How to Make Spray Paint Dry Faster? Detailed Guide 2023
Last Updated on February 6, 2023 by Tokyo
Spray painting is widely used in smaller projects because it is easier for a person to paint using spray cans. But the problem is that spray paints take long time to dry. If a person wants to complete a project in a shorter time, then he needs to know “how to make spray paint dry faster?”
How to Make Spray Paint Dry Faster? Detailed Explanation
There are several methods for reducing the drying time of spray paint. Applying wax-based furniture polish to the surface or baking the color are important. For quick drying outcomes, the easiest solution is to change your surroundings’ factors like ventilation or humidity.
This post will go over how long for spray paint to dry and ways to speed up the drying process. We’ll also showcase a few of the best quick-drying spray paint brands for your next job.
Length of Spray Paint Drying Process
Spray paint takes many hours to completely dry. The color may need to cure for up to 24 hours. The dry time might be challenging to locate, but most companies put it among other product information.
We recommend to look at the tag on the spray paint container for a precise idea of how long it will take to dry. The moisture, airflow, and the surface you’re painting all have a role in how fast spray paint tends to dry. By some alterations in these conditions, you can achieve speedier drying rates.
How Long Is The Drying Period Of Different Paint Types?
If you are the person who has more work related to paints, then you will know that different types of paints dry in different periods. Therefore, different dyes are suitable for various projects. This variation in drying time is due to the kind of paints, surfaces they are applied on, and other surrounding factors. We have provided some paint types with their drying times.
Differences between Dry Time and Cure Time
To understand how to spray paint dries, we need to talk about the distinction between drying period and cure time. The dry time of paint is the period between paint coatings or between re-coating. The cure time, on the contrary, indicates how much time it takes for the color to settle before your job is finished and you may use the object. Spray paint passes through four different drying stages:
The cure time is usually longer because the solvents escape from the paint’s surface during the drying process. The color is said to cure when the leftover solvents escape the surface and form a bond with the air, resulting in a strong and durable exterior.
Steps To Reduce Spray Paint Drying Time
Companies may make spray paint to dry quickly in a variety of ways. However, people are still confused about how to make spray paint dry faster. The most straightforward approaches include adjusting environmental factors such as proper ventilation, moisture, or heat. Here are seven tips to reduce the drying time for your paint.
1. Apply Thin Coats
A thin coat of paint is more likely to dry faster than a thicker one. So, the first and essential step you should follow is applying a thin coat of paint. Different products are available to make your spray paint think process job easy. Using a paint thinner or a suitable solvent is recommended by our professionals.
Spray paint that dries quickly also helps to provide you with more control over the paint spread. You may, however, make errors that tend to decrease the process’s pace. Using heavy coats, for example, may result in sticky paint.
2. Reduce the Humidity
Low Humidity makes the spray paint dry faster. High humidity is inverse which reduces the drying time of spray paint and leaves negative effects on paintworks. If the humidity level is more than 70%, it may lead to several issues, including causing paint droplets to accumulate in a place.
On very humid days, avoid painting. Still, we recommend using a dehumidifier for quick dry painting results if you need to paint on steaming days because of the urgency. Opening the windows and doors and getting sunlight is also helpful.
Also watch this video and know how to remove humidity at your home!
3. Improve Air Circulation
When dealing with paint, especially spray paint, proper ventilation is essential. Opening the windows and doors for proper airflow is also important to avoid these harmful chemicals that humans and other animals inhale.
Additionally, most spray paint types shave volatile organic compounds harmful to human health. Hence, it’s essential to have proper air circulation when you are using spray paint.
If you’re working inside, you might use a fan to increase air circulation. Also, ensure that the fan is not too close to the paint to spread these products.
4. Install a Heater Closely
Using a heater does not significantly shorten drying time, but it can reduce spray paint drying time from a day to a few hours. Allowing the item to dry with a heater near the surface may result in the spray paint drying to the touch in minutes rather than hours.
A space heater, like a fan, is a great technique to increase airflow. On cold or humid days, a heater is essential since it may assist lower humidity levels. To help paint dry quicker, use a heater near your workspace.
