How long does it take acrylic paint to dry/cure?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
How long does it take acrylic paint to dry/cure?
I need to paint an exterior door, at the edge of the door slab and the door jamb.
Once painted, how long do I need to wait for the paint to dry before closing the door? I waited four hours and it was dry to touch. After I closed the door the top and heel of the door touches the jamb. The next day when I open the door some of the paint is pulled off. Obviously I needed to wait longer.
How much longer? Will using a hair dryer help? Is there any chemical I can add to the paint to speed up the drying?
Once painted, how long do I need to wait for the paint to dry before closing the door? I waited four hours and it was dry to touch. After I closed the door the top and heel of the door touches the jamb. The next day when I open the door some of the paint is pulled off. Obviously I needed to wait longer.
How much longer? Will using a hair dryer help? Is there any chemical I can add to the paint to speed up the drying?
#2
The few times I have painted an exterior door I have let it sit open for close to 24 hours before closing and so far never had an issue!
#3
Forum Topic Moderator
Even though they dry to the touch quicker, latex paints take longer to cure than oil base paints. Sometimes it takes weeks for them to completely cure. Whenever possible I remove the weatherstripping so the door can be shut overnight but won't shut tight enough to stick.
Heat might dry the top portion of the paint quicker but it will still be soft underneath and apt to stick if enough pressure is applied. Unlike oil base paints they don't have driers the consumer can add to the paint. Some latex paints take longer to dry than others and deep tints usually extend the drying time.
Heat might dry the top portion of the paint quicker but it will still be soft underneath and apt to stick if enough pressure is applied. Unlike oil base paints they don't have driers the consumer can add to the paint. Some latex paints take longer to dry than others and deep tints usually extend the drying time.
#4
Member
Thread Starter
Here are a few pictures.
You see on the top there is a slight gap between the edge of the door slab and the jamb. If I paint the surfaces most likely they will not touch each other and will dry over time without issue.
But at the bottom the wood is touching.
The wood is still solid but if I don't paint them moisture will get inside and rot.
Perhaps it has already gotten some moisture and caused the wood to swell a little and hence they touch. It doesn't look like an alignment issue.
So given this situation is there a way to prime/paint the bottom door edge and the jamb?
Should I shave off a tiny bit of thickness on the door slab using an angle grinder with a flap disc to create a little gap?
or should I use oil based paint which cures quicker?
You see on the top there is a slight gap between the edge of the door slab and the jamb. If I paint the surfaces most likely they will not touch each other and will dry over time without issue.
But at the bottom the wood is touching.
The wood is still solid but if I don't paint them moisture will get inside and rot.
Perhaps it has already gotten some moisture and caused the wood to swell a little and hence they touch. It doesn't look like an alignment issue.
So given this situation is there a way to prime/paint the bottom door edge and the jamb?
Should I shave off a tiny bit of thickness on the door slab using an angle grinder with a flap disc to create a little gap?
or should I use oil based paint which cures quicker?
#5
You could. You could also stick a nickel down there before you close the door. That will provide enough shim so that the door and jamb won't touch, even after you have waited as long as possible and need to close the door. Paint blocking (sticking to itself) is a common problem. Marksr covered it well.
In a perfect world you should not have wood to wood (paint to paint) contact anywhere around the perimeter. But that is a common place for it to contact due to the weight of the door. Hard to eliminate unless you shim behind the bottom hinge. (Which may create other problems of its own).
just a thought, but you may want to take that door off the hinges and prime and paint the top and bottom too. And caulk the corners of the jamb.
In a perfect world you should not have wood to wood (paint to paint) contact anywhere around the perimeter. But that is a common place for it to contact due to the weight of the door. Hard to eliminate unless you shim behind the bottom hinge. (Which may create other problems of its own).
just a thought, but you may want to take that door off the hinges and prime and paint the top and bottom too. And caulk the corners of the jamb.
#6
Forum Topic Moderator
Are the door stiles wood or metal? It looks like it's the type of steel door with wood stiles, if that is the case I'd remove the door and plane a small amount off of the portion below the hinge.
#7
Member
Thread Starter
marksr it is a steel door with wood stiles.
XSleeper mentioned a penny. What if I tape a penny on the inside of the bottom door hinge, and remove the metal latch lock plates on the jamb so give it more play. I may still be able to close the door with the lock engaged, and leave a small gap for the paint to dry without touching?
XSleeper mentioned a penny. What if I tape a penny on the inside of the bottom door hinge, and remove the metal latch lock plates on the jamb so give it more play. I may still be able to close the door with the lock engaged, and leave a small gap for the paint to dry without touching?