How soon can you move back in after painting?
With the water-based wall paints used in Israel, walls are dry to the touch in about an hour and ready for the next coat after two, so furniture can usually go back the same day. The paint keeps hardening for days after that, three days to a week for most Tambour wall paints, so air the rooms well and do not scrub the walls or push furniture hard against them in that time.
You'll be chatting with Daniel at Tel Aviv Renovations, who handles our English-speaking clients.
Drying times, from the paint maker
These are the figures Tambour publishes for its interior wall paints:
| Paint | Dry to the touch | Between coats | Final drying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supercryl Matte+ | 1 hour | 2 hours | 1 week |
| Supercryl 2000 | 1 hour | 2 hours | 3 days |
| Supercryl Satin | 1 hour | 2 hours | 3 days |
| Supercryl Acrynol (wet rooms) | 1 hour | 2 hours | 3 days |
| Polisid | 1 hour | 2 hours | 1 day |
| ECO2 | 10 minutes | 2 hours | 30 days |
Drying times on data sheets are measured in set conditions. Tambour’s Polisid data sheet, for example, gives its times at 25°C and 65% relative humidity (Polisid TDS).
What “dry” and “final drying” mean for you
- Dry to the touch. You can brush past the wall without marking it.
- Between coats. The wait before the next coat goes on. The last coat is then dry to the touch about an hour after it goes on.
- Final drying. The paint has fully hardened. Until then it marks more easily. For ECO2, Tambour recommends avoiding cleaning or rubbing the walls for the whole 30 days.
Furniture and cleaning
- Furniture. It can usually go back the same day, a little away from the walls until final drying.
- Washing the walls. Wait for final drying. Some paints are not meant to be washed at all: Tambour’s Polisid data sheet says “Do not wash the walls.”
- Ask which paint was used. The drying time depends on the product, so ask your painter for its name.
Airing the apartment
Paints are one of the sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) indoors. The EPA advises increasing ventilation when you use products that give off VOCs and following the precautions on the label (EPA). Tambour’s Polisid data sheet also says to use it in a well-ventilated area. Open the windows while the paint dries.
Tambour describes its ECO2 paint as VOC-free (ECO2 TDS).
How long the painting itself takes
With us, a single room is usually done in a day and an empty end-of-lease apartment in 1–2 days. For a furnished apartment we give you the schedule together with the quote, because it depends on the size, the condition of the walls and how much furniture has to be covered.
Common questions
How long does wall paint take to dry?
Tambour’s Supercryl wall paints are dry to the touch in 1 hour and ready for the next coat after 2 hours. Final drying takes 3 days to a week, depending on the product.
Can I put furniture back the same day?
Usually yes, once the last coat is dry to the touch. Keep it a little away from the walls until the paint has fully dried.
When can I wash freshly painted walls?
Wait for final drying, which is 3 days to a week for most Tambour Supercryl paints and 30 days for ECO2. Polisid is not meant to be washed at all.
Do I need to air the apartment after painting?
Yes. The EPA advises increasing ventilation when you use products that give off VOCs, such as paint, and following the label precautions.
How long does it take to paint an apartment?
With Tel Aviv Painters a single room is usually done in a day and an empty end-of-lease apartment in 1–2 days. For a furnished apartment the schedule comes with the quote.
Sources
- Tambour, Supercryl Matte+ (product page)
- Tambour, Supercryl 2000 (product page)
- Tambour, Supercryl Satin (product page)
- Tambour, Supercryl Acrynol (product page)
- Tambour, Polisid (product page)
- Tambour, Polisid technical data sheet (PDF)
- Tambour, ECO2 technical data sheet (PDF)
- US EPA, Volatile Organic Compounds’ Impact on Indoor Air Quality
Want it painted with the least disruption?
Tell us which rooms and when you need them back, and we will plan the work around you. Tel Aviv Painters is the English-language service of Lavanor.
You'll be chatting with Daniel at Tel Aviv Renovations, who handles our English-speaking clients.