5. Paint Under The Sun
Choose a day to paint when the temperatures are moderate. With no rain forecast, humidity levels should stay normal. By painting outside on an amazing, bright day, you can manage the setting without worrying about the heat, humidity, or ventilation.
So make arrangements to paint outside on a nice, bright day. Many individuals prefer painting outdoors in the summer since the warmer weather allows the paint to dry faster.
So make arrangements to paint outside on a nice, bright day. Many individuals prefer painting outdoors in the summer since the warmer weather allows the paint to dry faster.
So make arrangements to paint outside on a nice, bright day. Many individuals prefer painting outdoors in the summer since the warmer weather allows the paint to dry faster. The next tip is to paint your outdoor surfaces in the morning so that direct sunlight can decrease the drying time later in the day.
6. Apply Furniture Polish to Spray Paint
Furniture polish is helpful to make the drying process shorten and easy. Wax-based polish is more attractive to use than all other polishes. Moreover, some people use it to seal the spray paints on different surfaces. Using furniture polish on skins is precisely is a good choice.
Look for a polish with wax content that you can spray for easy application. Always use the tip of your small finger to pat the thing to determine whether it is dry lightly. Spray the whole painted surface while holding the can a few centimeters above the item. You can touch the object after the surface is dry to the touch.
Let it dry for 5 minutes before coating another layer. Some projects may require a single coat of paint. With a soft towel, clean any extra polish. Part of the polish will fall off if you use too much force.
7. Drying Spray Paint in Oven
Using oven is another useful trick to dry your spray paint quickly. However, spray paint emits dangerous VOCs and hazardous air pollutants, which may stick to the interior of your oven. You should never use Kitchen Oven to dry spray paint. These particles and gases can come back into the food the following time you cook in the same oven.
Make a careful choice of the paint that you can cure using the oven. Bake the spray paint for about a hundred minutes at 250 0F after thoroughly drying. Make use of a toaster oven for drying paint solely.
8. Heat gun
You may use a heat gun to speed up the drying time of spray paint, but be careful. These are used as paint remover on high heat, so make sure your heat gun is set to a low level. To ensure that the temperature distributes uniformly, keep the heat gun two inches away from the surface and move. When utilizing a heat gun, always take care of safety.
9. Hairdryer
A hairdryer can suffice if you don’t have a heat gun. This method is helpful for little tasks. Just remember to move the hairdryer back and forth. Also, avoid approaching things too closely. Keep it at least 2-4 inches away to avoid damaging the surface. It may blister, fracture, or leak if you approach the paint too closely.
10. Infrared Heat Lamp
An infrared heat lamp might be helpful if you frequently paint and wish to accelerate the drying process. Instead of warming the air, these heat lights warm the item. This heat significantly reduces the curing time. This essay delves into the advantages of thermal infrared lamps for drying purposes.
Dependence of Drying Time on the Painted Surface
Here is the detail on the drying time of a painted surface for a specific material. Every material has its properties, so the spray paint drying time is also different.
Cardboard
Cardboard, like paper, is a porous and fragile material that can distort if you apply excessive paint at once, when dealing with cardboard, the polish functions as a paint sealer, which is highly recommended.
A was based furniture polish is ideal to use which leads to enhance the ventilation process. Ventilation is a practical approach to reduce the cardboard’s drying time to roughly 15 minutes. Use a small fan near your craft or paint outside to get these results.
Metal
Metal is a smooth, quick-drying surface. Spray paint may dry in at least ten minutes on a warm, bright day with little humidity. Warmer temperatures accelerate the drying period of spray paint on the metallic surfaces. Paint may dry faster if you use a space heater or paint metal surfaces outside on a warm day.
Wood
Because wood is a porous material, numerous layers of paint are frequently required. Normally, a wooden surface gets dry in 5 to 8 hours. A water based wooden dry faster than an oil based or wax based surface. For speedier results, paint wood using spray paint when the temperature is about 60 degrees Celsius or use a heater or paint on a bright day.
Note: If you ask about how to dry oil paint fast, the process is same as to dry any spray paint.Rubber
Because rubber is porous, it takes a long time to dry as compare to other materials. If you are spray painting rubber, you’ll need to prepare ahead of time since you’ll need to apply numerous coats and wait roughly for a day between coats.
