Storage guide
How to store miniature paints so they last
Keep paints sealed, upright (pots) and away from heat and sun, and keep the lids clean. Most Citadel pots die from paint drying in the hinged lid, not from age. Dropper bottles usually last longer. Below: what painters report, what we know, and what we haven't tested yet.
- Pots and droppers
- Community reports labelled
- Sources linked
The short version
Six rules that keep paint usable
Based on general acrylic-paint care and what painters report. We haven't run our own long-term test yet.
- Seal every time. Close the lid fully after each use; a half-closed pot dries in days.
- Clean the lid and rim. Wipe paint off the rim and the inside of a flip-top lid before closing.
- Paint from a palette, not the pot. Fewer openings and less paint in the lid. Painters on Reddit name this as the main fix.
- Cool, dark, steady. Keep racks out of direct sun and away from heaters, radiators and hot garages or sheds.
- Shake or stir before use, and check rarely used paints every few months. Add a few drops of water if one has thickened.
- Store pots upright. Dropper bottles can go either way if the cap is tight.
Pots vs droppers
Citadel pots vs Vallejo droppers: which store better?
The format matters more than the brand. A Reddit user who left paint in an uninsulated storage unit for two years found the Vallejo droppers fine and the flip-top pots "solid rocks". That's one report, but it matches what many painters say about lids.
| Flip-top pots (Citadel style) | Dropper bottles (Vallejo, Army Painter, AK) | |
|---|---|---|
| Main way they dry out | Paint collects in the hinged lid, dries, and stops it sealing | Dried paint on the nozzle; cap left loose |
| Long-term storage | Can dry solid if left for years; others report decades-old pots still fine | Often reported fine after years |
| Store which way up | Upright | Upright or upside down; painters disagree |
| Rack hole size vendors use | 33–34 mm | 26–27.5 mm (17–18 ml bottles) |
| Fix if gunked | Soak the lid in hot water, then clean (Reddit tip) | Clear dried paint from the nozzle; shake well |
Sources: Reddit: 2 years in storage · Reddit: Citadel lids drying · Reddit: hot-water lid fix
Racks for each format: Citadel pot storage · dropper bottle storage.
Upside down?
Should paint be stored upside down?
There's no agreement. Some painters keep droppers upside down so the pigment doesn't settle into a hard layer at the bottom and so a little dried paint seals the cap; others say a tight cap is all that matters. For flip-top pots, upside down puts paint into the lid, which is the very thing that ruins the seal.
Sources: Reddit: storing droppers upside down · Reddit: can I store bottles upside down?
Planned: a dated side-by-side of upright and inverted bottles. Until then, this is community opinion.
Long term
How long do paints last in storage?
Reports run from "dried within a year" to "still using a pot from 1994". The difference is sealing and temperature. If you pack paints away, close every lid firmly, store them upright in a box indoors (not a garage or shed that gets hot), and check them twice a year.
Sources: Reddit: Citadel lifespan · Reddit: checking twice a year · BoardGameGeek: how long does Citadel paint last
Organising
How to organise a paint collection
By colour family
Reds, blues, skin tones, metallics. PROSCALE's argument: mid-painting you look for "a dark blue", not a brand.
By brand and range, then colour
Mythic Minis' view: keep each range together, then sort by colour, so restocking and swatching are easier.
Current project apart
Age of Miniatures suggests a small tray or rack for the paints of your current project, with the full collection sorted elsewhere.
Specials in their own group
Washes, contrast/speed paints, metallics, primers and varnishes. Most painters on Reddit separate these first.
Sources: PROSCALE: organising paints · Mythic Minis · Age of Miniatures: desk setup
Choosing a rack? Start with the comparison, or see wall-mounted racks and small-space storage.
FAQ
Paint storage questions
How do you keep Citadel paints from drying out?
Keep the lid clean and closed tight. The usual cause, according to many painters on Reddit, is paint running into the hinged lid every time you open it, drying there and breaking the seal. Paint from a palette instead of straight from the pot, wipe the rim, and check rarely used pots every few months, adding a few drops of water if they thicken.
Should you store miniature paints upside down?
Painters disagree. Some store dropper bottles upside down so the paint is easier to shake back together; others say it doesn't matter as long as the lid is tight. Flip-top Citadel pots are better kept upright so paint doesn't pool in the lid. We haven't tested either way.
How long do Citadel paints last?
Years, if sealed and kept cool. Reddit and BoardGameGeek users report pots still usable after 7 to 20+ years, and others report pots that dried within a year of heavy use. Storage and how often you open them matter more than age.
Can you revive dried-out miniature paint?
Thickened paint can often be brought back with a few drops of water and a stir or shake, per many hobbyist reports. Paint that has fully dried into a solid block is usually not worth saving for fine work.
Is it better to store paints in pots or dropper bottles?
Dropper bottles tend to keep paint longer because there is no open lid to fill with paint. In one Reddit report, Vallejo droppers left two years in an uninsulated storage unit were fine while flip-top pots had dried solid. Some painters move pot paints into empty dropper bottles for that reason.
What's the best way to organise miniature paints?
Two schools: by colour family (PROSCALE argues this is how you search mid-painting), or by brand and range first, then colour (Mythic Minis' view). Many painters keep metallics, washes, contrast paints and primers in their own group either way.