Professional Paint Drying Time Calculator

Flash-Off vs. Dust-Free vs. Full Cure: What's the difference?

These are distinct stages in the curing process. Flash-Off is the initial, short period where enough solvent evaporates to allow the next coat to be applied without disturbing the first. Dust-Free means the surface is no longer tacky enough for dust to stick. Tape-Free means you can remove masking without leaving marks. Ready to Sand means the film is hard enough to withstand abrasion. Full Cure, when the paint reaches maximum hardness and chemical resistance, can take days or even weeks.

The "Rule of 10 Degrees": How does temperature really affect drying?

It's a principle from chemistry (based on the Arrhenius equation) that states for every 10°C (18°F) increase in temperature, the rate of a chemical reaction roughly doubles. The inverse is also true: dropping the temperature by 10°C will roughly halve the reaction rate, dramatically increasing cure times. Our calculator uses this principle for its core temperature adjustment.

Why is humidity the enemy of a good paint job?

Solvent evaporation is a physical process where liquid turns to gas. If the surrounding air is already saturated with water vapor (high humidity), there is physically less "room" for the solvent vapor to go. This slows down evaporation, extending drying times and increasing the risk of solvent pop or a hazy finish, especially with solvent-based paints.