Dried Latex Paint

[FastStache]

Does anyone have some good ideas on how to revive dried interior latex paint?

[Greg]

Revive how?  On a surface?  Or do you mean to try and use it after it's dried in the can, to rehydrate it?  Can't be done as far as I know.

[FastStache]

Revive how?  On a surface?  Or do you mean to try and use it after it's dried in the can, to rehydrate it?  Can't be done as far as I know.

Try to use it after it's dried in the can.

[Greg]

While there are solvents that will soften and even liquify dried latex paint, I don't think you can make it usable.  There's some fancy chemistry in paint, once it's dried I think it's done.  Doesn't mean you can take it and have it color-matched.

[GuitarStv]

Nope.  That paint is done.

[Amy]

It was explained to me once that latex paint is just liquid plastic. That's why it is waterproof once it is dry. Since it is water based, it can be thinned and cleaned with water, but once it is dry, it is like a thin sheet of plastic. It's a good thing it can't be reconstituted; otherwise it wouldn't repel water when painted on the outside of our houses!

[ChrisLansing]

If the top 1" or so is hardened you can just cut out the dried paint and reveal the wet paint below, which is still useable. 

If the whole can has gone hard then it's done.   

[Thegoblinchief]

Nope. But hey, now the paint can is safe to throw out!

[TomTX]

It was explained to me once that latex paint is just liquid plastic. That's why it is waterproof once it is dry. Since it is water based, it can be thinned and cleaned with water, but once it is dry, it is like a thin sheet of plastic. It's a good thing it can't be reconstituted; otherwise it wouldn't repel water when painted on the outside of our houses!

It's actually an emulsion of polymer (plastic) particles and pigment particles softened with solvents and suspended in water. Water is just the carrier.

Typically it is barely suspended,  once some water evaporates the particles touch and start to fuse. The applied paint looks and feels dry to the touch. However,  it can take a month for it to fully fuse and all the solvents evaporate to achieve its maximum hardness and durability.

Once it's hard,  there is no reasonable method for the home user to rejuvenate it. You can throw away the hard parts,  but that's all. Even on the industrial recycling scale hardened skins are typically skimmed or filtered out.