Glass
Spray painting on glass is very difficult. The surface is smooth, and paint usually runs, drips, or smears on a smooth surface. Spray the paint in thin, light applications for the best effects. Allow ample drying time between coats, ranging from 15 minutes to one day.
Does Temperature Affect on the Drying of a Spray Paint?
When painting indoors and outdoors, it’s helpful to understand how to spray paint dries at different temperatures. Paint dries faster at high temperature. If you reside in a northern area with lengthy, harsh winters, several companies produce spray paint that you can use at colder temperatures.
Check the temperature recommendations on your spray paint container. If the paint freezes, it will take longer to cure and may harm your craft. When the temperature is too high, the color will dry too rapidly and crack. It aids in air movement and decreases the humidity from the paint and shortens the drying time.
If the paint fractures, you’ll have to scrape off the top coat and start again once the temperature drops. For paint to cure properly, the temperature should stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature is higher than 40 degrees, avoid spray painting.
Does Heat Gun Accelerate Drying Process?
A heat gun is a piece of the standard equipment used by Do-it-yourself projects hobbyists to remove paint from surfaces. Plug in a heat gun and set the setting to 450 degrees F, to dry spray paint. If the temperature rises beyond 750 degrees F, the color will boil and peel.
You may use the heat gun to dry paint quicker if you set the temperature to a lower level. Continue rotating the heat gun till the surface is completely dry, which takes about 10 minutes. Maintain a two inch distance between the heat gun and the surface. Push the heat gun around enough to distribute the heat properly.
How to Make Spray Paint Dry Faster- Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sunlight Speed Up The Dry Process Of Spray Paint?
Consider not to spray paint in direct sunlight for the best effects. Spray paint dries up quicker under the sun, and peels off. If you like working in sunlight, try not to leave your painted object to dry in direct sunshine. Even in the summer, the sun is intense.
Is It Necessary Waiting For the Drying Of The First Coat?
Is it necessary to wait for the first coat of spray paint to dry thoroughly before applying a second coat? No. Before using the second layer, the color should be dry to the touch or semi-dry. You can apply a fresh coat when the paint’s surface feels dry. Paint may stay wet for too long if it isn’t scorched, causing harm.
Best Quick Drying Spray Paints
There are spray paint formulae in the market that provide better colors while the lesser time required for drying up. Below are some fast drying paints:
1. Pintyplus Evolution
This is fast drying spray paint. It works well on both indoor and exterior surfaces. You can complete any project faster with this excellent spray paint. The nicest thing about spray paint this brand is that they are low-odor and environmentally friendly. The color has a smooth texture. In at least 15 minutes, you may paint over the surface.
2. Krylon 1602 Spray Paint
This spray paint brand uses a modern chemical for the drying process. It’s a high-gloss or matte-finish enamel paint great for metal and wood. The spray paints in this series are designed for industrial uses and small recoating. Krylon spray paint dry time is 15 minutes which is the maximum value.
The best aspect is that there is no need to wait for the drying of the paint between applications. This enamel paint for metal surfaces dries rapidly, unlike other enamel paints. It takes 8 minutes to dry completely.
3. Rust-Oleum Painter’s Spray Paint
This spray paint is a high-quality oil-based composition that dries to the touch in 20 minutes. It has a little odor, covers 12 square feet with one can, and comes in various colors and finishes. Furthermore, it is rather poisonous until it dries because this is an oil-based composition. Alternatively, dust it with the finest duster for general maintenance now and again, and it will look fantastic.
Summing Up- How to Make Spray Paint Dry Out Faster?
Although spray paint dry time varies, there are several strategies to accelerate the process. Spray usually paints dry in 24 hours. If you want to cut down on drying time, choose a warm, sunny day in the autumn or spring to paint outside. You may also change the time by using wax-based polish or a toast oven.
Some people ask how long oil paint takes to dry. It takes 24 hours to dry for the oil paint. However, it also depends upon the pant type.
It’s time to work on your next project, so you have learned how to dry up spray paint faster. Hopefully, you’ve learned some valuable techniques for making spray paint dry quickly.
