How To Dry Wood Stain Faster In 7 Different Ways

Staining is one of the best ways to enhance the beauty of your wooden furniture or boards.

There are different types and colours of wood stains from which you can get the perfect match you desire.

A wood stain is a powerful paint-like substance that, when applied aptly, penetrates and binds into the wood's body.

As a result, it is less likely to get removed.

However, you'll need to wait for a long time for the wood stain to dry off completely, which can be time-consuming.

How Long Does Stain Take To Dry?

If you allow stain to dry naturally then you can expect it to take between 24 to 48hrs or some circumstances, such as due to humidity, it may be up to 72hrs. 

If you're not 100% sure if your stain has dried and don't want to risk it then allow the full 72hrs.

Drying time for stain obviously depends on the factors in the room such as heat, humidity, air flow and ventilation. 

How Long Does Stain Take To Dry Outside?

It can still take between 24 to 48hrs for strain to dry outside due to humidity, air, and temperature.

In extreme cases it can take up to 72hrs for stain to dry outside.

How Long Does Stain Take To Dry Before Rain?

Try to avoid staining your desk before it's due to rain as the rain will wash the stain away and leave a splotchy mess and eventually peel off your stain.

However if you're in a rush then I recommend you use the 7 ways to dry dark wood stain faster discussed below...

7 Different Ways To Dry Wood Stain Faster

1. Use a Heater

You can use heat to dry the wood stain faster. 

It is the easiest way as you only increase the temperature of a portable or permanent heater, especially if you are working indoor.

Switching on the heater causes a gradual increase in temperature, which heats the stain's liquid chemical.

Eventually, it will evaporate to leave only a solute behind. In the end, you will get an A-grade stained wooden piece within a short time

2. Reduce Humidity Level

Generally, humidity plays a vital role in a stain's drying period. 

An indoor setting with lower humidity tends to enhance faster stain drying as all the moisture content will get drawn by air. In such a case, indoor air conditioners come in handy.

If you have an automatic air conditioner, it is most likely that your room has low humidity.

Once your room attains a low humid state, the wood stain will get acted upon and dry much faster.

3. Use a Dehumidifier

Don't you have a suitable air conditioner? Consider using a portable dehumidifier to help dry out wood stains faster. 

It offers the best way to reduce a room's humidity, although it works in the same way as the air conditioner.

However, a dehumidifier boasts a greater spectrum of control over the moisture.

4. Create an Excellent Flow of Air

Another great thing you can do to dry out wood stains faster is to ensure air flow is constant. A fan can serve you best in this scenario. 

The idea is that the continuous flow of air causes the solvent particle in the stain to evaporate, hence drying the wooden piece.

5. Ensure Proper Air circulation

Ensuring excellent ventilation in the room can help the wooden piece perfectly absorb all the stain applied. 

In such a room, there are no remnant fumes from evaporated liquid solutions.

Therefore, the wood stains will easily penetrate and get absorbed quickly by the wooden piece.

This, in turn, increases the drying speed of the wood stains. So, be sure to open the windows and doors to ensure proper aeration.

6. Place wood outside

If the outdoor environment is less humid and warm with incredible aeration, you can leave the wooden piece outdoor. 

However, the commonly asked question is, how long does wood stain take to dry outdoor? Well, it takes about 24 to 72hours.

7. Use Oil-Based Stains

Suppose you were asked, can you speed up stain drying time? What would you say? Yes, it is possible. 

With oil-based stains, you can expect the wood stains on your piece to dry in much less time.

Wait for about 8 hours before applying an oil-based paint like polyurethane to get a drier surface.

So Just Remind Me, How Long Does Wood Stain Take To Dry?

In most circumstances stain will dry within 24hrs though it can take up to 48hrs too.

In more unusual cases it will be up to 72hrs.

The drying time of stain depends on the conditions such as humidity, heat, air flow and more.

How To Fix A Bad Stain Job

Have you, or worse a contractor you hired, made a bad stain job?

You can fix a bad stain job by following these steps...

1. Sand down the affected area.
2. Re-apply the stain again.
3. Allow the stain to dry naturally.
4. Re-check the stain area.

Alternatively you can do the following...

• Cover it up.
• Attempt to wipe away the stain (not recommended)

So, Which Of These 7 Ways To Dry Stain Faster Will You Use?

Time is money and finishing a job as fast as possible is the way to go In most cases, the application of wood stains and waiting for the wooden surface to dry is quite bothersome.

So, use the above 7 ways to dry your wood stains much faster and save your valuable time.