{"id":3506,"date":"2026-09-29T05:30:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T21:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lumbinilive.com\/blog\/?p=3506"},"modified":"2026-09-29T05:30:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T21:30:16","slug":"how-should-leveling-agents-be-stored-442f-8af381","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.lumbinilive.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/29\/how-should-leveling-agents-be-stored-442f-8af381\/","title":{"rendered":"How should leveling agents be stored?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey folks,
\nIf you\u2019ve ever worked with leveling agents\u2014whether you\u2019re a formulator, production manager, or even just someone who\u2019s dealt with wonky, uneven coating jobs\u2014you know how frustrating it is when a product you\u2019ve relied on for years suddenly goes wonky out of nowhere. I\u2019m not here to talk about why that happens (we\u2019ll 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\u2019s one question I get nonstop: \u201cHow do I actually store this stuff right?\u201d<\/em> Leveling Agent<\/a><\/p>\n

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As a leveling agent supplier, I\u2019ve seen every mistake in the book. I\u2019ve had a customer send back a batch of leveling agent that turned clumpy because they left it by the loading dock in 90\u00b0F 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\u2014you\u2019re busy. The last thing you want to do is cross-reference storage specs between 10 different raw materials. But skimping on this part? It\u2019s not just an inconvenience. It\u2019s a waste of money, a hit to your product quality, and worse, it can screw up a whole production run. So let\u2019s break this down like we\u2019re chatting by a breakroom coffee pot\u2014no stuffy jargon, no overly complicated rules, just what works.<\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s get one thing straight: leveling agents aren\u2019t all created equal. We make a range of products for different coatings\u2014water-based, solvent-based, high-solid, you name it\u2014so storage needs shift a little, but the big-picture stuff applies to almost every formula we ship. Let\u2019s start with the basics that trip most people up: temperature control.<\/p>\n

I know, I know\u2014everyone says \u201ckeep at room temperature\u201d but what does that even mean? For us, room temp is 50\u201377\u00b0F (10\u201325\u00b0C). Yeah, that\u2019s a range, but it\u2019s 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\u2019t play nice with extreme temps. Too cold, and they thicken up\u2014think honey left in the fridge. That doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re \u201cbad,\u201d but you\u2019ll 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\u2019s a whole separate problem that makes the agent useless.<\/p>\n

Too hot? That\u2019s 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\u2014so it can\u2019t do its job of evening out the flow of the coating before it cures. Long story short, don\u2019t leave your leveling agents next to heaters, in attics, or anywhere that\u2019s going to swing 10+ degrees above that 77\u00b0F mark. If you\u2019re in a super hot or cold climate, invest in a small climate-controlled storage closet\u2014they\u2019re not that expensive, and way cheaper than wasting a $500 order of raw materials.<\/p>\n

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\u2014how? If your leveling agent is designed to mix with, say, solvent, adding extra water will throw off the compatibility. And if it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

The fix here is simple: keep your storage area dry. Humidity levels should be below 60%\u2014again, easy enough with a cheap hygrometer you can pick up at any hardware store. If you\u2019re storing jugs, make sure the lids are sealed tight\u2014even 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\u2019s a tiny step that prevents so many headaches.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s light. Wait, light? Is that really a thing for these products? You\u2019d be surprised. Some of the more sensitive leveling agents, especially the ones with silicone components, can degrade if they\u2019re 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\u2019s UV rays break down the chemical bonds, so the agent can\u2019t work as intended.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s 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\u2019re designed to block light for a reason\u2014don\u2019t swap them out for clear drums unless you have to.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s 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\u201324 months from production date, but that\u2019s only if you store them correctly. If you cut corners on storage, that shelf life drops hard. I\u2019ve 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\u2014no 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\u2019re done, seal the lid tight<\/em>. I can\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

Wait, do\u2019s and don\u2019ts? Let\u2019s make a quick list, since that\u2019s easier to remember:<\/p>\n

DO:<\/p>\n