Having made repairs to any room in the house, there is a very strong desire to enjoy it. However, when you’re painting the walls in your bathroom, don’t rush to get a bath or shower right away. The paint on the walls must have time to dry and the repair does not deteriorate from high humidity.
So how long to wait to shower after painting bathroom? It depends on the choice of paint but is recommended to wait 2-3 days. Under the right conditions, this is enough time for the paint to dry. All liquids will disappear from the paint and it will be immune to increased humidity.
| Type of Paint | Dry for Touch | Full Dry |
|---|---|---|
| Alkyd Enamels | 4 – 8 hours | 24 – 36 hours |
| Oil Based Paint | 6 – 8 hours | 48 – 72 hours |
| Acrylic Paint | 1 – 3 hours | 18 – 24 hours |
| Silicone Pigment Dyes | 1 – 2 hours | 18 – 24 hours |
Two, three days is the recommended period, but a lot of additional questions immediately appear, such as “how to check if the paint has dried?” or “what conditions should make the paint dry?” We have collected all the popular questions on this topic and will analyze each of them in detail.
Why Paint Takes so Long to Dry?
The fact that the paint needs to dry is a natural process. During the drying process, all water and solvent come out of the paint, leaving a beautiful layer of coating on the wall. Therefore, a period of two to three days is considered sufficient for the paint to dry under the right conditions.
Nevertheless, there are times when this time is not enough. This can happen for several reasons. First of all, this may be due to high humidity. If there is no ventilation in the room, then the paint can dry many times longer.
The second reason why paint can take longer to dry may be low temperature. In this case, the liquid will evaporate from the paint worse and this will increase the drying time. Therefore, under not ideal conditions, the answer to the question of how long to wait to shower after painting the bathroom can be much more than three days.
How do You Know that the Paint is Dry?
If the bathroom in which you are doing the renovation is the only one in your house and you cannot do without it, then you can check if the paint has dried in a very simple way. It is worth noting that the drying of the paint is not it’s complete hardening. During the drying time, all moisture will be removed from the paint and it will be less vulnerable to external moisture.
The Remodel on Point team strongly recommends that you try to wait 3 days before using the bathroom. If this is not possible, choose an inconspicuous painted spot in the room. Remember that if the paint is not dry, a trace may remain on this spot after checking.
Touch this area with your fingertip. If the surface is dry, hard, and non-sticky, the paint is dry. Otherwise, your fingerprint may remain on the surface.
When the paint is dry, you can use the bathroom, but try to do it as carefully as possible. Try to keep water away from painted walls. Also, take care not to accumulate a lot of moisture. Use exhaust fans or ventilate the room by opening a window. If you leave moisture in the room, it can soak into the paint and cause damage.
What Happens if You Take a Shower Before the Paint Dries?
It often happens that the renovation in the bathroom takes place at the moment when you directly live in it. In this case, you want to quickly want to take a shower, because very few people enjoy three days without it. What happens if you hurry up and use the bathroom before the paint dries?
In this case, there is a possibility of spoiling your repair. When you shower, the moisture in the bathroom increases dramatically. This moisture can penetrate under dry paint and harm it. The paint may start to flake and flow. This is hello to the fact that you will see streaks on the walls, which will completely ruin your renovation.
In order not to spoil the appearance of your bathroom, immediately after its renovation, you should immediately take care of where you will take a shower. The best solution is to have a second bathroom in the house. In this case, you can easily perform all hygiene procedures.
If you have only a second toilet with a sink, then in case of emergency you can use this room. You can wash your hair in the sink and use a bowl of water for your body. Yes, this method is not very convenient, but you can tolerate it for a couple of days. You can also negotiate with relatives or friends and use their bathroom, if possible.
Does the Type of Paint Affect the Drying Rate?
One of the important factors influencing how long to wait to shower after painting bathroom is the choice of paint. Moisture-resistant paints are divided into two types – latex and oil-based. Due to their properties, they have a big difference in drying time.
Acrylic and silicone paints can dry completely faster than oil-based paints. However, you should understand that the concept of paint drying does not mean that it is completely cured. It may take several weeks to a month for complete hardening. Don’t worry, the paint is dry enough to use the bathroom.
Oil paints have a much longer drying time than latex paints. For you to be able to take a shower in the bathroom, after painting, you must wait at least a few days. Complete hardening of the paint occurs after a month or more.
Alkyd Enamels are not recommended for use in the bathroom due to their potential odor. This type of waterproof paint is best used outdoors in the garden.
We also want to remind you that these time intervals are suitable for ideal conditions. Such conditions are high-quality ventilation of the room and sufficient temperature. Because of this, regardless of what type of paint you used, it is recommended to wait 2-3 days before using the bathroom.
How can the Drying of the Paint be Accelerated?
How you can speed up the drying process of paint is a very popular question, although it has a rather trivial answer. For the paint to dry faster, it is necessary to create the most ideal conditions. Let’s take a closer look at how this can be done.
The first and very important factor is airing the room. The paint will dry much better if moisture constantly leaves the room. To do this, you can leave open the windows and doors in the bathroom. It is also important to take care that dust from the street does not get into the room, as it can settle on the paint and ruin the repair. A more practical option would be to use an exhaust fan. The air ventilation system will remove all moisture without the possibility of dust.
The second factor affecting the speed of paint drying is temperature. If the walls are painted in summer, the air temperature will be acceptable for drying. If you are doing repairs in the winter, you should take care to raise the temperature to at least 25 degrees Celsius. To do this, you can use the heaters installed in the bathroom.
Under these conditions, paint can dry much faster, allowing you to use the bathroom as quickly as possible. To understand that the paint has dried, it is worth checking this, as described earlier.
Conclusion of How Long to Wait to Shower after Painting Bathroom
Having considered in detail the question, “how long to wait to shower after painting bathroom?”, The best answer would be “until the paint is completely dry.” Since this is only possible if you will not use the room for about a month, you should wait at least 3 days.
This will be enough time for the paint to dry, especially if you create optimal conditions. Try to use the bathroom carefully in the first month after renovation. Monitor the humidity in the room until the paint has completely hardened. This will keep the painted walls looking their best for years to come.
