⏳ Paint Drying Time Reference Chart

A quick reference for typical drying and curing times by paint type used in miniature painting.

Dry to touch is not cured

Each row gives two numbers because they mean different things. Dry to touch means the surface no longer marks; full cure means the film has reached its final hardness.

next coat      -> wait for dry to touch
handling, masking, varnish -> wait for full cure

Acrylics dry by evaporation: the water and glycol leave in 15-30 minutes, then the acrylic particles keep knitting together for about 24 hours. Enamels and oils cure by oxidation instead - they take oxygen from the air, which is why a thick enamel coat is touch-dry in 4-8 hours but soft underneath for two days, and why oil glazes run to weeks.

What moves the numbers

Humidity. Evaporation stalls in damp air. A wash that sets in 30 minutes at 40% humidity can take well over an hour at 80%.
Temperature. Hobby acrylics have a minimum film-forming temperature around 5-10 C. Painted below it the film never coalesces properly and stays chalky or rubs off, however long you wait.
Coat thickness. The chart assumes thin coats. Wash pooled in a recess dries from the surface inwards and stays wet underneath for hours.
Airflow. A desk fan roughly halves acrylic touch-dry time and does little for oils.

The 24 hour figure matters most before varnishing. Spraying over acrylic that is only touch-dry traps solvent under the varnish and gives a soft, tacky finish that never fully hardens.

Frequently asked questions

How long does acrylic miniature paint take to dry?

15 to 30 minutes to touch for a thin coat, 30 to 60 for a wash or shade, and about 24 hours to fully cure. Airbrush coats go off fastest, in 5 to 15 minutes, because they are thinner.

How long should I wait before varnishing a miniature?

24 hours after the last coat of acrylic. The varnish itself is touch-dry in 30 to 60 minutes but needs 24 to 72 hours to reach full hardness, so leave a newly varnished model out of its foam tray overnight.

Why did my spray varnish dry cloudy or frosted?

Almost always humidity. Spraying in damp air, or onto a model colder than the room, traps moisture in the drying film and scatters light. Spray in dry conditions above about 15 C, in light passes, and let the can warm to room temperature first.