15 minute quick-dry painting technique.

We all love the look of a beautiful thick coat of paint on our projects, but might not so much enjoying painting it or waiting for it to dry. Have you ever wondered if there was an easier way to achieve that look? Well, I have the solution for you! It might not actually be a “thick” coat of paint but it will certainly look like it and cover your project completely. I will teach you how to get a nice good looking thick coat of paint in just 15 minutes.

In most of my tutorials, I mention that you need to apply 2-3 coats of paint. If you are not using my quick-dry painting technique, you are using up too much of your time. I’ll be honest, I am impatient when it comes to crafting. I have such a hard time waiting to see the final results. Often times, I have a few projects going at once so that I can distract myself during the “wait” times. Especially when painting, I am super impatient. I don’t want to ruin the paint brush by letting the paint dry on the project, but I also don’t like using more brushes than absolutely needed. How do I do it? Follow the steps below and you’ll be able to do it too. For my example, I applied 4 coats of paint within 15 minutes.

Step one:

Make sure your surface is ready to be painted. Pour a little paint on a paper plate (or on the actual paint brush). Begin painting the project with a very thin layer of paint. So thin you can still see the wood grain through the paint. Keep in mind the reason why you do such a thin coat of paint is so that it will take less time to dry. Most acrylic paint recommends you wait 15 minutes before applying a second coat. I do NOT have patience for this!

Once you have completely covered the surface, place the paint brush in a sandwich baggie or cover with a damp paper towel. Wait 1-2 minutes, then move on to step two.

Step two:

When the surface looks as though it is dry, it may be a little damp still, that’s ok. Repeat step one again. You may or may not be able to see the wood grain through the paint after this coat. In my example you can still see the wood grain. Again, the purpose of painting such a thin coat of paint is so that it will dry faster. Once the surface is coated with a second thin coat of paint, cover you brush again. Wait 1-2 minutes, then move on to step three.

Step three:

Now you’ve got two thin coats of paint on your project. The surface is not completely dry, but dry enough that the paint will not pull up when you paint again. Repeat step one AGAIN. By this time you shouldn’t see the wood grain any more. After you’ve coated your project with a third coat, you can decide if you are done or if you want to continue. In my example I did 4 coats of paint. If you choose to do another coat, cover your brush, just as you did before, and let it dry 1-2 minutes.

Step four:

Apply your final coat of paint the same way you did the previous coats. This coat I usually do just to make sure there is an even color distribution on the project. Once I apply this last coat of paint, I then clean up after myself and wash my brush. When I am done doing that, the project is usually able to be handled. I don’t necessarily continue on at this point. This is when I will usually wait the 15 minutes (if I make it that long). I make sure it is good and dry before moving on.

As you can see, the paint, coat by coat, will cover your project giving it a nice even finish, appearing as a thick coat of paint. Bonus–It has all been applied within 15 minutes! Once you allow your project to dry completely, you can handle it and work with it as if you applied a thick coat of paint. Now you are set to paint many more projects in less time!

Happy painting my crafty fiends!