Hey folks,
If you’ve ever worked with leveling agents—whether you’re a formulator, production manager, or even just someone who’s dealt with wonky, uneven coating jobs—you know how frustrating it is when a product you’ve relied on for years suddenly goes wonky out of nowhere. I’m not here to talk about why that happens (we’ll save that for another post), but from the second I send those order confirmations to when our customers pull a bottle off their shelf, there’s one question I get nonstop: “How do I actually store this stuff right?” Leveling Agent
As a leveling agent supplier, I’ve seen every mistake in the book. I’ve had a customer send back a batch of leveling agent that turned clumpy because they left it by the loading dock in 90°F summer heat. Another guy stored it in a damp basement, and by the time he went to use it, it had separated so bad it looked like cottage cheese. And yeah, I get it—you’re busy. The last thing you want to do is cross-reference storage specs between 10 different raw materials. But skimping on this part? It’s not just an inconvenience. It’s a waste of money, a hit to your product quality, and worse, it can screw up a whole production run. So let’s break this down like we’re chatting by a breakroom coffee pot—no stuffy jargon, no overly complicated rules, just what works.
First, let’s get one thing straight: leveling agents aren’t all created equal. We make a range of products for different coatings—water-based, solvent-based, high-solid, you name it—so storage needs shift a little, but the big-picture stuff applies to almost every formula we ship. Let’s start with the basics that trip most people up: temperature control.
I know, I know—everyone says “keep at room temperature” but what does that even mean? For us, room temp is 50–77°F (10–25°C). Yeah, that’s a range, but it’s non-negotiable to stay within that. Why? Most leveling agents (especially the polyacrylate and silicone-modified ones we use a lot) are organic compounds that don’t play nice with extreme temps. Too cold, and they thicken up—think honey left in the fridge. That doesn’t mean they’re “bad,” but you’ll have to warm them up for hours before you can even weigh them out, and if you rush that (like some guys do, sticking a cold jug in a hot oven to speed it up), you can get phase separation. That’s a whole separate problem that makes the agent useless.
Too hot? That’s worse. We once had a customer in Texas store a pallet of our leveling agents in an unshaded warehouse area during July. By the time he opened the jugs, they had a weird, acrid smell, and when he tested them in his coating, the surface got that orange-peel texture we all hate. The heat breaks down the molecular structure of the leveling agent—so it can’t do its job of evening out the flow of the coating before it cures. Long story short, don’t leave your leveling agents next to heaters, in attics, or anywhere that’s going to swing 10+ degrees above that 77°F mark. If you’re in a super hot or cold climate, invest in a small climate-controlled storage closet—they’re not that expensive, and way cheaper than wasting a $500 order of raw materials.
Next up: moisture. This is the sneaky culprit. Even if your leveling agent is water-based or solvent-based, excess moisture in the storage area can mess it up. Wait—how? If your leveling agent is designed to mix with, say, solvent, adding extra water will throw off the compatibility. And if it’s a powder leveling agent (we do make those for some powder coating applications), moisture will make it clump and cake. I had a customer a couple years back who stored his powder leveling agents in the same room as his powder coating spray booth (which has a lot of humidity from daily cleaning). By the end of winter, half the powder was stuck in lumps so big he had to throw it out.
The fix here is simple: keep your storage area dry. Humidity levels should be below 60%—again, easy enough with a cheap hygrometer you can pick up at any hardware store. If you’re storing jugs, make sure the lids are sealed tight—even a tiny gap can let in moisture over weeks. And never store leveling agents on the floor, especially in concrete warehouses. Concrete wicks up moisture like a sponge, so pallets or jugs sitting directly on the floor are at risk. Invest in a few cheap wooden pallets or plastic shelving units to keep everything elevated 6+ inches off the ground. That’s a tiny step that prevents so many headaches.
Then there’s light. Wait, light? Is that really a thing for these products? You’d be surprised. Some of the more sensitive leveling agents, especially the ones with silicone components, can degrade if they’re exposed to direct sunlight or strong artificial light for long periods. A customer in California once left a stack of our clear bottles on a loading dock in direct sun for three days. When he brought them in, the inside of the jugs had a slight yellow tint, and when he added the agent to his water-based coating, it caused some bubbling during curing. The sun’s UV rays break down the chemical bonds, so the agent can’t work as intended.
So what’s the rule for light? Store your leveling agents in dark areas. Avoid windows if you can. If you have to leave them in a semi-lit area, keep them covered with a tarp or store them in opaque plastic bins. And for bulk storage, those heavy-duty dark plastic drums we ship in? They’re designed to block light for a reason—don’t swap them out for clear drums unless you have to.
Now, let’s talk about handling and shelf life. A lot of people mix up shelf life and storage conditions, but they go hand in hand. Our products have a shelf life of 12–24 months from production date, but that’s only if you store them correctly. If you cut corners on storage, that shelf life drops hard. I’ve seen a jug that was supposed to last 18 months go bad in 6 because it was stored in a leaky, cold exterior shed over winter. Also, when you open a jug, use a clean tool—no dipping your dirty coating mixing spoon into the leveling agent, because that can introduce contaminants (dust, leftover coating residue) that mess with it. And when you’re done, seal the lid tight. I can’t stress that enough. A loose lid is how moisture gets in, how solvents evaporate (which changes the concentration of the agent), and how dust gets into the mix.
Wait, do’s and don’ts? Let’s make a quick list, since that’s easier to remember:
DO:
- Keep temps between 50–77°F (10–25°C)
- Maintain humidity below 60%
- Store off the floor, away from windows and direct heat
- Use clean tools when handling
- Seal lids immediately after use
DON’T:
- Store next to heaters, in attics, or unconditioned spaces
- Leave jug lids loose, even for a few days
- Store on concrete floors or near high-humidity areas
- Expose to direct sunlight or harsh artificial light for long periods
- Mix old, stored leveling agent with new product unless you test it first
I get it, this might seem like overkill if you’ve been using leveling agents for years and never had a problem. But here’s the thing: even small deviations in storage can add up. That slight temp swing that’s not a big deal one month? It might be the difference between a perfect coating and a product that gets returned by your customer. As a supplier, our job isn’t just to send you a bag or jug of chemicals—it’s to make sure those chemicals work as well as they’re supposed to, when you need them. And proper storage is half the battle.
If you’re still unsure, or if you have questions about a specific type of leveling agent we sell, don’t hesitate to reach out. We don’t just ship products—we work with our customers to make sure they get the most out of every order. Whether you need help setting up a small storage closet, have questions about a new product, or just want to run a test batch to make sure your stored agent is still good, we’re here for it.
If you’re looking to place an order or chat more about storage tips for your specific application, get in touch with our team today. We’re happy to walk through everything with you.
Weak Cationic Softener References:
- Technical Handbook for Coatings Additives, 2nd Edition, Society of Chemical Industry, 2021.
- Storage Guidelines for Industrial Polymer Additives, American Coatings Association, 2019.
- Silicone-Based Leveling Agents: Stability and Storage Best Practices, Journal of Coatings Technology and Research, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2019.
Nanfeng Dasun Technology Co., Ltd.
As one of the leading leveling agent manufacturers and suppliers in China, we offer a wide range of products with superior quality for industrial. Please rest assured to buy bulk leveling agent made in China here from our factory. Contact us for more details.
Address: Nanfeng Industrial Park, Nanfeng County, Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province, China
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