How Long Does It Take for Exterior Paint to Dry?

Before I decided to get the outside wall of my new house painted a few months ago, I had the same question. Thus, I researched how long does it take for exterior paint to dry and discovered that it varies depending on the paint type. However, it usually takes 6 to 24 hours to dry completely. Read on to get the ideal drying time for various exterior paints.

How Long Does It Take for Exterior Paint to Cure?

I found online that there are several aspects that can affect how long does it take paint to dry outside, such as: 

• Type of paint being used, 

• Weather conditions,

• Humidity

• Thickness of the paint and 

• Surface being painted.

1. Latex Based Paint

- This paint generally dries out within 1 to 3 hours.

- If you apply a second coat after the first one is finished, it will take 3 to 5 hours to dry.

- Also, I found online that although latex paint performs great during the drying process, its effectiveness diminishes during the curing period. 

- Compared to paint that dries from the inside out, latex paint requires a much longer drying time since it cures from the outside in.

- It takes at least 14 days, but in bad condition, up to 30 days, for latex paint to cure.

1. Oil-Based Paint

- It may take this paint 6 to 8 hours to dry.

- It will take up to 24 hours for this paint to dry if recoating is required.

- Oil-based paint takes around 7 days to cure.

In order to guarantee that the paint adheres correctly and dries uniformly, I also discovered that it is critical to thoroughly prepare the surface before painting. I hope you get an idea of how long does it take for outside paint to dry.