Spray paint offers several advantages over painting with a brush.
You don’t suffer from brushstrokes, and it usually dries faster.
If you’ve never used spray paint before, then you may not be sure how long it takes for it to dry.
Knowing how long can help you plan out the rest of the project accordingly.
Here’s what you need to know about how long it takes for spray paint to dry.
How Long Does Spray Paint Take To Dry?
It takes spray paint a half-hour to 24 hours to dry.
There are two different stages to drying.
The first stage covers when the surface of the material dries.
This can take anywhere from a half-hour to a few hours depending on a few variables.
The second stage is curing.
This is when the spray paint dries throughout its coat and is ready for use.
That takes 24 hours.
Like drying, curing can also take longer or shorter depending on a few variables.
What Affects The Drying Speed Of Spray Paint?
There are a few variables that can affect how long it takes for spray paint to dry.
Here are some of those variables.
1. Temperature
The temperature of the room or area can affect how long or short it takes for spray paint to dry.
If you read the spray paint can, then you’ll see the optimal temperature it suggests you use the paint in.
That range tends to be around 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the temperature is warmer, then it can be difficult for the paint to dry.
That’s because it can damage the properties within the paint which affect its ability to dry and stick to the surface.
It may even run and lose its color.
Colder temperatures can help it dry faster, but you need to be mindful of how cold the area becomes.
Colder temperatures can help it dry faster because it forces the water in the paint to transition into a solid state faster.
However, you don’t want to use the spray paint in freezing temperatures.
It can make the water in the paint freeze.
This can create crystals which then melt when the temperature increases.
Not only does this impede the paint’s ability to stick to the surface, but it can make the paint runny.
Letting the paint dry in its preferred temperatures is the best way to dry it at its optimal speed and ensure it sticks to the surface.
2. Material
The type of surface that you’re painting can also determine how fast or slow the spray paint takes to dry.
Metal, for example, tends to dry fast.
That’s because it isn’t porous.
The spray paint can cure faster since it doesn’t need to seep into the surface as much.
Spray paint that goes on metal also tends to dry faster in warmer temperatures.
For metal surfaces, you can usually expect spray paint to dry in 10 minutes.
Cardboard, on the other hand, is very porous.
Because it’s porous, it can take anywhere from a half-hour to a few hours to dry completely.
This porosity also means you’ll likely need a few coats to get the right color.
Glass is a difficult surface to paint on.
It isn’t porous, but it’s easy for the paint to run on it.
That said, because it isn’t porous, it doesn’t take too long for the surface to dry.
Glass dries in around 15 to 30 minutes.
Wood is another popular material that people use spray paint on.
Like cardboard, wood is also porous.
Because of that, it can take an hour or two for the paint to dry on this type of surface.
One final material is rubber.
Like cardboard, rubber is also extremely porous.
It can take a few hours for the surface to dry.
If you want the spray paint to cure, then you can expect to wait 24 hours before it’s finished.
3. Wind Speed
Depending on where you’re spray painting, the wind speed can also impact how fast the spray paint dries.
Strong winds can damage the paint and make it run.
It can also make it difficult for the spray paint to reach the surface.
However, the wind that’s applied to the surface can help make it dry faster.
It does so by drying up the water in the paint.
Light wind does less damage to the spray paint.
It also helps spray paint dry faster by drying the water.
Sometimes the wind can also bring down the temperature of the area which can also decrease its drying time.
4. Humidity
The amount of moisture in the room can also determine the drying and curing time of spray paint.
If you’re painting outside on a humid day, then it can take a long time for the spray paint to dry.
With a lot of moisture in the air, it keeps the water inside of the paint moist.
Whereas if there’s low humidity, it can help speed up the process of drying.
Low humidity means that there isn’t much moisture in the air.
As a result, the water in the paint may evaporate faster.
At the very least, the moisture isn’t replenishing it.
If you’re painting indoors, then it might be worth using a dehumidifier to help speed up the drying process.
5. Paint Thickness
Another factor that can influence how fast or slow spray paint dries is how thick the paint is.
Primer, for example, can be thick depending on the type of paint or color.
It’s designed to create a paintable surface for subsequent layers of paint.
Some primer also comes with a base coat of paint which can add to the thickness.
Thick paint dries slower than thin paint.
That’s because there’s more pigment that needs to dry.
Thin paint has fewer levels of pigments that need to dry.
As a result, thin paint can usually dry in a few minutes.
If there are other additives to the paint to make it thicker, then it can also increase the drying and curing time.
6. Type Of Paint
The type of paint, or the base of the paint, can also impact how fast or slow spray paint dries and cures.
Water-based spray paint, for example, dries faster than oil-based spray paint.
That’s because water evaporates faster than oil.
If you need your project to dry fast, then it may be worth using water-based spray paint instead of an oil-based one.
How To Speed Up The Drying Process Of Spray Paint
If you have a limited time in which to complete your project, then you may need to speed up the drying and curing process of spray paint.
There are a few things you can do to speed up it up.
Here are some of the tips you can use to decrease the drying and curing time of spray paint.
