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How to Make Paint Dry Fast and Easy (7 Different Ways)

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In a rush to get the house ready to sell?

The fastest (and cheapest!) way to make it look presentable is to get the walls painted. With time, wall paint loses its vibrancy. To restore it to its glory, getting a retouch or a completely new color can make a huge difference.

Since there’s no need to break any wall, it doesn’t leave a big hole in your pocket either. With the right tools, you can turn it into a fun DIY project cutting the cost of hiring a professional as well. Hang on! Before you learn how to make paint dry faster, it’s important to have basic knowledge about the paint and tools you use.

If you’re working on a relatively smaller project, say painting on a canvas, these tips and tricks will prove just as handy to you too. Let’s start with learning the type of paint you’ll use.

What type of paint are you using?

Since this post is not limited to wall painting, this list covers more than enamel-based paints. You can choose from a plethora of paints for your project. From water-based to oil paints, there are a lot of options. Two common types of paints are discussed here, let’s see what they are.

  • Water-based Paints

The majority of paints nowadays are water-based. If your wall was previously painted using oil-based paint you must take some precautions before coating it with water-based paint. In such a case, wash the surface and roughen it with medium-grit sandpaper. This cleans the wall and makes it dry and dull preventing the new paint from peeling off.

The biggest advantage of using water-based paints is they dry quicker than oil-based paints. Two more important benefits are it doesn’t require any special pretreatment and leaves a smaller carbon footprint.

One major setback of water-based paints, however, is they aren’t as vivid and long-lasting as oil-based or urethane-based paints.

Related Read — Best Paint Sprayers For Home

  • Oil-based Paints

For projects that require a rich finish and high durability, it is recommended to use an oil-based paint. These paints are known for their versatility since they can be used on almost any surface.

Despite their numerous benefits, be cautious when using oil-based paints. They emit strong fumes and are hard to wash.

Moving on to the finish paints offer, you get to pick from matte finish, semi-gloss finish, and satin finish. Make sure to pick a finish that complements the area equally. Remember, the quality of paint won’t matter until you use the best tools. Using cheap brushes and rollers will not give you the same result as a higher quality tool would. Choose wisely to get the best result.

How long does it take for paint to dry?

Watching how paint dries is a sign of ultimate boredom. But crafters and painters know a little too much about this dilemma. Paint can take forever to dry when you’re waiting to move on to the next step. Especially oil paint given its slow-drying nature. To tackle this, you can mix a drying medium to the paint before application. We have discussed this in detail further along with the post.

Coming back to the question–how long does paint take to dry?

Well, it depends on four primary factors.

  1. Temperature

For any project, the temperature can greatly influence the drying time. When you’re indoors, the temperature is more controlled. You can turn on the air conditioner or the heater based on your location to tackle the weather. When painting outdoors it is rather obvious to consider the elements and humidity. For example, it is not advised to paint any external wall during the rainy season. Not only does the rain spoil your paint but also makes it difficult to set.

Related Read — Best Sprayers To Paint Ceilings

  1. Humidity

Naturally, if it’s humid where you are the paint will take much longer to dry because of the moisture in the air. If you’re working inside your home, this factor can be avoided. However, when working outdoors it will keep the paint wet much longer.

  1. Type of paint

From the two types of paints, oil-based paint can take up to eight hours to dry. Whereas latex or water-based paint is ready for the next coat in as little as an hour. If time is a constraint then we recommend using latex paint for your project.

  1. Application

Proper application of paint can help you achieve a quicker dry time. Thinner coats prevent the paint from dripping and offer a better finish. With these benefits, thin coats also dry faster. Two thin coats will look much better than one thick coat and won’t take as much time to dry.

You should wait till the paint is dry enough to touch. For latex paints, this period is between one or three hours. On the other hand for oil paints, wait at least eight hours before applying the next coat. If you’ve applied a thicker coat, it may take even longer to dry.

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How to Make Paint Dry Fast and Easy?

If you’re tired of waiting, we have a few techniques you can use to cut the wait time. These tips will work no matter what type of pain you use or the scale of the project.

Did you ever ask yourself -- how to dry paint faster after you painted something. If yes, then make sure to check our mini-guide where we explained how to make paint dry faster

1. Applying a thin coat

As mentioned previously, two thin coats dry faster than a thicker coat. While it is tempting to lay on thicker coats as they look better, the drying period is tormenting and the paint is more likely to drip. This messes with the overall look when you are done with the project.

So, save yourself from the trouble and be as light-handed with the paint as you can.

Related Read — Best Sprayers For Plasti Dip

2. Turn the fan on

We cannot stress enough on the importance of ventilation when painting a wall or any surface. Before you start painting open all the windows and turn on a table fan near the area you’re painting in. Keep it running until the paint dries so the area is well ventilated.

3. Switch on the heater

There’s a reason why professionals prefer summertime over other seasons. The hotter the temperature, the faster your paint dries. In colder regions running a heater near the project can cut the overall drying time a few hours. It may not cut the wait time significantly, you can surely enjoy a few more hours of your without waiting for the paint to dry.

4. Keep the humidity down

For the paint to dry faster, you need to keep the humidity down. Besides slowing the dry time, humidity can result in paint drips and dust contamination. You can decrease moisture by using a dehumidifier in addition to opening all the doors and windows while painting.

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5. Use a hairdryer

When painting a small surface, you can speed up the drying process by using a hairdryer or a heat gun. Set the appliance at the lowest setting and hover it over the surface you’re painting.

Apply heat as evenly as possible to ensure the paint dries in all the places equally. However, don’t bring the hairdryer or heat gun too close to the surface as it may cause the paint to crack or bubble.

Learn More — How To Thin Latex Paint?

6. Using oil paint drying mediums

This technique is only applicable when using oil-based paints. Oil paints dry much faster when combined with a drying medium like alkyds, lead dryers, cobalt dryers, and turpentine.

For the instructions and ratios, always refer to the package directions when using a drying medium since the ratio may thin out the oil paint. Thin-oil paint dries faster than when it is thicker.

The bottom line is, the thinner the paint the faster it dries. Thicker coats cause the paint to drip and mess with the final result. Besides the application, temperature and humidity also play critical roles in the drying process.

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We’re a team of engineers, contractors, technicians, and woodworking experts who use power tools daily and share fact-based information, tips, and recommendations. At thetoolgeeks.com, we debunk myths about power tools and share methods to use them effectively.

The Tool Geeks Team

We're a team of engineers, contractors, technicians, and woodworking experts who use power tools daily and share fact-based information, tips, and recommendations. At thetoolgeeks.com, we debunk myths about power tools and share methods to use them effectively.

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