Sick of sitting around and watching paint dry? Unfortunately, it’s a necessary evil if you want quality results. Paint takes time to cure before you achieve the highest-quality finish for your space.
By understanding what paint curing really means, you can learn what to expect from your next renovation project. This helps you plan ahead from a practical perspective. It also allows you to do what’s best for your final painting results.
So how long will your paint job take to cure and dry, and can you do anything to speed up the process? Here’s what you need to know.
Paint Curing: What Does It Really Mean?
The paint curing process is about more than simply letting the top coat dry. Even when a surface feels dry to the touch, paint might not be fully cured.
Paint is cured when it is fully hardened and preserved, fusing to the wall or surface. This means that enough time has passed for all lingering solvents to evaporate, and the final paint job is as tough as possible. You should be able to press a nail into the paint with no indent left behind.
Why is this important?
Fully cured paint is hard-wearing, making it more resistant to the challenges of daily life. Once paint has completely cured, it is equipped to tolerate bumps, swipes, and even exposure to the elements.
Typical Paint Drying Times
Different paints work in different ways, so drying and curing times can vary.
Generally speaking, water-based paints are the quickest to dry, usually taking only a few hours. Oil-based paints take longer, dry to the touch in about eight hours and curing after twenty-four. Enamel paints, which offer a glossy appearance, tend to take longer still, depending on whether they rely on a water or oil base. Gloss paints are often used on door and window frames and it is best to avoid closing them for as long as possible past the minimum drying time to allow the paint to cure fully and avoid surfaces sticking together or “paint blocking“.
Additionally, certain paint components may impact the overall time needed to dry and cure completely. Some colour pigments may alter the paint composition in ways that extend drying periods. Binders and solvents may also contribute to changes in the time taken to dry.
Other factors may also affect the drying time for a residential paint job. In cold, damp or humid weather, drying could take longer, or paint may dry more quickly on a drier, less porous surface.
How To Speed Up Paint Drying
Is it safe to sleep in a freshly painted room? Sometimes. But it’s best to wait until the fumes have completely dissipated. So if you’re painting bedrooms, you might be wondering how you can speed up the drying process.
There are steps you can take to reduce drying time. With oil-based paints, you can use paint thinner to improve drying efficiency, or you could use a fan or heater in your painted space to help speed up the process.
But should you? It’s usually safe to take these minimal steps that support faster paint-drying times. However, direct heat should only ever be applied to wet paint for three to five minutes at most. Good things take time, and if paint is forced to dry and cure too quickly, it won’t go through the natural hardening process needed to avoid cracking and peeling later on.
Need Help From The Painting Experts?
If you’re ready to give your property an all-new look, you need help from a professional house painter.
At AJ Cochrane & Sons, we rely on over 90 years in the painting business to give us the edge. We know what it takes to get painting right, and we’ll work to ensure you achieve the best finish possible on every surface.
Keen to get started? Contact us today.
