Mixing paint well before using it is important. Especially if you’re using a high performance paint like acrylic latex. Latex paint is a high viscosity liquid and will require a great deal of mixing before use. We are asked many times as professional painters about the best way to mix paint at home. The best answer is, mix it until all colorants and solids have been dissolved and suspended back into the paint.
Problems If Paint Isn’t Mixed Well
If paint is not mixed well enough, the properties within the paint will not be distributed evenly throughout the can. This can cause problems with the paint not drying properly, or the color not distributing uniformly on the wall.
Our clients may have leftover paint that they keep for touch ups. Understanding the best way to re-mix that leftover paint is critical. As paint sits, the solids settle and collect at the bottom and sides of the can. It’s important to get those solids dissolved and suspended back into the paint before applying it to a surface. This process is critical and involves LOTS of stirring.
Tools To Help With Mixing Paint
There are many tools available to help with the best way to mix paint at home. There are tools for different sized cans and different kinds of products. Paint stores typically provide wooden paint stirring sticks for free if you ask. There are also plastic stir sticks available that have holes to encourage paint flow and agitation while stirring. Further, if you’re willing to spend a little extra money to make the job much easier, you can purchase a paint paddle that can be used with a cordless drill.
While the manual stir sticks will work, you will be faced with a good 5-10 minute stirring session before painting each time. It doesn’t matter if the paint was just mixed at the paint store the night before, or if it’s been sitting on your shelf for a few months. The paint needs to be mixed thoroughly before using.
Best Method
We have found the best way to mix paint at home is by using one of the mixing attachments that connects to a cordless drill. These attachments typically fit standard sized drill chucks and have hexagonal shafts for positive drill chuck engagement. It literally just snaps on to the drill and then the drill is used to spin the stirring attachment. Using one of these drill attachments will cut down the stirring time by at least half!
In the end, all of the paint stirring tools will work. You just have to determine how much time you have to commit to mixing the paint.
Paint Pals has been serving Northern Colorado since 2009. Contact us for a free estimate
