How long should you let your inkjet prints dry?

 

Often times printers will have a specific applications in mind for finishing. Whether you plan on stretching your canvas or placing a matte paper under glass, one of the most important aspects of maintaining a high quality finished print is providing ample dry time.

As inkjet inks are water-based, the ink laid down on your print will take time to settle into your media, dry & cure. Even if the media you’re using is considered “instant-dry” or feels dry to the touch, your print still needs about 24 hours to settle.

When letting your prints dry, give them space and do not stack them as this can cause issues with ink bleeding from one print to another.

If you’re planning on coating your canvas with a water- or solvent-based solution, you’ll still need at least 24 hours of dry time as the ink needs time to settle into weaves of the canvas and outgas.

The same is to be said of photo prints that are to be placed behind glass, 24 hours of minimum dry time is suggested. If you place your print directly under glass after printing you may experience “fogging” on the glass of your frame. Fogging of glass typically occurs as gasses are trying to escape and are trapped by the glass of frame.

Happy Printing!

-IT Supplies Team