# drywall mud dry time before painting



## joecaption

Depends. Are you using compound out of a bucket, It takes far longer for it to dry if you are and also depends on the thickness, temperature and humity in the air.
Most often it's 24 hours. If it's dry enough to sand and not smeer, it's dry enough to prime.
Are you sure you not reading how long it takes the paint to fully cure? 
They make far faster setting compounds that you mix up from a dry mix. 30, 45, min. mixes are just two of them. But you better know what your doing because you have to move really fast.


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## Brushjockey

You must be reading how long to finish over the primer- not to prime over the mud. Once mud is completely dry ( anywhere from an hour to a day depending on thickness and humidity etc) and sanded ( I hope) you can prime.


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## ARC Painting

30 days is how long it takes for cement to cure before priming, maybe that is what you read? Drywall compound you can safely prime once it is solid to the touch and not soft.


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## Faron79

Many forms of actual PLASTER need 30 days or more, depending on Lime content/thickness, etc.

As the others have said...as soon as a few hours.
Next day if heavier fills involved.
>>> Make sure ALL dusts are removed first!!

Faron


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## BeeTee

What type of mud did you use? Regular joint compound? If so, 24 hours is the usual but if you have some thick areas you will have to wait up to 3 days. Take a piece of sand paper and go over the mud. If its dry there will just be dust but if it hasn't cured long enough it will smear onto the sand paper.


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