How to Dry Spray Paint Faster

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It can be so frustrating to finish spray painting a project and then not be able to put it together because it's still wet! You can coat your project with a wax-based furniture polish to seal the paint and make it dry. You can also use an old toaster oven to bake the paint and speed the drying process. If you don't have access to furniture polish or a toaster oven, you can change the environment where the paint is drying to get the paint to dry faster.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Coating the Paint with Furniture Polish

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  1. You can use any type of spray paint. Coat your object in paint in the patterns or colors that you want. You can layer paint as well, depending on the design you want. [1]
    • If you're spray-painting wood, you might need more than one coat.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Dry Spray Paint Faster
    Letting the paint dry slightly will prevent the furniture polish from streaking your paint. Hold the can of furniture polish a few inches (7 or 8 cm) from the object. Spray the entire area that's been spray-painted with the polish. If you have areas that have multiple layers of paint, let the first layer of polish dry and then spray again. [2]
    • You can use a wax-based furniture polish, as long as it's in spray form.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Dry Spray Paint Faster
    Use a soft, clean rag to gently wipe the area you sprayed with furniture polish. Be careful not to apply too much pressure. It won't take your spray paint off, but it might remove a lot of the polish and leave wet paint exposed. [3]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Dry Spray Paint Faster
    Your object should be dry pretty much immediately after you coat it with furniture polish. Using the pad of your pinky finger, gently pat your object. If your finger comes away clean and dry, you're all set.
    • If your finger doesn't come away dry, let it sit for about 5 minutes.
    • You'll leave the furniture polish on the object permanently - it acts as a sealant. It shouldn't create a film on your object, but it might look matte, rather than shiny.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Speeding up Dry Time

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Dry Spray Paint Faster
    The less paint that's on the object you're painting, the more quickly it will dry. Use as thin a layer of paint as you can when you're painting. If you don't get enough coverage from one thin layer, let the first one dry and then apply a second.
  2. The higher the temperature in the room where you're painting, the more quickly the paint will dry. You can turn up the heat in your house or use a small space heater. Set up the space heater so it's pointing at the object you spray painted.
    • Running a heater won't necessarily reduce the dry time by a lot, but it should shave off a couple of hours (it normally takes spray paint about 24 hours to dry).
  3. If you're painting inside and it's humid outside, make sure the windows where your objects are drying are closed. You should also avoid letting spray-painted objects dry outside if it's humid. Bring them inside to a cool, dry room.
    • You can run a dehumidifier in the room where your paint is drying.
  4. If you're doing a lot of painting and need to be outside, plan your day of painting carefully. Plan to paint on a warm, dry day, and begin first thing in the morning. That gives you the most time to take advantage of the weather to dry your paint more quickly. [4]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Dry Spray Paint Faster
    Circulating the air where your paint is drying will increase the rate of evaporation for the water in the paint. Turn on ceiling or floor fans to a medium speed in the room where your paint is drying.
    • Make sure the room is clean before you turn the fan on. If there's a lot of dust, dirt, or other debris in the room, the fan might kick it up and it can end up sticking in your paint.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    The object I just painted, if I put it in the freezer, will that help dry it?
    Community Answer
    No, it absolutely won't. It might freeze the paint and ruin the object. I don't recommend doing that.
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  • Question
    I painted a door with enamel paint, which is still tacky. What can I do to make it dry?
    Sylghouls
    Top Answerer
    You can speed up drying time by decreasing humidity and raising temperature. If it's an indoors door, turn up the thermostat and hook up a box fan aimed at the wet paint--not close enough that the movement of the air will move the paint, just close enough to increase circulation--and it should dry more quickly.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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      Warnings

      • Do not use your regular oven to dry spray paint. As the paint dries it releases chemicals into the air. These chemicals can adhere to the inside of your oven, only to be released again the next time you make food in the oven. Have a toaster oven that you use only for drying paint.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.creeklinehouse.com/how-to-get-your-spray-paint-projects-to-dry-almost-instantly/
      2. ↑ https://www.creeklinehouse.com/how-to-get-your-spray-paint-projects-to-dry-almost-instantly/
      3. ↑ https://www.creeklinehouse.com/how-to-get-your-spray-paint-projects-to-dry-almost-instantly/
      4. ↑ https://www.hunker.com/12001262/how-to-speed-the-drying-of-enamel-paint

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you want to dry spray paint more quickly, try coating it with furniture polish. After you've painted your design, wait 5 minutes for it to dry. Then, spray a coat of waxed-based polish over it. Your paintwork should dry almost immediately after you do this. Alternatively, run a space heater near the object you’ve painted. The additional heat will help the paint dry quicker. You can also try painting outside at the beginning of a warm, dry day, since the humidity will be low. If you have to paint inside, try running a dehumidifier in the room, which will remove dampness from the air and speed up the drying process. For tips on how to test if your paint is dry, keep reading!

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