Options for Closing and Sealing a Paint Can

There are many examples of products that will often be used over long periods of time, and a great one for many different uses is paint. For some people, this presents an issue: Getting a paint can open is typically easy enough, but how do you go about closing it and sealing it for future use?

At Industrial Container and Supply Company, we're happy to offer a huge range of different container options, including paint cans and numerous others. There are a few methods that are often used to close industrial paint cans once they've been opened - here are some of the most common, plus some basics on how to carry them out.

Manual Paint Can Closer

In many settings where paint cans are used regularly, such as factories and industrial sites, a manual paint can closer is an essential tool. This is typically a metal device with two arms that clamp down onto the rim of the can and twist to close it securely.

The manual paint can closer has a few benefits to its use:

• Low cost: Manual paint can closers typically cost significantly less than their electric counterparts, making them a great option for those on a budget.
• Speed: It's usually much faster to close industrial paint cans with manual devices, as many of them are designed to be used one-handed.
• Quality seal: Manual paint can closers provide an excellent seal, keeping the paint's contents safe and secure.

Using a manual paint can closer is relatively simple, though you may need a few practice attempts if this is your first time. Here are the basic steps to follow:

• Place the lid on the can: Do your best to ensure the lid is in place, as any misalignment may lead to leakage or failure to close.
• Align the paint can with the closer: Move the paint can so it's lined up with the closer and make sure both parts are firmly pressed together. This may require some adjustment of the height of the closer, which is easy to do.
• Press down: After you've lined up the parts, press the closer down until it's firmly in place. This should secure the lid on the paint can and create a seal that will keep its contents safe.

For anyone using a lock ring, these same steps will also apply here as well.

Automatic Paint Can Closer

Whether powered by electricity or compressed air, automatic paint can closers offer a faster and more consistent way to close industrial paint cans. These are often used in higher-volume settings where manual methods may not be able to keep up with the workload, but they can also be helpful for those who need to seal multiple containers quickly.

There are several major benefits that come with these closers:

• • Fast and efficient: Automatic paint can closers are designed to close cans quickly and efficiently, making them ideal for high-volume settings.
• • High-quality seals: Thanks to their automated nature, these closers often provide better quality seals than manual ones, which makes them ideal for those who need a reliable seal every time.
• • Less physical effort: As with manual paint can closers, automatic ones require less effort than traditional methods of closing cans with a lid.

While it's true that automatic paint can closers cost more than manual ones up-front, you also have to consider costs from a long-term perspective. In many cases, an automatic paint can closer is the better option for those who need to frequently close cans.

Using an automatic paint can closer is relatively straightforward and doesn't require any special training or experience. The basic steps you should follow are as follows:

• • Place the lid on the can: Once again, make sure that the lid is firmly in place and properly aligned with the can.
• • Align the paint can with the closer: Move the paint can so it's lined up with the closer, making sure to keep everything securely pressed together.
• • Sit back and watch: As long as the lid is properly aligned, all you need to do now is press the start button and let the closer take care of the rest.

Once complete, your paint can should be securely closed and ready for storage or other uses.

Using a Mallet

For cases where neither a manual nor an automatic paint can closer is available, you can also opt for a mallet. Using a mallet to close paint cans requires some extra effort and time compared to the other two methods, but it's still possible.

The basic steps are as follows:

• Place the lid on the can: Make sure that the lid is firmly in place and properly aligned with the can, and that your surface is level.
• Secure the lid: Use a mallet to gently tap around the edges of the lid until it's secure. Keep tapping until you're sure that the lid won't come off easily.
• Check for leaks: To make sure your paint can is sealed correctly, you may want to run a quick check to see if any paint has escaped from the can. If there are any signs of leakage, you'll need to repeat the process until it's fully secured.

Regardless of which method you use for closing your paint cans, it's always important to remember that proper storage is essential for keeping them in good condition over longer periods of time. After all, no matter how well you close the can, it won't be of much use if its contents aren't safely stored away. Therefore, make sure to always keep your paint cans in a cool and dry place to ensure their longevity.

For more here, or to learn about any of our paint cans or other container options, speak to our staff at Industrial Container and Supply Company today.