1. Use A Dehumidifier
If you’re painting inside, then it’s a great idea to use a dehumidifier to remove some of the moisture in the room.
Spray paint also contains volatile organic compounds which can make spraying inside dangerous.
A dehumidifier with a purifier can also remove those VOCs.
You’ll want to place the dehumidifier close to the area you’re painting.
If there’s a door to the room, then you should close it to help the dehumidifier remove the moisture from the room.
2. Air Circulation
If there isn’t a lot of humidity outside, then opening a window is a great way to decrease the drying speed.
It allows some wind into the area to dry out the paint.
You can also use a fan to generate air circulation if it’s too cold or humid outside.
Having the air pass through the room and against the paint can help reduce its moisture.
If the room is warm, then having air circulation can also help cool the area and also decrease the time it takes for the paint to dry.
3. Use Thin Layers
One of the most important aspects of painting is learning how to paint with thin layers.
It’s a lot easier to apply layers and impossible to remove layers of paint.
Start with a single coat of paint and let it dry on its own.
You can add new layers to the initial coat of paint within 15 minutes to a half-hour.
Building up your layers not only looks better, but it ensures that you can paint your project a lot faster since it dries faster.
In some cases, the paint inside of the spray can may need thinning.
There are several paint thinners you can find on the market that are designed for spray paint.
Thinning the paint in this way will help you if you’re unsure of how to paint a thin layer with spray paint on your own.
4. Consistent Room Temperature
It’s also important that you keep the room at the same temperature as much as possible.
Painting a house without air conditioning or heating, for example, can be difficult since the temperature range can vary.
If the paint experiences vast extremes of temperatures, then it can have difficulty in drying.
If you’re in a home or painting in an area without climate control, then you’ll want to bring climate control to the area.
Space heaters and portable air conditioners are ideal.
You can hook them up to a generator or use an extension cord to power them in a remote area.
The heater or air conditioner will keep the area at a consistent temperature while you work or while the paint dries.
Keeping the area cooler, rather than hotter, will give you the best results in drying times.
5. Use Furniture Polish
One way to make spray paint dry faster is to use furniture polish on it.
Although it can be difficult to find, furniture polish that uses wax as its base is an effective way to make spray paint dry almost immediately.
It acts like a sealant.
To use the polish, you first need to paint the surface with the spray paint as you would normally.
Then take your wax-based furniture polish and spray a thin layer over your paint job.
Wait around five to ten minutes before applying another layer.
Depending on the porosity of the surface, you may need to add a few more layers of polish to properly seal the paint and dry it.
When you’re done with the polish, wait another five minutes, then take a dry rag and gently wipe away the excess polish.
You don’t want to apply too much pressure since it can wipe the polish away and expose the paint to become wet again.
Instead, dab gently at the surface to remove the excess.
Once the polish is on properly, you only need to wait a few minutes for the spray paint to dry.
You can test the area by gently touching it with a finger.
If your finger comes away without any paint on it, then you’re able to move forward with your project.
6. Cure In An Oven
If you have a spare toaster oven that you don’t use for cooking, then you could use it to cure your spray paint fast.
Set the toaster oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once it’s done preheating, you can place the object that you just painted inside of it on a baking tray or another appropriate apparatus.
Then let the object cook inside of the oven for two hours.
The heat and contained area will remove the moisture from the paint and make it cure faster.
Instead of needing to wait 24 hours for the object to cure, you’ll only need to wait for two hours.
Keep in mind that as the paint dries, it’s going to release volatile organic compounds.
When you cook food, those compounds could contaminate your food.
That’s why, if you choose to cure spray paint in the oven, you can’t use the oven for anything else.
You should also avoid using a conventional oven.
Obviously, this method only works for objects that are small enough to fit inside of your toaster oven.
Do You Need To Wait For Spray Paint To Dry To Paint Over It?
If you’re in a hurry, then you may not want to wait until your spray paint completely dries before adding the next coat of paint.
You may wonder if choosing not to wait for it to cure completely might ruin it.
The good news is that you don’t have to wait for the paint to cure before adding the next layer of paint to it.
You only need to wait for its surface to dry.
Before you add the next layer of paint, take your finger and lightly place it on the surface of the paint.
If it comes away dry, then you’re safe to apply the next layer of paint.
If it comes away with some color on it, then you should wait a bit longer for the surface to dry.
When painting new layers of paint, it only matters if the surface is dry.
When it’s dry, it’s easier for the new layers to adhere to the surface.
If it’s wet, then the new layers of paint may not adhere as well.
This could lead to color leakage, runny paint, or paint that just doesn’t settle well.
Since you only need to wait for the surface to dry to apply new layers of paint, you usually only need to wait five minutes to 30 minutes to add the next layer of paint.
Conclusion
Spray painting doesn’t take long to dry.
It can dry as quickly as five minutes or take as long as a few hours.
Spray painting does take a lot longer to cure.
It usually takes a full 24 hours for spray paint to cure.
Following the tips above can decrease the time it takes for the paint to dry and cure.
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