Waiting for latex paint to dry before sanding, recoating, or sealing is important if you want a good finish. So how long does it take for latex paint to dry?
It takes latex paint 1 hour to dry to touch, 3 hours to dry enough for a re-coat, and 24-48 hours to dry fully (cure). It has a fast drying time because it uses water as its solvent, and water evaporates faster.
Between Coats
It takes latex paint 3 hours to dry enough for a re-coat. This gives its coating enough time to harden and compact so it can support a new coating.
However, its dry time depends on the brand of the paint, room temperature, thickness of the coat, and humidity levels. For instance, during cold or moist conditions, latex paint takes 6 hours to dry between coats. This is because the high humidity levels reduce the evaporation rate.
Latex paint dries fast because it’s water-based and uses water as its solvent. Since the solvent (water) evaporates from the coating fast, the coating dries and hardens faster.
If you re-coat it too soon, the new coating won’t adhere well to the existing coat. The finish will also slip and peel off after a few weeks. This is because the coatings aren’t bonded properly.
However, latex can be deceiving when it comes to drying times. This is because it dries enough to touch in a few minutes. But, you will have to wait a few hours before re-coating it.
Related Read: Can You Sand Latex Paint?
Different Drying Stages
Latex paint goes into different stages of drying — dry to touch, recoat, use, and curing time. It takes about 4 weeks for latex paint to fully cure. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t use the object you just painted before that
Dry To Touch
The dry-to-touch stage is when you can touch the surface you just painted and the coating won’t stick to your hand. This usually happens 30 minutes after you applied it. The “dry to touch” is when the solvent has evaporated from the top coat but hasn’t evaporated underneath the paint.
So, while you can touch the coating, it doesn’t mean you can apply another coat over it. If you apply another coat while the solvent hasn’t evaporated completely, you will end up with a sticky finish.
Dry To Re-coat
The “dry to re-coat” time means how long should the coating dry before you can apply another one over it. The more coats you apply, the longer the dry time to re-coat is. However, you have to wait for 3 hours for the first coat to dry before you can apply another coat over it.
After 3 hours, the solvent (water) will evaporate from the coating, meaning the particles have bonded enough to accept another coating. The wait time can be longer if the temperature is low and the humidity is higher than 50%
Dry To Use
“Dry to use” refers to the time to wait until you can use the object you painted. For example, if you just painted a chair, you have to wait until the finish dries properly before you can sit on it and use it. This takes between 24-48 hours, but it can take longer if the temperature isn’t ideal and the humidity is high.
Cure Time
The “cure time” refers to the time when the solvent has fully evaporated from the coating and the paint particles have bonded and hardened perfectly. This is the time when you can wash the object you just painted and the finish won’t come off. This usually takes 2-4 weeks.
How To Make Latex Paint Dry Faster?
Latex paint dries quickly but maybe you are in a hurry and you need it to dry faster. Here are 5 effective methods how to speed it up:
1. Use a Hairdryer
The key to making a coating dry faster is to make the solvent evaporate quicker. When the solvent (water) evaporates from the coating, the paint dries. To increase the evaporation rate, you must increase the heat around the coating. You can do this using a hairdyer.
To do this:
- Turn on your hairdryer and move it over the coating.
- Don’t let the dryer come in contact with the surface. Just keep it a few inches from the surface and hover it across the coating repeatedly.
- Turn off your hairdryer and let the coating dry naturally (important!)
Note: Avoid using heat guns as they can dry the coating too fast, making it crack or peel off.
2. Open More Windows
You can also increase the evaporation rate of the solvent by creating proper air circulation. You can do this by opening the windows (indoors), turning on fans, or installing more fans.
3. Thin The Latex Paint
The thinner the flow is, the faster the coating dries. So, to make the paint dry faster, apply thin coats. Since there’s less solvent on the surface, it will evaporate faster. To thin latex paint, add 1/4 cup of water for a gallon of paint. Then, stir the mixture until there’s color and flow uniformity.
Another hack similar to thin coats is fewer coats. Usually, 2 coats of latex paint are enough if a primer is used. 3 coats or more and you are sure to wait longer before the coating dries.
Related Read: Can You Apply Latex Paint With a Roller?
4. Paint During The Day
Painting during the day (10 am – 4 pm) will make the coating dry faster because the weather is warmer. Painting at night isn’t ideal because the weather is cool at night. This will cause the coating to take longer to dry.
Other tips include:
- Paint at the right room temperature.
- Ensure the humidity is not above 50%.
- Use a dehumidifier.
- Sanding between coats
Note: Sanding doesn’t help the paint dry faster, but it helps the coating stick better. If the coatings stick properly, the finish will dry better and you will get a durable finish.
Tacky or Sticky Latex Paint
Latex paint stays or turns tacky if there’s improper surface preparation, lack of a water-based primer, and or painting in a moist environment. If the paint isn’t applied under the right conditions, it won’t dry properly and will turn tacky or sticky.
If the paint is applied on a greasy or filthy surface, it will remain tacky or sticky. This is because the grease and filth will prevent proper adhesion, so the coating won’t stick properly.
Latex paint also turns sticky if you re-coat it too soon. That’s because the new coating will prevent the solvent (of the existing coating) to evaporate. Since the solvent can’t evaporate, the coating will remain wet and prevent the new coating from sticking. This leads to a sticky finish.
To fix a sticky finish, you must help the coating to dry faster. This includes using a hairdryer, or heater, or creating proper air circulation. If nothing works, you must remove the entire finish and re-apply it.
Final Words
In summary, latex paint dries faster because it’s water-based and uses water as its solvent. Since water evaporates faster from the coating, the paint will also dry faster.
However, to speed up its drying time use a hairdryer, or heater, or increase the air circulation. All of these things will make the solvent to evaporate even faster, so the coating dries fast.
