How long does paint take to dry? Well, it depends. Factors like the type of paint, the application, the ambient humidity and temperature, ventilation, and more will all impact the time it takes for paint to dry and properly cure.

Waiting for paint to properly dry before applying additional coats or touching the surface is crucial to ensuring the paint's longevity. This is how long it takes paint to dry and properly cure, why you should let paint dry completely.

Factors That Affect Paint Drying Times

While a can of paint will specify average drying times and necessary time between coats, other variables can play a role in the paint's actual dry time. Here are the biggest factors that affect paint drying times.

Type of Paint

Naturally, different kinds of paint have different drying times, as their base ingredients differ. The two most commonly used types of paint are latex paint and oil-based paint. Their drying times and recoat times are as follows:

• Latex Paint: One hour until dry to the touch and about four hours before ready to recoat.
• Oil-Based Paint: Six to eight hours until dry to the touch and about 24 hours before ready to recoat.

Paint Application

The application of paint is one of the biggest factors in the resulting dry time, namely the thickness of the coat. Paint that is applied to thick will take longer to dry, whereas thin layers of paint dry fairly quickly.

The rule of thumb is to apply several thin layer of coats to promote even coverage rather than attempting to completely cover the surface with one coat of paint.

Humidity and Temperature

Environmental factors like the ambient humidity and temperature will play a major role in a paint's dry time.

In fact, the paint manufacturer specifies on the label the specific window or temperature and humidity that the paint should be applied in. Operating outside of this window will drastically lengthen or shorten the dry time and could even compromise the paint. Be mindful of these factors when you are painting rooms such as bathrooms.

Room Ventilation

Ventilation is crucial when it comes to efficient paint dry times. Wet paint in a closed room with no airflow will dry slowly. Moving air through the room will allow more water vapor to be pulled from the paint, drying the surface quicker.

Paint Curing Times

Even after the paint has dried to the touch or dried enough to apply a second coat, it still has to complete the curing phase before it can withstand use. Just as the type of paint can affect the paint's drying time, it also affects the curing time.

However, unlike the paint's drying times, oil-based paint cures much quicker than latex paint. Here are the average drying times for the two most common types of paint:

• Latex Paint: Approximately 30 days
• Oil-Based Paint: Approximately seven days

Regularly using and cleaning painted surfaces that haven't had time to cure and reach their peak hardness can damage the finish.

Additional Tips

To improve the quality and longevity of your paint and even speed up the drying process, follow these tips:

• Be patient. Don't rush a paint job. Failing to wait between coats or applying coats that are too thick will compromise the finish.
• Read the manufacturer's label. Different paints have different specifications for application, surface prep, dry times, cure times, and more. Always consult the manufacturer's label before painting to achieve a long-lasting finish.
• Use a roller whenever possible. While some nooks and crannies require a brush, use a roller to apply paint whenever possible. This is the best way to achieve a thin coat, which will speed up the dry time and promote proper adhesion between coats.
• Don't paint on a rainy day. While it goes without saying that you can't paint your home's exterior on a rainy day, you may want to hold off on the interior paint as well. This is especially true in homes without working or installed air conditioning. To improve your paint's performance on a rainy day, turn on the air conditioning or a dehumidifier.
• Use primer. Priming your surface before you paint will help promote even coverage, which makes it easier to apply thinner coats. Additionally, some surfaces like bare drywall and raw wood require priming before painting.
• Turn on a fan. Bringing a fan into the room after painting will improve the airflow, encouraging the paint to dry quicker. However, you should only do this if you've thoroughly cleaned all dust and debris from the room.