Category Archives: Painting Guide

You’re staring at your just-spray-painted wooden furniture and counting down the hours. Spray painting is a fast and simple fix to your home revamp project. However, it needs time and even more patience than you think.

Knowing how long a spray paint takes to dry is one of your biggest battles. So, before jumping right into your latest DIY project, learn the spray paint dry times and how to make them faster.

What Happens When Spray Paint Dries

From the outset, spray painting may look easy, but in truth, it’s more complex than just spraying colours. 

Here are the drying time stages of spray paints:

Surface Dry

This is where the top layer of your paint starts to stiffen and harden. Although it looks dry on the surface, the paint underneath is still not cured. 

Touch Dry

The second stage of drying has reached the touch-dry phase. This means that it’s safe for you to lightly touch it without leaving a fingerprint. 

However, the layers underneath are still not fully cured and not ready to take in the next coat.

Hard Dry

At this stage, the deeper layers of your paint have dried. Finally, you can put more pressure on the surface without leaving fingerprint dents or marks. 

Although it feels more solid, the paint is still not strongly bonded to the surface.

Fully Cured

At last, your paint has fully cured and adhered to the surface. All the layers have completely dried, which means it’s ready for everyday use.

What Slows It Down (or Speeds It Up)

Type of Surface

The material and texture of the surface affect the drying time of the spray paint. For instance, woods are porous; they have pores to absorb the liquid, resulting in fast drying. 

In contrast, metals are non-porous, which are non-permeable. They don’t have pores to let the liquid pass through, making the drying time longer.

Temperature

The temperature also influences the spray-painting drying time. When it’s warm, the paint dries more quickly. Conversely, when it’s cooler, the paint dries more slowly.

The best time to avoid issues is to have your spray-painting project during spring or fall.

Humidity

It takes longer for spray paints to cure when you opt to paint when humidity is higher. There’s too much water in the air, causing moisture that unsettles the painted surface.

Ventilation

When there’s proper airflow in the surrounding area, humidity is reduced. Therefore, the moisture is less, allowing the paint to stick to the surface faster and evenly.

Type of Spray Paint

Acrylic paints that are water-based are fast-drying compared to oil-based paints which are the slowest liquid medium for drying. 

Pro Tips to Help It Dry Faster

Use thin Coats

Apply thin coats; going thick with your coats makes the drying process slower.

Allow Time Between Sprays

By allowing the first coat of paint to dry, you’re creating a solid surface for the next paint to stick to.

Move Indoors or Use Fans

You can use fans to remove the moisture in the air and fast-track the drying process. You can also move indoors where the humidity is lower, speeding up the paint curing time. 

Use Drying Boosters

If it’s suitable, you can use drying agents such as a fast-drying epoxy or polyurethane spray paint. These products have compositions that make certain the paint cures to the touch in just a few minutes.

Avoid These Drying Time Mistakes

Don’t Rush Coats

If you spray the next coat of paint on a still wet previous coat, the paint might run and bubble.

Be patient and wait for the paint to dry properly before adding another layer.

Don’t Paint in Bad Weather

Weather plays an important role in how fast or slow your paint dries. When it’s warmer, the air holds more moisture, accelerating the drying time. 

Don’t Overload the Spray Layer

Thinner is better. Use thin coats and slowly build on it. This allows each layer of paint to dry perfectly, resulting in an incredible finish.

Don’t Ignore Recoat Instructions

The instructions on your paint products are there to serve as your guidelines, so use them. There are specific time windows for you to follow to avoid painting mistakes and ensure a flawless finish.

Knowing When It’s “Dry Enough”

When to Recoat Safely

Allow drying times between each layer. Most paints usually take an hour up to 24 hours to dry to the touch. Remember, if you recoat too early, the paint might turn out wrinkled and coarse.

When You Can Use the Item (And When to Wait)

The paint might appear dry, but when you touch it, the deeper layers are still unsettled. So, how can you really tell?

It’s dry enough when you can gently touch it without leaving marks after a few hours. 

Generally, when you wait a day, it’s ready for light use. More than 24 hours; by then the paint has fully cured and can withstand friction-heavy contact.

Simple Tests

You can delicately press test the surface with a gloved finger. If you see marks, then perhaps it’s not dry enough.

You can also try to sniff it. When the paint still has a very strong fume, chances are, the curing process is ongoing.

A One Korean Painting Can Help

At A One Korean Painting, we have experts who can deal with all surfaces and paint types. 

No matter how small or big the work is, we carry out the same high standards, ensuring value and appearance. Our efforts are directed to giving you the results you deserve—reliable and quick.

Conclusion

As you already know, spray painting is not really a straightforward fix. You need more time and patience to succeed in it. 

