3 new ways to use old paint

Instead of letting them gather dust, here are a few ways to use up that old paint!

Using every last drop of your paint cans is about as rare as finishing the shampoo and conditioner at the exact same time. That's why many households have a few old tins of paint tucked away in the garage. Instead of letting them gather dust, here are a few ways to use up that old paint!

1. Mix them

Usually, mixing paint is best left to the professionals, but if you've got two tins with not much left in either, and if they look like they might mix well (such as a neutral Resene Soapstone and a Resene Danube), there's no harm in trying. The only thing to remember here is that you can only mix paints of the same type, such as oil with oil or acrylic with acrylic. You can use the resulting product to throw a fresh coat on items of furniture, photo frames and other areas.

2. Touch ups

If those paint tins have been sitting around for a while, you might also notice some new nicks and scratches on the walls, too. Give the walls a clean, take a closer look and see if anything needs a dab of fresh paint to cover the blemish. You may find that the original paint coat has faded or lost its colour, in which case you may need to consider a full new coat.

3. Artwork

It's always a challenge to find artwork that works well with the colours already in your home, so why not use that very paint hue to create something that you know will fit? You can keep it simple with abstract lines across a plain canvas, or try for something more exotic if you feel up for a challenge. Also remember that those empty paint tins are equally versatile, and can be used for everything from a pencil holder to a place to store your pegs!