How Long Does Spray Paint Take To Dry? (Guide by Surface)
Whether you’re looking to refurbish some furniture or create a fancy mural, spray paint is an excellent way to bring color to any DIY project.
It is crucial to know how long spray paint takes to dry before handling to avoid damaging the finish while painting. If you have limited time to wait, find a fast-drying paint and follow the methods below.
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Things That Impact Spray Paint Dry Time?
Ambient temperature, humidity, and wind speed
Higher temperatures will dry your items faster, but direct light or too high heat can be a problem. High humidity days slow the drying time; consider painting another time when the humidity is lower. Wind or light breezes can help dry your pieces faster but can bring debris that may stick to the surface and ruin the finish.
Surface material
Different surfaces have a significant impact on your drying times. Metal is not very porous and can be warmed quickly, making drying times faster. Porous materials like cardboard and rubber take 24 hours to dry as they absorb the paint. Glass and plastic have 15-30 minutes between coats. They can be completely dry in a day.
Thickness of paint applied
It is logical, the thicker the layer of paint, the longer it will take to dry. Thick layers form a seemingly dry surface, but this drying process takes a while to penetrate the extra paint. Thinner layers will dry faster, making them able to be handled much sooner or recoated faster.
Type of paint
Consider what type of paint you will be using; each type is based on different ingredients and uses slightly different chemical reactions to dry. Enamel paint takes 10-30 minutes to reach surface dry but can take 24 hours to dry completely. Lacquered paint takes only 5 minutes to surface dry and 3 hours to fully dry.
The Stages of Drying (& Why You Need to Know Them)
Surface dry
Surface dry is caused by the evaporation of volatile solvents in the paint solution. When you touch your piece at this stage, you will break the thin, dry film and come away with some sticky paint on your fingers.
Touch dry
Touch dry creates a thicker and more rigid surface than surface dry but can still break under pressure. The paint may or make not stick to you or anything that breaks the surface, but it will not be as sticky or wet.
Hard dry
Hard dry means that the paint has mostly dried but is not entirely ready for handling. If you touch the item at this stage, you will most likely leave fingerprints on the paint surface and damage the finish.
Thorough dry
The thorough or complete dry stage means that your piece is ready to handle or for a sealant as implied by the name. It is serviceable, and you can use the work as intended without fear of removing the paint.
How Can You Tell If Spray Paint Is Completely Dry?
Most paints typically have a full dry time of 24 hours, depending on the brand, paint type, and drying conditions.
We recommend waiting the recommended time before touching an inconspicuous area; if paint under your finger is damaged, it is not quite ready.
For primer and paint specifically, we recommend waiting between 15 minutes and an hour before adding a new coat.
How Long Does It Take For Spray Paint To Dry?
By Surface
How long does it take spray paint to dry on metal?
Metal pieces are often very fast when it comes to drying times, especially on warmer days. We recommend waiting 10 minutes between layers or a few hours for handling to be sure that you will not damage the paint.
How long does it take spray paint to dry on wood?
Wood is a porous material that tends to soak up paint rather than let it sit on the surface. We recommend waiting 10-30 minutes between layers or 24 hours for handling. It may also help to sand the wood before painting.
How long does it take spray paint to dry on plastic?
If you are spray painting plastic objects, it will often take three hours to dry completely. To build your layers, we recommend waiting 30 minutes between layers to be sure they dry enough to be painted over properly.
How long does it take spray paint to dry on glass?
Glass is easy to work with material that typically allows 15 minutes between coats or 24 hours to dry thoroughly. It’s a non-porous material that can be easily painted without taking too much time or effort to work with.
How long does it take for spray paint to dry on cardboard?
Cardboard is a highly porous material with plenty of holes and layers for the paint to be absorbed into. We recommend waiting at least 15 minutes before trying to paint any new layers onto your cardboard surface to be safe.
How long does it take spray paint to dry on rubber?
Rubber is another highly porous material similar to cardboard and has an equal drying time overall. Suppose you want your rubber item to be properly dry. In that case, we recommend waiting 24 hours, depending on your layer number and paint.
By Spray Paint Type
Enamel spray paints
Enamel is a pretty paint type that can be used in several ways on various surfaces. It tends to take 10-30 minutes to surface dry, 8 hours to hard dry, and 24 hours to fully dry, depending on the brand.
Lacquer spray paint
Lacquers are a fast-drying type of paint that can take 5 minutes to surface dry and 2 or 3 hours completely dry. Perfect for fast-paced projects or people who are rushed for time.
Epoxy or polyurethane spray paint
Some of the fastest drying paints are epoxy or polyurethane spray paints. These types typically take 5 minutes to surface dry and around 30 minutes to an hour to completely dry.
How Can You Make Spray Paint Dry Faster?
1. Increase airflow in the area
While you should have adequate ventilation throughout the painting process, there are other ways to increase airflow and dry your pieces dry faster. Opening your windows wider or turning on the extractor fan could help.
2. Use a fan or hairdryer
It is possible to use a fan or hairdryer to speed up the process; position the dryer or fan a few inches from the item and blow cool or warm air over the paint’s surface.
3. Paint while it’s warm and not too humid
As we discussed earlier, painting in warmer temperatures can speed up the drying process. Still, humid conditions can slow down the process. Putting your piece in the sun or in a warm room can half the drying time.
4. Use a dehumidifier
While not the most efficient method, a dehumidifier can help dry your piece if you live in very humid areas.
People also Ask (FAQs)
Do I really need to wait 4 hours between coats of paint?
That depends on your paint type and the layer thickness. Check the product description for specific recommendations.
How long does it take for Rustoleum spray paint to dry?
It reaches handling dry in 5-9 hours and complete dryness in 24 hours.
How long does spray paint need to dry before rain?
If rain is in the forecast within the next 48 hours, it's best to delay your project.
Conclusion
Overall, we recommend using thin layers of paint and carefully regulating your painting space for optimum drying times. Now that you know how long to let the paint dry, you can be confident in all your DIY projects moving forward.
Categorised in: DIY Articles, Spray Paints
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