Do you want to know if spray paint will dry faster in the sun? We all know that the sun has an effect on how fast things dry. The question is, does that include spray paint? This blog post will teach you everything you need to know about whether or not it's true.
Does spray paint dry faster in the sun?
No, Spray paints are designed to work best when they remain at room temperature, which is around 75 degrees Fahrenheit for most of us.
When you're using a spray can indoors, it's likely that your home will be close to this temperature- but if you bring out the aerosol cans on a hot day or go outside with them when it's chilly, they won't dry as quickly because their optimal working condition isn't being met!
Furthermore, humidity also affects how fast anything dries (which can affect painting speed too!)
There are a lot of reasons why people would like to know if spray paint dries faster in the sun. Some people may work outside and need to dry their project quickly so they can continue painting, but it is too hot out for an electric fan or heater.
Also read: Do Spray Paint Cans Freeze?
Other times, there might be rain forecasted that makes drying time even more important! There's also just curiosity- when you're using spray paints outside on fabric or wood, will the heat from the sun increase your drying speed? Let's take a look at what happens to aerosol cans in different weather conditions:
Normal conditions - Typically, spray paint cans and regular paints will work best at temperatures around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The dry time of your project may not be affected too much though, as long as there is humidity in the air or water to make it evaporate.
Temperature range: 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit (10-32 Celsius)
Humidity: Low (below 80%)
Extreme Hot, Humid, and Cold conditions - These conditions are the worst you could create for your spray paint can! When it's hot outside, that makes it more humid which shortens drying times even more. At the same time, if it's too cold out, the paint won't dry either and will just sit wet on whatever surface you're working on.
Temperature range: 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit (32-38 Celsius), humid conditions
Humidity: High (above 80%)
I have written a detailed article on spray paint temperature, you must read it for more information.
How long does spray paint take to dry in the sun?
As I already said that the Sun will make your spray paint worst if you put it in the Sun during a hot sunny day. Just for the sake of this article, I tried a small experiment to see if the sunlight affects the drying time of spray paints.
The Temperature was around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) and Humidity was around 85%.
The result is that the paint can be dried out in around 30 minutes. I thought it will be quick but after 30 minutes, the paint was still wet. I left it for around 1 hour and then checked the paint, it was still wet. I left it again for another 30 minutes and then saw what was going on. After that, I noticed that it started to form bubbles, and my whole hard work went to waste.
The conclusion is that the Sun will not help you to dry your paint, on the other hand, it can destroy your painting project in around an hour if the temperature is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Does the Sun affects the quality of spray paint?
Yes, definitely! If you paint in the Sun, you'll notice that there will be a lot of white spots on your artwork. Those white spots are called Oxidation, and it occurs when there is a chemical reaction between the paint solvents in your aerosol can with oxygen and heat.
The idea of oxidation with the paint probably doesn't sound good to you- and it's not! It will ruin your artwork, but luckily this only occurs after the aerosol paint has dried.
If you put your spray-painted artwork or even any spray-painted surface in the Sun, you'll notice that it slowly becomes whitish and cloudy. If that happens, you should immediately take it out of the sun, because you could lose your whole piece!
Also read: Is Spray Paint Bad for Your Skin?
The best way to avoid oxidation is to put down a plastic covering anywhere you're working on spray-painted surfaces (like cardboard), and keep all painted areas in the shade when they aren't completely dry yet. Also, try not to let excess paint build up at the nozzle while you're spraying; this will also help to prevent oxidation.
Why should I avoid putting my aerosol cans in direct sunlight?
These are the top 5 reasons why we should avoid putting our aerosol cans into direct sunlight:
- It increases drying time
- It makes the paint oxidize
- It ruins our artwork
- It ruins the paint itself
- The cans get hot from the sun
Personally, I have been using spray paint since 2012 and I have never painted on a sunny day. In fact, even when it's cloudy outside, this tip alone is enough to make me think twice about painting outside on a windy day. After all, aerosol paint cans aren't cheap! So avoid putting your cans in direct sunlight at all costs (if you want to preserve them), especially if you're working with flat colors like white or yellow.
Conclusion:
No matter how badly you want to avoid waiting for your paint to dry, try to do it! Spray painting outdoors during sunny days is just not worth it, especially when the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius).
If you have any more questions, feel free to contact me. Thank you for reading this article and please do share it with your friends.
FAQs:
Q: What happens if I spray paint in the Sun?
A: If you spray paint in the sun during hot sunny days it may damage your artwork or any surface that you painted on. The paint will dry slower and it will take more time to dry.
Q: Why should I avoid putting my aerosol cans in direct sunlight?
A: Avoid putting your aerosol cans into direct sunlight because it increases drying time protects the paint from any excess heat.
Q: How long does spray paint take to dry outside?
A: Spray paint may take longer to dry on a sunny day if it is hot and sunnier. The more time it takes to dry is because of the heat. If you spray paint when the temperature is hot (90 degrees Fahrenheit or above) the spray paint will have a longer time to dry. You can even ruin your artwork if you leave it outside during hot warm days.
