How to Make Paint Dry Faster

“Is the paint dry yet” is a question we’ve all asked when painting a room in our home. After all painting calls for a lot of displacement and if you live in a bustling home, you may not have time to wait to use your bathroom or kitchen. If dry time has always been your least favorite part of your DIY projects, this guide will help you understand some of the factors that affect dry time and what you can do to make paint dry faster. 

How to Cure Paint Faster

It’s important to note the difference between dry time and cure time. Dry time is how long paint takes to be dry to the touch. Cure time refers to how long paint needs to exhibit optimum performance results. Typically, acrylic and latex paints take two or three weeks to cure while oil-based paints take as little as five days to cure. Unfortunately, there’s nothing that will make paint cure faster, but you can begin the process sooner by following the tips above to ensure your paint dries quickly every time. 

Method 1

Proper Ventilation and Humidity

One of the easiest ways to speed up your paint’s dry time is to make sure the conditions are right for it to dry quickly. That means proper ventilating and managing the humidity in your workspace. Avoid opening the windows on a humid day and avoid any outdoor paint projects when it’s humid. Moisture is the enemy when it comes to speedy dry times so install a couple dehumidifiers around the room you’ve painted to minimize moisture in the air and speed up dry time.  

Method 2

Use a Fan

If you can’t open the windows or you’re working in an area without windows, fans are a good way to circulate air and speed up dry times. Before using a fan, make sure the blades are clear of any dust and debris that could get stuck to the paint. If using a standing fan, be sure to position it a few feet away from the surface you’ve painted and point the fan at an indirect angle.

Tip: Circulating air is a great way to make paint dry faster, but you should avoid using heat. Heat changes can affect the overall color of the paint as it dries. On the other hand, painting in cooler temperatures can also slow down dry time for latex paints. To determine the best time to paint, check your paint manufacturer label, especially for outdoor projects.

Method 3

Apply Thin Coats

Application plays a big role in how long paint will take to dry. In fact, overworking the paint is a common paint mistake many DIYers make to quickly finish a project. To avoid dry time delays, apply thin even layers as you’re painting. It seems counterproductive since you may have to apply multiple layers to get the coverage you want, but it won’t take you as long to apply those layers since you won’t have to wait as long in between.

Tip: Remember that paint technique can play a role in faster dry times. Using the same techniques the pros use will ensure you get a final product that looks professionally done and will speed up dry times.  

Method 4

Allow Adequate Dry Time Between Coats

Now that you’ve applied thin paint coats, you’ll also want to make sure you allow enough dry time between coats. Applying additional coats too soon will result in uneven dry times and uneven coverage on your project. Different paint types will also affect how long you need to wait between coats of paint. Below, we’ve provided a quick reference of dry time and cure time for different paints.

Paint Type Dry Time Cure Time
Latex-based 1-2 hours 2-3 Weeks
Acrylic 1-2 hours 2-3 Weeks
Aerosol Up to 8 hours Up to 48 hours
Oil-based 6-8 hours 5-15 days
Concrete 24 hours 48 hours to seven days depending on paint base type.
Paint Type Dry Time Cure Time
Latex-based 1-2 hours 2-3 Weeks
Acrylic 1-2 hours 2-3 Weeks
Aerosol Up to 8 hours Up to 48 hours
Oil-based 6-8 hours 5-15 days
Concrete 24 hours 48 hours to seven days depending on paint base type.

Tip: If you have to apply primer to your project, you’ll also need to account for its dry time as well. Luckily, dry time for primers tends to be shorter than paint dry time regardless of whether it’s latex- or oil-based. Typically, latex-based primers are dry to the touch 30 minutes to an hour after application, while oil-based primers are dry to the touch in one to three hours.