Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint, checked October 10, 2026.
The paint record keeps a second copy away from the can, so a dried-out or lost can does not take the color with it. One line per paint is enough.
What to write, line by line
Brand and product name
Copy the brand and the full product line from the front of the can. The same color in a different product can look different on the wall.
Color name and code
Copy the color name and the code from the store's label, along with anything else the store printed there. With that label, the store can mix the same paint again.
Sheen
Write the finish as the can names it: flat, matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss or gloss. A touch-up in the wrong sheen shows.
Where it went
Name the room and the surface: bedroom walls, hall ceiling, kitchen trim and doors. One can often covers several rooms; list them all.
Date, coats and what is left
Write the date you painted, the number of coats and roughly how much is left in the can, such as about a quart.
Where the can lives
Write the shelf or closet on the record, so you can find the can when you need it.
Source: Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint, checked October 10, 2026.
Write on the side as well as the lid
Lids get paint on them and get swapped between cans. A strip of masking tape on the side with the room and the color is still readable when the can sits on a shelf.
Store it so it is still usable
- Clean the rim of the can and the lid, lay a piece of plastic wrap over the opening, and tap the lid shut all round with a rubber mallet.
- Keep it in a dry place out of direct sunlight, out of reach of children and away from food and drink.
- Keep it between 60 and 80°F. A garage that freezes in winter is the wrong place.
- Most opened paint keeps about two years. Before a touch-up, stir it: a sour smell, or lumps and a jelly-like texture that do not stir out, mean it is past use.
Source: Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint, checked October 10, 2026.
Paint past its use
Benjamin Moore says to dispose of old paint safely. Where it can go depends on your city or county, so check their household waste page before you take it anywhere.
Checklist to print
Before the lid goes back on:
- Brand and product name copied
- Color name and code from the store label
- Sheen written as the can names it
- Rooms and surfaces this can covered
- Date painted and number of coats
- Roughly how much is left
- Room and color on tape on the side
- Rim cleaned, plastic wrap on, lid tapped shut
- Can on a dry shelf, not in a freezing garage
- Shelf or closet written on the record
Tips and tricks
- Tip 01
Photograph the store label
Take a photo of the label before the first drip lands on it, and keep it with the record.
- Tip 02
Keep the record with the house papers
A paint record in the home binder stays with the house. If you sell or move out, leave a copy for the next people.
- Tip 03
Keep a small jar for touch-ups
A small sealed jar of each color, labeled with the room, is quicker to use than opening a full can, and the record tells you which jar is which.
- Tip 04
One line per paint, not per can
Two cans of the same color share a line. Note the count on the line so you know there is a second can somewhere.
What we would do
Fill in the record the day you finish
Copy the five label details, the color code and the date onto the paint record before you wash the brushes. Put tape on the side of the can with the room and the color, seal the can, and put it on an indoor shelf. Check the can's condition before each touch-up.
Questions
What should I write on a leftover paint can?
Benjamin Moore lists the brand, the color, the product name, the sheen and where you painted. Add the color code from the store label and the date.
Source: Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint, checked October 10, 2026.
How long does opened paint last?
Benjamin Moore puts most opened paint at about two years, depending on how and where it is stored.
Source: Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint, checked October 10, 2026.
Can I keep paint in the garage?
Only if it stays above freezing. Benjamin Moore gives 60 to 80°F as the storage range and warns against a garage that freezes.
Source: Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint, checked October 10, 2026.
How do I know old paint is still good?
Stir it and look. A sour, strong smell, or lumps and a jelly-like texture that stay after stirring, mean the paint is past use.
Source: Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint, checked October 10, 2026.
What if the label is gone?
Then the paint record is the only copy. That is why the color code goes on the record as well as on the can.
Part of a system
This page is one part of a bigger job. The system page puts the parts in order.
The tool and more guides
Chapter 02Paint coverage calculatorWork out how many gallons of paint a room needs from its size, doors, windows and coats, using coverage figures published by paint makers.Open the tool
Problem-solving guideHow much paint do I really need?Work out gallons from wall area, coats and the coverage on the label, and see why a can runs out before the wall is done.Read the guide
Know-howOne coat or two? Reading the coverage line on a paint canThe coverage on a can is square feet per gallon for one coat. Two coats double the paint. When one coat can do, and what a second costs in a bedroom.Read the guide- Chapter 02All paint toolsPaint quantity tools built on coverage figures published by paint makers, plus a printable record of colors, codes and leftover cans.Open the chapter
Sources
- 6 Tips For Storing Leftover Paint & Shelf Life, Benjamin Moore. Checked October 10, 2026.
Every outside number on this page names its source and the date we checked it. See them all on the sources page. Spotted an error? Tell us.