Kuivumisaika

Kuivumisaika, Finnish for "drying time", is the period required for a material to reach a defined level of dryness. The term is used across many industries to indicate when a product is safe to handle, recoating, or use. Drying time can refer to surface dryness, tack-free state, or complete moisture reduction, and may include chemical curing as part of the drying process.

In paints and coatings, drying time is often stated as "to touch" and "to cure" or "full cure." Drying depends on film thickness, solvent composition, and ambient conditions.

In wood finishing and adhesives, drying time affects recoating intervals and handling strength. Oil finishes, varnishes, and epoxy systems have specific "dry-to-touch" and full-hard times that vary with temperature and humidity.

In concrete and concrete-based materials, drying or curing time refers to loss of surface moisture and the chemical cure; this is typically longer and influenced by temperature and humidity. Builders may use curing methods to control moisture loss.

In food processing, dehydration or drying time determines moisture content and shelf life. In textiles, drying time follows washing, influencing production speed and fabric properties.

Common factors are temperature, relative humidity, air flow, substrate porosity, and material thickness. Drying time is usually specified by product data sheets and measured by tactile dryness, tackiness, weight loss, or moisture-content targets.

See also: moisture content, curing, evaporation.