The Fastest Ways To Cure Paint In Shop Environments

The Four Fastest Curing Methods

The Four Fastest Curing Methods

1. Dry the Painted Object in a Heat-Controlled Environment Although most painting bays in shop environments are very large and expensive to heat, there are two possibilities for heating. The first is to consider installing a paint booth to better contain and control the environment. Once you finish painting, raise booth temperatures to 150-200ºF. A secondary option is to apply localized heat to the coated product.
2. Facilitate the Movement of High Velocity Air Over the Painted Surface Just like wet clothes that dry quickly when it’s windy outside, paint and industrial coatings cure faster when subjected to high velocity air. The process of drying paint requires that the solvents evaporate. As evaporation occurs, a thin layer of the gaseous solvent floats atop the coated surface, forming an insulation barrier that inhibits further evaporation. Applying high velocity air speeds up this process by wisping away the insulating layer more quickly, allowing more solvents to evaporate and the paint to cure faster. Using high velocity air whilst painting can create problems, so employing an ‘Aquatech’ style fast drying solution after painting is ideal. This directs fast-moving air over the surface of the finished product and can be fitted to both paint booths and large painting bays.
3. Avoid Thinning the Paint If you have a thick coating that requires thinning to atomize properly, here are the best recommendations:
   • Instead of thinning the paint, use a plural component pump for standard epoxies to handle the thickness problem.
   • A common issue with paint not atomizing is that it’s too cold when it leaves the spray tip. Using an in-line paint heater to heat the paint once it has left the pump will increase atomization.
4. Warm the Product Before Applying the Coating A common problem for contractors is blasting outside and then bringing the product inside to paint. If outside temperatures are cold, the blasted steel will be cold, lowering curing speeds. Blasting inside allows the steel to warm up before the coating is applied. Alternatively, housing products indoors, blasting them outside, and quickly returning them inside for painting will keep the steel warmer and speed up curing.

Paint Curing Process Overview:

• Dry the painted object in a heat-controlled environment or apply localized heat.
• Use high velocity air to speed up the curing process by removing evaporation barriers.
• Avoid thinning the paint by using a plural component pump and an in-line paint heater.
• Warm the product before applying the coating to increase curing speed.