It’s so satisfying seeing a wood piece come to life with a little bit of stain. But with all the different stains out there, it can be hard to know how long it needs to dry before your piece is finished! Generally, stains take about 4 to 6 hours to dry and 24 to 48 hours to fully cure. However, dry time really depends on the type of stain you use, the wood you’re staining, and your weather conditions. In this article, we’ll tell you all about how these 3 factors affect your stain drying time. Then, we’ll give you some tips on how to make your stain dry faster.
Things You Should Know
- Water-based stains usually take 4 to 6 hours to dry, while oil and gel-based stains can take up to 12 to 24 hours.
- Stain dries the best in warm, dry areas that get great airflow.
- Hardwoods like oak and maple usually dry faster from staining than softwoods like pine and fir.
- Speed up your stain drying time by applying thin coats of stain, working in a warm, dry area, and giving your wood lots of air.
Steps
Expert Q&A
Video
Tips
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about staining wood, check out our in-depth interview with Eric Shipe .
References
- ↑ https://www.gardeningetc.com/advice/how-long-does-it-take-deck-stain-to-dry-our-expert-advice-explains
- ↑ https://bettertoolz.com/oil-based-stain-dry-time/
- ↑ https://resin-expert.com/en/guide/how-long-should-stain-dry-before-polyurethane
- ↑ https://www.gardeningetc.com/advice/how-long-does-it-take-deck-stain-to-dry-our-expert-advice-explains
- ↑ https://resin-expert.com/en/guide/how-long-should-stain-dry-before-polyurethane
- ↑ https://bettertoolz.com/oil-based-stain-dry-time/
- ↑ https://bettertoolz.com/oil-based-stain-dry-time/
- ↑ https://mellowpine.com/blog/how-long-does-stain-take-to-dry/
- ↑ https://todayshomeowner.com/how-to-solve-problem-of-wood-stain-not-drying/
- ↑ https://mellowpine.com/blog/how-long-does-stain-take-to-dry/
- ↑ https://bettertoolz.com/oil-based-stain-dry-time/
- ↑ https://resin-expert.com/en/guide/how-long-should-stain-dry-before-polyurethane
- ↑ https://mellowpine.com/blog/how-long-does-stain-take-to-dry/
- ↑ https://resin-expert.com/en/guide/how-long-should-stain-dry-before-polyurethane