When you buy a new can of paint, you need to be careful when opening it for two main reasons; firstly, the paint can be made of volatile organic compounds, VOC, which are known to be toxic to humans; according to this review. Secondly, opening without caution can leave you with a big paint mess to clean up. So, we show you how to open a paint can like a pro.
1. How to Open a Paint Can with a Paint Can Opener
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If you are about to paint your home or kitchen cabinet and you need a new look, don’t let your best paints make a hot mess when you open them. A better alternative would be to buy your fresh paint at a local paint store and ask them for a paint opening tool (also called a paint key). Most of the times, you get the tool for free after buying the paint but really not much money.
When you have your paint can opener ready;
- A paint can's lid will have a flat end and/or a curved tip; slip this opener beneath the lip of the lid.
- Insert your can opener underneath the lid and tip the paint can opener handle to start prying the lid open.
- Around the can, repeat the movement until the lid is free.
- Open the lid gently to reveal your paint and begin your lovely tasks.
It is also important to check can opener's size and handle when buying one. It has to be strong so it won't break under the lid. A long stem is also a good idea for a pot opener because it allows you to tilt the handle enough when trying to open a lid.
2. How to Open Paint Cans with a Screwdriver
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With the best paint for your paint projects, you want to make sure no wastage occurs when you are opening the cans. You also need to make sure you won't damage the lid so you can close the wet paint cans, if there's leftover paint.
Do you have flat head screwdriver laying around anywhere nearby that you can reach? It should be good enough to enable you to open the can without spilling the paint all over your deck or workstation. Here is how to open a paint can with a flat head screwdriver.
- Notice a small space where the lid meets the can. You have to wedge the head of your screwdriver in that gap.
- Tilt the handle of the screwdriver to the left to force the lid opened.
- Go round the circumference of the can until lid comes off completely.
- You can now begin your paint job once you have the paint within the house and do not forget to use any left over paint on the lid.
When using a screwdriver, you might want to have gloves on so things don’t happen and break your skin. Plus, a screwdriver is a bit on the pointy side, so you easily deform the lid and you can no longer get an air tight seal afterward when you’re finished painting. Thus, don’t try to apply too much pressure when piercing the tip to open the lid.
Also since the screwdriver is a versatile tool for other projects, you want to make sure you don’t paint its tip. Fortunately you don’t have to paint it up as you will only use it to take off the lid. Besides, if you paint on screwdriver, remove the paint right away with a paper towel, before it dries.
3. How to Open a Paint Can with a Painters Tool
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The last thing you want to do with a fresh can of paint from the hardware store is struggle to open it. But if you do paint walls, wood and what not, you likely do have one handy tool really there are not one but two painter’s tools there.
A painter's tool is a handle tool to all painting projects, and can many things, punching nail holes or removing mold. The more you want your tool to be doing, the more features or parts your tool will have. With the tool available in more features, it is made in 5-in-1 to 17-in-1 tools.
Now the painter's tool may appear confusing, with all its various end pieces, but it's pretty easy to use when you've got paint cans so hard you can't open with your bare hands. This versatile tool can open cans and we’ll tell you how;
- Place your new paint can on a flat surface.
- Put the shorter flat part of tool on the painter's tool in your most dominant hand.
- Place the flat end between the paint can and the lid and use the tool's handle to very gently push down to pry open the lid.
- Insert the painter’s tool into various points around the rim of the can and with your free hand, rotate the can while pushing on the tool to loosen the seal. Once the lid is off the can gently lift it to show the paint. Don’t get paint on the lid that your painting was on.
Like the screwdriver, you don’t want to dip the tool into paint so that you can use it on your other projects. Thankfully, this tool is fairly easy to use; it usually has rubberized grips so it is hard to slip when you open up a paint can. But you’ll need to stop denting the lid so you can cover any excess paint you might leave on your back after your project.
4. How to Open a Paint Can Using a Putty Knife
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A putty knife is a tool to use to achieve best finishes in your painting process. It's a great tool to pry the lid off your Behr paint cans (if you happen to have one around your workshop). Make sure the neck is stiff, not one will break under heavy use. Here is how to open a paint can using the tool.
- Place your paint can on a flat surface, and insert the end of this knife into the small space between the can and the lid.
- Gently pry the lid open.
- Repeat the step, rotating the can until the lid is open.
5. How to Open a Paint Can that Has Clips
Ever come across a paint can closed with clips? In most cases, the clips give the best seal to help protect your paint from any external damage. The paint can clips are pretty easy to remove and clip onto the rim circumference.
To remove a clip, you can wedge a small flathead screwdriver or small needle nosed pliers underneath the arch of each clip. Next the lid lifts free when the clips pop free and exposes the paint.
6. How to Open a Stuck Paint Can
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When you have big painting project then easy to forget the best practices to avoid paint overflow on the edges of your cans. Don't leave wet paint laying around the rim of your can and go covering it with the lid, this will make it much harder to move when you want to get to the paint again.
When the paint in your cans is dried and hard to pry open, you can use:
- A paint scraper to remove dried paint off the rim circumference. Once most of the paint is removed, you can use a screw driver, painter's tool or a paint key to pry the lid open.
- Use needle nosed pliers to loosen the edges that won’t come unstuck. There is hand and wrist strength required, as well as great care when handling those pliers.
If you have been in this situation where you end up with a stuck lid, you understand that it feels to be a waste, with excess paint potentially wasted. That’s why you must close the lid carefully in the manner described below to avoid this from happening.
How to Close a Paint Can After Painting
Paint is made with volatile organic products that are harmful to your health, so it is important to keep all paint cans closed. This helps you and your family not breathe in the paint fumes.
However, it is good practice then, when closing the paint can, to wipe the rim with an old rag to get rid of any wet paint which may still be on the surface. This is to stop the paint drying once you close the lid, which would then lead to a very tight seal.
If you don’t have an old rug, a paper towel or clean painting brush will suffice to wipe paint off. If you find the rim clean, this is how to reseal the lid using a rubber mallet or hammer without damaging it.
- Place the rid on top of the can. Make sure your mounting lid aligns correctly so you can easily cover it.
- Place an old rag on top of the old can (optional).
- Pound the lid gently back into place using a rubber mallet. When you do this, don’t dent the rim so that you can more easily open it up the following time.
If you don’t have a rubber mallet, you can close the lid with a hammer without doing any damage. Here is how;
- Place the lid on the lip of the can.
- Place an old towel or rag over the lid.
- Place a block of wood over the towel.
- With the hammer you can gently pound the block of wood and the block will return close the lid without having to worry about dents and scratches.
