Paint Brush In Fridge



Archive: Storing Your Paint Brush Between Coats

Let them soak for 30 minutes to soften the paint. Press ‘n seal wrap is fabulous for storing wet paint brushes in the fridge. Paint Tricks and Tips You Need to Know. Or, you can put wet paint brushes and rollers in plastic bags, and put them in the refrigerator so you don’t have to wash them out after each use. Removing the paint smell from a refrigerator requires some diligence. Air flow is very important in eliminating paint fumes since it replaces the stale, paint-filled air in the fridge. Just take your paint brush, all dirty and full of paint, just as it is, and wrap it in a layer or two of plastic cling wrap. Then, stick it in the fridge! Your paintbrush won't dry out on you, and you'll be ready to get right back to painting.

Put your paint brush in a plastic bag and place it in the refrigerator when you take a break. Make sure the plastic is completely sealed or your food could pick up some weird odors. This tip really saved me a lot of time when refinishing my wood floors with polyurethane. I had to wait several hours between coats. Cleaning the brushes and rollers would be a real time-consuming chore. The cold storage sure saved time.


Paint fridge black

By Elizabeth

Paint Brush In Fridge

Answers:

Storing Your Paint Brush Between Coats

This is a great idea and I have done this soooo many times myself! I've kept brushes in my fridge sometimes for a month wrapped tight in plastic and when they warm up, they are still ready to go! I also do this to roller naps when I have to stop painting for awhile. I wrap them tight in plastic and put them in the freezer. Let them warm up and they are ready to roll. (pardon the pun).

If I can't finish a project at work the same day I will wrap my roller nap in plastic and tuck it away in a cool spot somewhere until the next day instead of using a new nap. I wash my brushes though because we all use the same brushes. (01/10/2006)

By sandra johnson

Storing Your Paint Brush Between Coats

Exactly what we were looking for! Thanks for the tip (04/15/2006)

By Holly

Storing Your Paint Brush Between Coats


I am concerned since my landlords are storing their paint brushes and rollers in fridge and freezer. They are not tightly sealed and there is even some paint in freezer now. Will this not contaminate the food? I know if painting where food is stored it has to be food quality paint. (09/11/2007)

By Rebecca

One of my readers asked me if it was a good idea to put their wet paintbrushes and rollers in plastic bags tokeep them fresh when you need to stop painting.

Early on in my career, I wrapped mine that way when I had a delay incontinuing the paint job. Well, I was surprised to find that the brushes were pretty dried out in spots and theroller cover was hopelessly stuck to the frame! Was I mad! Did I do something wrong?

Plastic wrap or plastic bags are not the ideal brush and roller wrapping material!

Plastic doesn't work well for a couple of reasons:

  • It's hard to seal a plastic bag well unless you put the entire roller or brush inside.
  • Even then, the excessive air in the bag still allows drying to take place.
  • Wrapping a brush or roller in plastic wrap gives a better seal but is messy to deal with.
  • Thin plastic wraps can be slightly porous, allowing moisture (from latex paints) or solvents (from oil-based paints) to escape, hardening the paint on the brush/roller.

Paint Fridge Black

My solution? Aluminum foil instead of plastic!

Why foil? Aluminum foil is virtually airtight when folded around a brush or rolled onto a roller and conforms to the shape perfectly, leaving minimal air for drying. A standard width piece cut about 12' long will cover a standard size brush or roller.

Be sure to leave lots of paint on the roller orbrush before wrapping to get the longest storage time!

How well does it work?

White Fridge Paint

I have wrapped rollers covered with Kilz fast drying primer and had them still useable for a few days. I prefer to use thicker heavy-duty foil, which is less likely to tear. It is only a few cents more per roll than regular foil but well worth it. If you think your rollers will be in for some abuse once wrapped double-wrap them!

Paint Brush In Refrigerator

Want your brushes and rollers to last even longer? Refrigerate them!

If you want those wet brushes and rollers to last even longer, throw… sorry… place them in the refrigerator. Then their useful life can increase by weeks! In fact, I have found month-old rollers still useable, buried behind the veggies in my fridge. Not that it makes my wife very happy… but that's another story!

Wet Paint Brush In Fridge

The freezer?? Not for latex paints!

Some folks think putting brushes and rollers in the freezer is even better. For oils, it doesn't seem to have a negative effect. But for latex paints, freezing can cause the paint to become stringy and semi-solid. These little bits of clotted paint will transfer to your work, leaving little lumps on the surface and making a general mess. Stick to the refrigerator!