After you are done house painting in Danville, you may have leftover paint which you’re not sure how to deal with. If you plan to dispose of it, remember that you can’t pour it down the sink or throw it away. There are proper (even perhaps legal) and safe ways to dispose of paint, or you may want to consider ways to use it for other purposes.
1) First, to avoid having to dispose of extra paint, you will want to buy the right amount at the start of the project. You may avoid excess paint by specifically estimating how much paint you really need.
For the exterior, measure the house’s perimeter, excluding any gables. If your home has gables, multiply the gable’s width by its height, then divide by two. This will be done for each gable, and then add it to the total perimeter of the house. Multiply the perimeter by the height, from foundation to roofline. Of course, to get a more accurate estimate, you can also subtract any doors and windows. (Doors are generally 20 square feet and windows are generally 15 square feet.)
For internal rooms, measure the length of the room by the width of the room. Using the information above, subtract the area for the doors and windows. Then multiply the total by the height of the walls.
When you have the appropriate measurements, you may give the results to the paint dealer, or shop for the paints yourself. You can also seek consultation from the paint contractor you’ve just hired, as he most likely has the idea about the required amount. A gallon of paint will cover approximately 350 square feet.
For example, for an average-sized room with smooth surfaces, the contractor may recommend a gallon of good-quality paint. But if the walls are textured, or they are unpainted sheet rock, then they will need more than just one gallon as textured surfaces need more coats of paint.
2) Imagine you have about a gallon of paint left, and you don’t want to throw it away. If you think of using the excess paint in the future or for touchups, store paint according to the label instructions. A general rule of thumb for paint is to store it in an airtight container. It is also ok to store the paint in the same container to prevent it from drying out. It should also be kept in a cool and dry place and out of children’s and pets’ reach.
3) If you’re sure you don’t have any projects you can use the leftover paint for but you don’t want to throw it away (especially when more than half a gallon is left), consider donating it to organizations or people that would appreciate it. You can ask your friends, neighbors, or relatives if they need it. You can also donate your leftover paint to churches, Habitat for Humanity groups, or ask your paint contractor if they know of a worthy cause that could use the paint.
4) If you have oil-based paints, you can’t throw it away in the trashcan, or pour it out because it is considered a hazardous waste. The best method to do away with leftover oil-based paints is to take them to the local Household Hazardous Waste facility. You will need to find out if your community offers this kind of services year round, or if is only offered once or a twice a year. You should also be aware that air-drying of oil- or solvent-based paints is not seen as safe.
Water-based paints (latex), on the other hand, aren’t considered hazardous to the environment. However, there is still a proper and safer way to dispose of latex paints. Pour the leftover paint into a box full of shredded paper or cat litter. Allow it to air dry to cause it to solidify. If the dried paint occupies an inch or less inside the can, then do the drying in the can. You can also consider recycling the paint can. However, if your paint can is almost full of dried paint, the best step is to remove the lid and throw the dried paint and the can altogether.
After house painting in Danville, you will want to take the proper steps to dispose of leftover paint to make the environment clean and safe for both humans and animals.
