Sooner or later in life each and every painter has faced this issue of paint tube caps being stuck. If you’re also one of those painters, don’t worry I can feel your pain.
How to open stuck acrylic paint tube is one of the most common problems that people using paints face. This usually occurs when the paint tubes turn out to be stuck because of some paint that had amassed around the edge as well as under the cover.
It very well may be disappointing (and excruciating) to attempt to eliminate these tops without a little assistance. Again, don’t worry, I have got your back! All you have to do is read the blog carefully and not to skip any step.
How To Open Stuck Acrylic Paint Tube?
To open up the stuck acrylic paint tube, you can try one of the following hacks:
- Placing the tube upside down in hot water
- Trying out a solvent
- Try gripping on with some tools
It is really common for painters to have stuck acrylic paint tubes, which are a result of paint buildup in the lid of the paint tube which dries out and gets the paint tube stuck.
I have explained the above-mentioned hacks in detail below so that you understand perfectly what will work for you.
1. Boiling Water Does the Trick
The lid of your paint tube becomes stuck in light of the fact that wet paint has dried between the top and the neck of the paint tube. Boiling can easily soften up by heating the stuck paint a bit to reliquary the paint simply enough. After that, the pliers can be your best friend while twisting the stuck cap of your paint tube.
This is essential to do because the main issue with pliers is that, they can easily de-shape or damage your acrylic paint tube cap which can be a disaster. After a couple of seasons of the same acrylic paint tubes getting stuck, it might get hard to unscrew in any event even when it’s not stuck. To avoid this issue, pause for a minute after pouring the paint out to relax up the paint, so it goes down and when you close the cap, it doesn’t cause the issue. Also, always try not to put on the lid while utilizing the paint in order to avoid the buildup.
To make the boiling work, just boil some water. Place the stuck acrylic paint tube upside down in the water with its lid being submerged in the bubbling water for about 2-3 minutes. Due to this, the paint will be soft enough to be twisted with the pliers.
2. Try gripping on with some tools
A little pair of pliers is one of the main things numerous painters get their hands on when they have to loosen up the lid/ cap of their stuck acrylic paint tubes. It is compelling and frequently works so well that many painters keep a pair of pliers in their paint box only for this reason. However, it accompanies a few other issues as well.
The trickiest problem among all these is that you hold the paint tube while trying to unscrew the lid. On the off chance that you are unintentionally twisting the acrylic paint tube, you can also damage the tube which would eventually expose the paint to air and will in the long run cause it to dry out.
To avoid this, firstly, keep an eye on which direction is your auxiliary hand is placed in. Also, try to keep a delicate grip onto the tube to avoid the paint from bursting out and do the vast majority of the work with the help of a pair of pliers.
In addition to this, you can also push all the paint to the top of your acrylic paint tube just for a better grip to go with the force while using the pliers. All of this may sound weird but trust me; it is as simple as getting to that last nurdle of your toothpaste.
You may need to implement one of the following tips including water or solvent to loosen up and unscrew the cap of your stuck acrylic paint tube.
So, let’s pretend that you don’t have a plier or lost your pair of pliers somewhere and can’t find it now. Don’t worry about it (although, I second the feeling you’re experiencing because they’re really easy to lose).
In case, you don’t have a plier, then you may opt for alternatives as nut or crab leg cracker, clothespin, or a comparable apparatus to give you the additional grip on the lid of the acrylic paint tube.
As an alternate for the pliers, some painters also opt the clothing alternative to unscrew the lid with a better grip. As certain fabrics excluding silk have really good grip, be it rack liners from the kitchen, a cloth with some rough surface, or even the jeans that you’re wearing.
3. Try out a solvent!
Regularly, paints can be relinquished for a considerable period of time and this makes opening them back up a major test. Water and pliers won’t work out, so it’s an ideal opportunity to go to something somewhat sturdier.
A few painters have had accomplished the stuck acrylic paint tube with turpentine and different such solvents. To do this, all you have to do is to submerge the lid of your stuck acrylic paint tube into the solvent by placing it upside down for about 2-3 days before attempting to curve it off.
What To Do If Everything Fails While Opening A Stuck Acrylic Paint Tube?
In the event that everything fails, and you truly can’t get the lid off your paint tube, you may need to cut it open. Yes, this can be risky and a bit messy, yet it’s better than just dumping the whole paint tube because of the stuck cap.
Squeeze out all the paint from the paint tube and make sure that you have a solid clasp to keep it intact when not being used and, the good old bulldog clasps are the most ideal alternative.
FINAL VERDICT
To conclude, it can be a bit risky to unscrew the stuck acrylic paint tube. Yet, it is conceivable to keep the cap of your acrylic paint tube from stalling out in any case.
Painters have figured out an easy method to prevent this problem in the long run and it’s an ideal opportunity to give you access on the mystery which is ‘the petroleum jelly’.
So, before you close up, screw the cap back to your paint tube, clean the threads off to eliminate any paint residue. At that point, essentially rub a little Vaseline around the grooves of your paint tube and inside its lid/ cap before putting it back on.
You can likewise use glycerin or an extremely light measure of olive oil or cooking oil when absolutely necessary as an alternative for Vaseline and petroleum jelly.
I hope the above mentioned solutions would have cleared all your answers regarding the question “How To Open Stuck Acrylic Paint Tube?”.
Beatrix Ainsley (Bea to her friends) is an abstract artist who was heavily inspired in her twenties by the abstract expressionist movement of the 1940s. Since then Bea has acquired three degrees in Science, Education and most importantly Fine Art. Her art works showcase exploring emotion and introspection of self. To achieve this – the use of bold, sweeping, intricate layers of color, and spontaneity of form is enhanced by reflecting on decades of life experiences. Bea has amassed a vast knowledge of art in all its forms, and hopes to pass it on with her contributions here.
