How Long Does Exterior Paint Need To Dry Before Rain

This answer varies with humidity dew point temperature wind paint color and the product that is used.

How long does exterior paint need to dry before rain. For example latex and oil paints dry at different speeds. Oil based paint dry to the touch in 6 8 hours and ready to recoat in 24 hours. However there is some variation across paint types. If it is recommended that you wait to paint your house up to two days after power washing your siding how is it that if it rains in the morning you could easily be painting your home the same afternoon.

How soon can it rain after a paint job. That is because unlike power washing rain doesn t typically soak into the siding of a home allowing for painting shortly after it stops raining. Oil based paint is more durable and takes longer to dry than water based paint. However the labels on all paint cans specify the dry and recoat times for that particular paint so be sure to read the manufacturer s directions for exact times.

Latex paint dry to the touch in about 1 hour and you can safely recoat in 4 hours. The gutters are at the highest risk for issues because they are the most exposed. That s why it s important to consider the weather when painting a home. Under normal circumstance most paints can withstand a shower or two after about 4 hours of drying time.

Temperature and humidity factors. But recoat a full 24 hours after you ve painted to make sure the surface is completely dry and ready for another round of paint. This is helpful because it allows you to get back to your normal routine and appreciating your newly painted home faster than ever. Oil base primer takes longer to dry but can withstand rain fairly soon.

If heavy rain is forecast or several days of rain are coming in the next few days you will need about six hours of good sun to dry the paint thoroughly enough to not be affected. As long as the substrate is dry when the primer is applied rain but not a gully washer won t effect it too much 30 minutes after it s applied. As professional painters we evaluate the type of paint you ve chosen and factor the quality into the predicted dry time. Time to dry and time to cure although exterior paint dries in a few hours it can take up to 30 days to fully cure.

The short answer is that latex paint is typically dry to the touch in about an hour. Oil based paint may feel dry two to four hours after it s applied. An exterior wall that was rained on may require 4 hours of drying time in direct sunlight and temperatures at or above 72 degrees fahrenheit to be fully dry for painting. Whether the project is a small one in the garden or the entire exterior of the house painting outside leaves you and your paint exposed to the elements.

Ideally you would want to wait a full day for the surface to dry. However you should wrap up any exterior painting projects four to six hours before the rain rolls in. Even if a surface does not appear to be wet it might have latent moisture that could affect your paint.