Painting the scratched-up materials or you want to dye a different color on your favorite products, spray paint seems to be the easiest method pertaining to their versatility and portability. But it always makes us think how long does spray paint take to dry.
In some cases, you need to apply a second coat, but to do so, you must know how long to wait for the first coat to dry.
Whatever the case is, spray paint is considered the best, and it helps you give a new life to your household items.
Typically, for any kind of liquid to dry, it takes time, and for painting, it usually takes around 24 hours to dry completely, but it’s not always the case. There are diverse elements that decide the dry time. For example, the type of material, the temperature, and in our case, the type of paint as well. Not knowing about this may ruin the entire painting project.
Factors affecting the spray paint dry time
If you take into consideration the below points, you will be able to estimate the right time. Taking this approach allows you to ensure that there will be no problems with the painting process.
- The surface material and the type
Let’s talk about the material type first. Is it plastic, metal, wood, or any other type? Each one has different aspects and characteristics. Then comes the material’s texture. If it has a smooth surface, it will take less time to dry than paint on a rough surface.
Considering the type only, the paint on metal dries up quickly as compared to steel or wood. However, it may take 24 hours or longer for it to dry completely.
However, there are always more than one factor involved. So, let’s explore those parameters as well.
- Temperature
Hot or the cold, the paint needs an appropriate temperature to dry thoroughly. Typically, you will see on the paint bottle suggesting the optimal temperature range.
Generally speaking, if the temperature is warmer, it will increase the dry time for paint, and on the other hand, the less time it will take in cold weather.
However, not too cold, and not too hot; in both cases, there is a high chance the paint will get affected.
For this reason, you are advised not to use spray paints in freezing weather or if it’s too warm. It is always a good idea to check paint labeling and check the optimal temperature range. Usually, it will be around 60 to 80°F.
- Spray paint types
We are provided with a wide variety of options when it comes to selecting the paint type. Each type of paint, therefore, has its own formula, and the time will differ with each type.
Epoxy spray paints are said to be dried faster, but you will not always be using this one for all your projects. Epoxy paint takes one hour to dry totally.
On the contrary, latex paints are known for their longer dry duration.
- The wind speed and humidity
We neglect this often, but it is another important point to consider when talking about the time it will take for the paint to dry. Light wind speed will help the paint to dry faster as strong winds can damage the paint on the surface.
Similarly, the humidity level in the surrounding atmosphere influences the time it takes the paint to dry. With low humidity, the time will be less, and with a lot of moisture, it will take longer.
How can you make spray paint dry faster?
We all want our painting projects to be ready as soon as possible, but we see that drying up takes a lot of time. Is there a way to expedite the process? Yes, there is. Actually, there are multiple ways to do that.
Change the aspect of the environment
We have seen that the surrounding weather and the environmental conditions play a huge role in deciding the dry time for spray paint. If we can make the changes as per our requirements, we can speed up the process to a great extent. We can do this by:
- Placing a fan nearby to increase wind speed and create air circulation
- Using a dehumidifier to decrease the humidity level
- Turning up the heat by placing a heater or using a blow dryer
Apply thin coat
Other than making changes in the surrounding climate, the paint thickness also increases or decreases the dry time. As is obvious, the thin coat will dry up more quickly than the dense coat.
Conclusion
The time for the paint to dry depends on a number of factors, such as the paint type, the material, and the weather. In general, it takes around 24 hours for the paint to dry fully, but you can always do it faster with a few steps discussed in the article.
As now you know all about it, you will be able to do the painting project the right way and with no slip-ups.