Notes from the bench
Miniature paint storage: racks, drawers and project boxes
Choose paint storage by bottle fit, reach and the way you work, with a simple routine for closing and identifying colours.
Start by counting the paints you actually use and measuring their containers. A rack should fit your bottles and leave the working area clear. Its advertised capacity is only useful if that capacity applies to the container shapes in your collection.
| Storage | Useful when | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Stepped rack | You want labels visible while working | Hole diameter, step spacing and footprint |
| Drawer | You prefer a clear desk | Internal height and a way to identify colours from above |
| Project box | You paint at a shared table | Secure closure, handles and bottle stability |
| Shelf bins | You have several ranges | Labels, access and room for taller containers |
Check fit with actual containers
Measure the widest part of a bottle or pot, including any shoulder that must pass through a rack opening. For a drawer, include the height of the cap. If the seller only names one compatible range, do not assume another bottle fits because both contain a similar amount of paint.
Sketch the rack footprint on paper and place it on the desk. Leave room to remove a bottle without striking the lamp or a shelf. Check whether a tiered rack hides the labels behind it and whether you can reach the back row without leaning over the miniature.
Organise for your next project
Choose one organising rule: colour family, range or current project. Mixing all three without labels makes paint harder to find. If labels are not visible in a drawer, make a written index or use colour swatches that you can update.
Keep a small project selection separate from the main collection. Write down the full paint name and range for a mixture you want to repeat. Similar colour names and revised ranges can otherwise make a later replacement confusing.
Close and store according to the maker
Paint storage is also about the containers. Keep the closing surfaces clear enough to seal, close each bottle or pot after use, and follow its label. Caran d'Ache's general paint-storage guidance highlights temperature extremes, direct light and poor closure as things to avoid. Use the specific instructions for your miniature paint rather than borrowing another range's temperature limits.
Do not treat a garage, loft or sunny windowsill as suitable just because it has spare space. Choose somewhere consistent with the paint manufacturer's instructions. Keep labels readable and products out of reach of children and pets. This guide concerns brush-paint containers; aerosols and other specialist products need their own label-led storage arrangements.
Buy for a known problem
If you cannot find colours, improve labels before buying more shelves. If bottles fall over in transit, investigate a fitted insert. If the desk is crowded, a drawer or project box may solve more than another display rack.
Return to the station layout guide before choosing storage dimensions. Use the paint-chart finder when researching a replacement range, keeping the original colour name in your project notes.
Sources & further reading
- Caran d'Ache: storing paints — checked 2026-10-25
Citadel, Games Workshop, Warhammer, The Army Painter, Vallejo, AK Interactive and other names are trade marks of their owners, used here only to describe compatibility. We're not affiliated with them.