So, for bigger and more sensitive spray-painting jobs, we encourage you to call in the pros. An expert brings the right tools and knowledge to handle intricate painting projects with precision.

Reach out to us and let us help you avoid the drips and costly do-overs!

Do you know what a paint job does to your home? It brings enthusiasm back into your life, giving your space a new look without a total refresh. It doesn’t matter if you’re painting your kitchen or living room; there’s always magic with hues on the walls.

However, should you call in a professional painter or handle it like a personal painting exercise? Many homeowners find themselves conflicted on whether or not they should DIY their paint project.

When making a decision, it’s important to ponder on the beauty of professional painting. It’s not only attractive to look at but also ensures a lasting paint job. But whether you opt for a DIY house painting, the goal is to achieve what you’re going for.

In this blog post, we’re going to learn the benefits and the mistakes of a DIY painting project. We’ll also learn when is the best time to call in an expert for your residential painting.

Is your brush ready to roll on some colours?

Why DIY Painting is Popular (But Not Always Ideal)

The reason why DIY house painting is gaining mainstream attention is due to its several benefits. One primary advantage is the cost savings. By doing it yourself, you can reduce the cost.

You can eliminate the labour expenses and choose local materials that are cheaper but still of good quality.

Another main reason why homeowners love to DIY is having full creative control. You have all the freedom in the world to pick the colour or style for your home, doing it your way.

Lastly, the weekend warrior appeal. Painting seems like a home makeover task that you can do. For those who truly enjoy and are having fun on personal projects, it can be rewarding.

Hands-on activities like this one allow you to be productive in your spare time. You can tackle home improvements over the weekends, during your spare time.

There’s a sense of accomplishment when you can put in the hard work and call the shots.

Then again, despite your best intentions, DIY paint jobs don’t always go your way. With limited skills and experience, things can go sideways with the preparation or application. Just like that, your DIY ventures can turn into costly do-overs.

Common DIY Mistakes That Cost You More

DIY painting is a satisfying, cost-effective, creative experience. While these are facts, there are downsides to doing paint projects yourself that stem from a lack of knowledge.

Without expertise, you can run into several painting issues, such as uneven finishes, wrong paint types, poor surface prep and paint spills. Trying to fix these errors will cost you time and money, which entirely defeats the purpose of DIYing.

DIY paint projects can be tedious and time-consuming. From surface preparation and painting to cleanup, it’s a job that is sensitive with time. As someone juggling family and professional life, this can be really challenging.

When It’s Time to Call a Professional

Now that you know the perks and the quirks of DIYing your painting projects, let’s move on to the next question: When should you call a professional?

You can benefit from professionals when working on bigger and more intricate painting projects. If you have a large home with multi-story walls, complex surfaces or deadline-driven projects, professionals can work on them efficiently.

Another situation in which professionals truly excel is handling exterior paint jobs. This sort of paint job is quite challenging, as you will be dealing with environmental elements. It will require proper usage of exterior paint products, which can be difficult with your thin grasp on painting.

DIY becomes risky, messy or dangerous when you lack the expertise to ensure accurate work. It only works when you’re handling small-scale improvements with minor touch-ups.

Refreshing the paint in your bedroom or bathroom is a great hands-on task.
These quick weekend projects are not too overwhelming or time-draining. If things go astray, they’re not too complicated to fix on your own.

What a Professional Painter Brings to the Table

So, what can a professional painter offer you? For starters, a professional brings expertise, experience and equipment. This is a deal breaker, especially when dealing with more complex painting jobs.
If you’re on a strict schedule with concerns about deadlines, experts can deliver precise results with amazing speed. You can go about your daily life without being disrupted.

Professional painters also know the best paint products and best techniques to effectively handle each DIY house painting. They can offer clean finishes, proper equipment, safety gear and long-term value for homeowners.

It leads to your peace of mind, less mess, less stress, knowing that your brushwork venture is in capable hands. Additionally, professional work comes with a warranty, protecting your investment.

A One Korean Painting: Your Trusted Partner in Sydney

A palette upgrade of your home is truly appealing. It revamps your space and breathes in a new life. As a homeowner, you’re probably weighing the pros and the cons of a DIY house painting or relying on a professional.

While DIY gives you affordability, flexibility and creative freedom, it can be daunting. The paint freshness and character that you’re going for may not be achieved without the right expertise.

In this case, calling in an expert might be the right decision. A One Korean Painting has a friendly, reliable team eager to take on any jobs of all sizes.

We hold ourselves to high standards—fast turnarounds, strong attention to detail and local expertise. That said, we can ensure a precise finish and stress-free experience.

Let us take care of your house painting needs—book a consultation today and see how we can transform your space and make your home fresh again.